Much like the NBA season, the G League schedule is in full swing. And while the Sixers have had mixed results so far, the Sixers of tomorrow are taking shape just down I-95 in Wilmington with the Delaware
Blue Coats. The Coats have seen a steady flow of NBA assignments and, as always, feature several prospects on the roster producing at a high level.
In this edition of the Blue Coats Check-In, we’ll break down the Sixers’ recent assignees and highlight which Blue Coat has the potential to become a possible contributor in Philly.
Let’s start with some of the big names:
Jared McCain’s G League Stint leading to NBA production
McCain hasn’t had an easy start to his pro career. After dealing with a meniscus tear last year, he then suffered a UCL injury in training camp. When he finally made his season debut a few weeks ago, he was wearing a large knee brace similar to what we saw Joel Embiid use last season. Between the rust and limited mobility, he struggled early, which resulted in the Sixers sending him to Delaware for a short assignment.
He played two games with the Blue Coats. In the first, he scored 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting. The second was a noticeable step forward, with 15 points on 6-for-13 shooting and six assists in 20 minutes against the Greensboro Swarm. One thing that stood out was the switch from the bulky brace to an Incrediwear knee sleeve.
It didn’t take long for the Sixers to bring him back, and since then he’s started to look more like the player we saw last season. Most recently, he scored 15 points in 25 minutes against the Miami Heat.
McCain’s G League trip wasn’t about proving anything. It was simply a chance to get his rhythm back. The G League can be valuable in different ways, and for McCain, just getting real game reps and seeing a few shots fall seems to have helped. It’s unlikely he’ll be back in a Blue Coats uniform this season, but the stint clearly gave him a boost he needed.
Johni Broome gaining steam
The Sixers came away with what you could call 2.5 rookies from the 2025 NBA Draft class: VJ Edgecombe, Johni Broome, and two-way guard Hunter Sallis. Most of the attention has rightfully gone to Edgecombe, but how has the other true rookie looked so far? At the NBA level, we haven’t seen much of Broome yet, even with injuries to Embiid and Adem Bona, he has yet to see a non-garbage time minute.
Broome has played three games with the Delaware Blue Coats, and he’s been doing a lot of what we saw from him at Auburn: putting up big stat lines. In those three games, he’s averaging 22.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and two blocks while shooting 50% from the field and 37.5% from three. His perimeter shot showed up in Summer League and preseason, and it’s clearly still there.
If you’re not very familiar with Broome yet, or haven’t watched him in Delaware, he’s worth a look. He’s one of the more unusual players you’ll come across. He doesn’t always pass the eye test because his scoring and overall style can look awkward or unorthodox. But when you check the box score, he’s filling it every time.
Broome’s most recent game was also his best. He finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block in 34 minutes. He shot 13-for-23 from the field and knocked down four of his seven three-point attempts. Offensively, he’s a skilled player who can score in a lot of different ways. He has good touch around the basket, and if the outside shot continues to fall, he has enough feel and IQ to develop into a well-rounded offensive big at the NBA level.
The biggest thing to monitor with Broome is his defense. He’s a smart player with a legit seven-foot wingspan, and he uses it well. The challenge is his athletic profile. At times, it looks like he’s moving in cement shoes, and his vertical isn’t far off from most people reading this. Those physical limitations will always be part of the equation, so his path to becoming a reliable defender will come from the mental side. He’ll need to anticipate well, read actions early, and beat players to spots. Given how sharp he is, there’s real reason to believe he can do it given time and proper development.
Broome has put up big numbers at every stop in his career, and the G League has been no exception. The question now is whether this early success eventually translates to NBA minutes and NBA production — either this season or beyond.
The other, other rookie: Hunter Sallis
Remember how I said the Sixers had 2.5 rookies? Sallis is the “half,” signing a two-way deal with the team after the draft. We’ve seen almost all of his minutes come in the G League so far, and the results have been mixed.
On the surface, his numbers look fine: 14 points, five rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 32.3 minutes across three games. The big issue has been efficiency. He’s shooting just 34.5% from the field and a rough 12.5% from three. The defensive production hasn’t been there either, with only 0.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game.
Coming into the year, Sallis projected as a three-and-D style guard who could fill out the box score and generate turnovers. Instead, he’s struggled with his shot almost the entire time he’s been a Sixer. We still haven’t seen him put together a strong performance — not in Summer League, not in training camp, and not yet with the Blue Coats.
Four games isn’t a huge sample, but if we don’t see progress soon, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Sixers start weighing their options. Their guard room is stacked with Maxey, McCain, Edgecombe, Quentin Grimes, and veterans Kyle Lowry and Eric Gordon. Several of those players have already missed time, and the Sixers still haven’t turned to Sallis in any capacity, which likely speaks to where he’s at.
