Patience
The Philadelphia 76ers waited two years for the debut of Joel Embiid. The team waited a year for the debut of Ben Simmons. Now the team must exert some patience while Brown folds Fultz in the mix.
Air Alamo
On the Washington Huskies, Markelle Fultz was the bona fide leader of the team. On the Philadelphia 76ers, that is not clearly defined. Of course, this is currently Joel Embiid’s team. Embiid’s personality runs the social media and the fan perception. But the quiet strength of this roster may be Robert Covington. He is the defender who listens more to his inner voice than to the crowds. T.J. McConnell and Richaun Holmes are players whose emotions run on the surface throughout the game.
But Ben
And then, there is the unknown quality of Ben Simmons. His role as potential cerebral assassin on the basketball court is untested. But the team continues confidently towards the future. So what role is left for Markelle Fultz? A James Harden like role. A “plenty of offense” type role. Scoring. Thankfully, that is actually a role well suited for the young man.
Over time, that role will grow deeper and require more qualities. For this year, simply working on scoring from multiple ranges with multiple shots is enough.