Prospects the Philadelphia 76ers Should Watch for in the 2017 Draft Class
PG Markelle Fultz, Washington, FR
Standing at 6’4” with a 6’9” wingspan, Markelle Fultz is another player whose athletic package is immediately intriguing. He has huge hands for the point guard spot and is a nimble athlete when slicing his way through the lane.
Fultz’s feel for the game and ability to create for both himself and teammates off the dribble is unparalleled in this draft class. He has a nice set of dribble moves he can utilize to maneuver his way through the defense and is extremely difficult to stay in front off due to his noteworthy rapidity off his first step. He’s creative with the ball in his hands and sees the floor extremely well. He penetrates the defense with ease and facilitates and an extremely high level afterwards.
In addition to his knack for passing, Fultz is a promising scorer as well. He shoots the ball consistently from beyond the arc and is an ideal spot-up shooter that could work alongside someone like a Ben Simmons in the future, while also possessing a nice soft touch around the rim and impressive athleticism in space.
Defensively, Fultz has all the tools of a successful multi-positional force. He hasn’t always shown the willpower desired out of a top prospect on that side of the ball, but against tougher competition at the college level with more advanced coaching, I would be shocked not to see that change. He has a confident demeanor and is someone who can telegraph passing lanes well beyond the average rate and force turnovers at a high clip when he is concentrated.
Fultz is ranked second on DraftExpress’ current big board behind the aforementioned Giles and is considered in many circles the best point guard in a class that is highlighted by a strong group of talent at the one spot.
"“In a matter of two years Fultz has gone from a junior varsity sophomore to arguably the best guard in the 2016 class and a potential top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Despite the USA team being loaded with perimeter players, Fultz’s talent was still able to shine through at the Nike Hoop Summit. Although he’s a better athlete and not quite the shooter, the future Washington Huskie fits the D’Angelo Russell mold – a lead guard who can both score and create for others with a level of creativity and flare. Fultz’s trajectory has been remarkable, and there haven’t been signs that the improvement will slow down soon. With the keys to Lorenzo Romar’s offense, Fultz should be in position to take the Pac-12 by storm.” -Mike Schmitz, DraftExpress"
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