Sallis is overdue for a good showing, and he’ll get plenty of chances in Delaware to earn his spot. If he can’t string something together, it’ll be tough for the Sixers to justify keeping him around considering the roster makeup and minimal production so far. Of the three two-way players — Sallis, Dominick Barlow, and Jabari Walker — he’s the biggest question mark by a wide margin.
Emoni Bates and the Sixers might be a match
We’re only a few years removed from Emoni Bates being viewed as the top prospect in the 2022 or 2023 draft class. But an inconsistent season at Memphis, lack of explosiveness, poor efficiency, and legal trouble from a concealed weapon charge tanked his stock. It fell so far that Cleveland grabbed him in the second round at 49th overall. Bates spent two seasons with the Cavaliers — mostly with their G League affiliate — seeing very little NBA action. Cleveland chose not to bring him back, and the former top prospect signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Sixers in late September.
Bates has suited up for two Blue Coats games so far, and he’s lit up the box score. He’s averaging 28.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and two steals per game while shooting 42.5% from the field and 44.8% from three. Even more eye-opening: he’s taking 14.5 threes per game across those two outings.
Two G League games isn’t enough to firmly stamp anyone, but it is enough to turn heads — mine included. Usually, when a guy is a “real” NBA-level talent, he’ll have nights where he just looks a tier above everyone else on the floor. So far, Bates is that guy. He’s absolutely a name to monitor moving forward. If the efficiency holds, there’s a legitimate chance the Sixers look at converting him to a two-way deal. They’ve been searching for forwards for what feels like years, and Kelly Oubre Jr.‘s injury only cranks up that need.
I still have long-standing concerns about his burst and overall defense. But he has a real NBA frame, and if you pair that with legitimate shooting and shot-making, you get someone who could absolutely stick in the league. For Bates, the path to a two-way contract comes down to holding the efficiency and proving he can defend well enough to survive on the floor. So far, the shooting is there. If he can take a step defensively and continue hitting shots, whether it’s the Sixers or another team, someone is going to take a serious look at the upside he still has. Keep in mind: Bates is still only 21 years old.
MarJon Beauchamp hitting shots early
Speaking of another fallen prospect, is MarJon Beauchamp; who has signed with the Sixers to an Exhibit-10 deal. Before that, Beauchamp was selected in the first round by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022, where he didn’t play much beyond his rookie season. He was traded and has since bounced around a few teams, including the LA Clippers and New York Knicks.
Beauchamp now finds himself in a similar spot to a few years ago: the G League. Some may remember he spent his rookie year with the now-defunct G League Ignite. This time, he’s in Delaware with the Blue Coats.
The biggest question with Beauchamp has always been his shot — or the lack of it. The sample size is small, but so far, he’s been knocking them down. He’s shooting 59.3% from the field through two games and 58.3% from three on six attempts per game. While it’s only two games, his other skills — athleticism and defensive ability — are evident enough that adding a reliable shot could turn him into an NBA-caliber player. The inability to shoot consistently has been the main barrier to his success at the NBA level.
Like Bates, Beauchamp will be a Blue Coat to watch in the coming weeks, especially if the Sixers are looking to add forward depth from within their own system.
Kennedy Chandler making noise
Kennedy Chandler originally caught eyes in the Sixers training camp, as he was one of the fringe roster guys to seriously get time. Even getting the nod over two-way player Sallis in a few of those contests. Out of all the guys on the training camp Sixers, he appeared to be the main surprise that the coaching staff noticed.
Since training camp, Chandler has taken on a major role with Delaware. He’s started five games so far, averaging 19.9 points, 8.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34.6 minutes per game. He’s shooting 43.5% from the field, though his three-point shooting has struggled, connecting on just 13.6% of his 4.4 attempts per game.
Chandler’s season has had its ups and downs, which shows in the numbers. On one hand, he’s a high-usage player who scores efficiently and ranks among the best facilitators in the G League. On the other, his three-point shot has been nearly nonexistent thus far. At six feet tall, he’s also undersized for the NBA, making it hard to see where he’d fit with the Sixers. Still, he consistently produces, brings effort, and acts as a sparkplug whenever he’s on the floor for Delaware or Philadelphia.
While it’s difficult to envision a long-term spot for him on the Sixers roster, he has clearly outplayed Sallis so far. If the team plans to devote a two-way spot to a guard, Chandler has made a strong case and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down.
The next chance to see Sallis, Bates, Chandler, and likely Broome will come on Wednesday, Nov. 26, when the Blue Coats travel to White Plains, NY, to face the Westchester Knicks. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, with tip-off at 7 PM EST.
