PHILADELPHIA — Before the Philadelphia 76ers faced the Memphis Grizzlies, Jeff Dowtin Jr. was just a two-way player without much notoriety. Now, fans are eager to see more from the 26-year-old guard.
Dowtin signed a two-way contract with the 76ers less than a week ago. His G League rights (plus a pick in the league’s 2024 draft) were acquired by the Sixers-affiliated Delaware Blue Coats in exchange for dunk contest champion Mac McClung before this season. In 17 games for Delaware, including 15 starts, Dowtin averaged 18.4 points and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from three-point territory.
Nick Nurse was plenty familiar with Dowtin, who appeared in 25 games for the Toronto Raptors last season. He said Dowtin “did an excellent job” on both ends of the floor and was deserving of more second-half minutes in Philly's loss to the Grizzlies.
“He's a good player,” Nurse said. “He really knows how to play the game. He's got a good feel for running an offense. He's kind of an orchestrator but he will step in and shoot if you leave him or he'll get a bucket here and there. And he's a really good defender. He's a good on-ball defender.”
THIS is Jeff Dowtin Jr. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Bdmop7oGyf
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 7, 2024
In just under 24 minutes, Dowtin tallied 10 points, a team-high six assists, three rebounds and three steals on 4-7 shooting. The 76ers won his minutes by 17 points, by far the most on the team. He made his 76ers debut in their previous game, a loss to the Brooklyn Nets where he played just six minutes.
For Dowtin to be an immediate fit is great for the 76ers. He stayed confident and took the shots he needed to, starting off with an off-the-dribble triple, while also igniting ball movement.
“For him to come out here and just stay poised and be able to do what coach needs him to do, that says a lot about him as a player and as a professional. So I'm really proud of him,” Kelly Oubre Jr. said. “I love the pace that he plays with. I just love how he's composed and he attacks when he needs to attack. He gets guys open when he needs to get guys open and I think that he has a place in this league.”
The 76ers are hoping to get Tyrese Maxey back soon and should have Kyle Lowry available when there isn’t a back-to-back. Seeing the court will most likely not be consistent on a game-by-game basis for Jeff Dowtin Jr. But he’ll sure be staying ready to go.
“I think I'm gonna just seize every moment, seize every opportunity that’s possible every day,” Dowtin said before his Sixers debut. “Just come in, get ready to work, just be myself. I'm excited for that and I'm excited to be around Coach Nurse again and just continue to be who I am.”
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