The Rookie Watch is back – and Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons have a hot duel at the top. In addition to the Top 10, the Serbian and German youngsters will also be illuminated. Moreover, the case of Markelle Fultz continues to blossom strangely.
The situation around the top pick of drafts is becoming increasingly obscure. During a broadcast of a sixties game, ESPN’s Mark Jones and Doris Burke talked about Fultz’s condition and his shoulder, and included some quotes from conversations with Sixers coach Brett Brown. According to the commentators, Brown allegedly found a “psychosomatic problem” with the No. 1 pick. The coach, however, frothed after these “completely wrong” statements and ESPN is said to have apologized to the organization, even though a bitter aftertaste remained.
It is still unclear when the Guard will return. According to the Sixers, it started on the second. On January 1, Fultz completed his last rehabilitation phase, during which he was slowly reintegrated into the team. The long-term injured has been travelling with the team since then and also showed up on the court before the games.
What you could see there, however, did not encourage. Nothing reminds me of the throwing form from college when he made his way to the top pick. Instead, NBA-Twitter saw a chopped-off throw, like at the beginning of the season. Free throws became a lottery, some even clapped on the board next to the ring.
It seems to be a long way to go before Fultz will see minutes on the court in the NBA again. The Sixers are fighting for a place in the playoffs and can’t allow themselves to throw Fultz into the cold water by trial and error, even though Brown keeps saying that the Guard will still be playing this season. Whether it is conducive to the 20-year-old’s self-confidence may be questioned. It would probably make more sense if Fultz could find his way back to his game in the G-League.
Bogdan Bogdanovic
In Sacramento, the 25-year-old needed only a short warm-up time and can justifiably be regarded as the best perimeter player of the Kings. The fact that his litter is more than acceptable could be expected to a certain extent, but it is more surprising that Bogi is also dangerous by drive and finishes very well on the ring (64 percent in the Restricted Area).
For the Kings, his playmaker skills are also extremely important, even though coach Dave Joerger is still using the Euroleague champ too little. What is striking is the good chemistry with Willie Cauley stone. Bogdanovic still has to work on his defense, but the tools are there. Bogdanovic will find his role in the league, at least as a good sixth man from the bank.
Milos Teodosic
The season began with the heel injury not good for one of the best European playmakers in history. Even after his comeback, the rust was still a little noticeable to him. Especially with his litter the Serbian had big problems, but meanwhile his odds are increasing.
“The pace is simply much higher in our league,”said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, explaining the initial problems faced by his playmaker,”I think he’s starting to understand what good throws are for him,” defensively, of course, it’s still problematic, but the clips are happy to accept that.
Teodosic is supposed to keep the offense running (especially after Blake Griffin’s trade) and he does so with his outstanding eye and the spectacular passes he interspersed again and again. It goes well with the fast game in L. A.
Page 1: The case of Markelle Fultz – Bogdanovic and Teodosic
Page 2: The German Theis and Kleber, Honorabale Mentions, Place 10
Page 3: Places 9 to 7
Page 4: Seats 6 to 4
Page 5: Seats 3 to 1