Markelle Fultz is facing his second season at the 76ers. After a messed up rookie year, the big breakthrough should finally come. If the rumors about his restored litter come true, the No. 1 pick of 2017 could be the key piece in the puzzle to success in the city of fraternal love.
Markelle Fultz and his “broken litter” are probably one of the strangest stories in recent NBA history. The 20-year-old came into the league as one of the most promising shot creators of the year, but missed most of the season due to his damaged shoulder. “He completely forgot how to throw,” said NBA coach Drew Hanlen a few weeks ago on the Daniel Schmidt podcast.
On the advice of his team mate Joel Embiid, Fultz separated from his former litter coach Keith Williams during the off-season and started working with Hanlen. This has already helped Embiid, Tatum and many other players to a smooth conclusion. Now the litter miracle healer is working intensively on the probably biggest task of his career – apparently with success.
If Hanlen’s promising announcements are true, we should see a completely new Markelle Fultz next season, who has nothing to do with last season’s noticeably insecure youngster. Yahoo insider Jordan Schultz even said that the “new” Fultz could be regarded as a kind of free agency obligation.
Because basically the Combo Gaurd is a real offensive all-rounder. He is the only college player to have played a statline of 23 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists on average over an entire season in the last 25 years (!).
He was considered one of the best, if not the best three-level scorer (a player who can finish from both the triple line, midrange and post) of his year, has outstanding athleticism and was feared as the maestro of the pick and roll. Doesn’t sound wrong on paper at first.
Let’s just leave last season unnoticed and take the College Fultz as the status quo. Then the Sixers’ Guard could actually be the missing building block for success in the coming years. But first things first.
The scaffolding of Simmons on the one and Embiid on the five will be Philly’s anchor for the next few years. There’s no way around it. The two on their own are already world class in their positions. With stable shooters in positions two to four and a productive bench, Brett Brown’s guys had a lot of fun at the end of the regular season and in the first playoffs round.
Against the Celtics in the second round, however, the young team’s weak point became apparent – flexibility. Thanks to Brad Stevens the goblins were optimally adjusted to the Sixers and used this hard as nails. Simmons was left open, Embiid was always doubled in the zone and Reddick just didn’t get any litters. Without a second creative man on the field, Philly’s offensive often seemed single-track and unimaginative.
A creative guard was simply missing, who could also create his own throw from dribbling and scores in important situations in one-on-one. Simmons will not get that on the chain for the foreseeable future due to his missing little hand, Reddick simply lacks the ball handling as well as the athletics and embiid can’t do everything (even if he would like to). Although T.J. McConnell meets this requirement to some extent, the 26-year-old has no great star potential.
This is exactly what the player type of a Markelle Fultz is for. The 1.93 meter tall Guard, like hardly anyone else in college, was able to create his own throw, was extremely dangerous from behind the triple line (41.3 percent) and, thanks to his wingspan (2.06 meters) on the other hand, is even able to defend Small Forward in a small lineup.
But that’s not all: With Big Man Joel Embiid, the above-average pick-and-roll player at Philly has the perfect partner to create one of the most gifted pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop duos in the league.
In the meantime, he can help Ben Simmons time and again in the construction of the game, which would often give the Australian the opportunity to play off his physical superiority in the low-post.
However, it is questionable in what form Fultz will be given his working hours. At the beginning of the season, of course, he will first have to leave the bank and slowly get back to his NBA routine. But if the 20-year-old proves himself, it is quite likely that Brown will draw him into the Starting Five during the season and let Reddick come from the bank as the leader of the Second Unit.
That would have killed two birds with one stone. On the one hand, Fultz’ playing style makes the 76ers much more offensive and defensive. On the other hand, Reddick, who enjoys an extremely high standing in the team anyway, can develop into an important second-guard leader with his many years of experience.
At 34, he would certainly appreciate not being on the court for 30+ minutes every game and would also tend to face worse defenders and consequently more open throws. In addition, the Sixers close the Shooter hole on the bench, which has gaped since Belinelli left and Nemanja Bjelica did not transfer. A classic win-win situation.
“I have tremendous optimism and confidence that he will play an incredible year,” Brown said at a press conference during the Summer League in Las Vegas. And the Sixers coach is not alone. Jordan Schultz also predicts a great year for the former top pick. He claims to have learned from a ligain-internal source that “Fultz’ Jumper has been restored and the 20-year-old is a completely different, enormously improved player.”
Within the franchise one probably knows more about the development of the former college star, which would also explain why the Sixers never wanted to involve Fultz in a possible trade package for Kawhi Leonard.
Now it is up to Fultz himself to live up to his advance praise and let his critics fall silent. If it works out, Philadelphia could perhaps herald a new Big 3 era next season. It would somehow fit into the image of the Process.