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Analyzing Markelle Fultz’s pre-game shooting in London

By Jack Coolahan

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 9: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during practice as part of the 2018 NBA London Global Game at Citysport on January 9, 2018 in London, England. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 9: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during practice as part of the 2018 NBA London Global Game at Citysport on January 9, 2018 in London, England. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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While the Philadelphia 76ers lost in London, some video from practice is what’s generating the most concern.

The Philadelphia 76ers blew a 20-point lead in Thursday’s loss to the Boston Celtics in London. In other words, the Sixers played to their usual standard.

While Brett Brown and his staff pore over game film to identify what went wrong, Sixers fans will be examining every detail of this 16-second video of Markelle Fultz shooting jump shots before the game.

Let’s focus on the first shot in the video. Fultz practices his turnaround move and rises up for a fadeaway. The ball clanks off the backboard and then the rim. We can assume that Fultz was not trying to bank the shot in because the right elbow is an uncommon location for a bank shot.

When shooting a basketball, a player has to move the ball from their waist to (usually) above his or her head before flicking the ball towards the rim. Most basketball players use either a one-motion or two-motion shooting form to achieve this.

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A one-motion shooting form gets the ball from the catching position to the follow through without any pauses or hitches. For example, Steph Curry has a one-motion shooting form. A two-motion form includes a pause as the ball reaches the head area. The player pauses the ball at the “set point.” LeBron James is an example of a player with a two-motion shot.

Note: I consulted this YouTube video to write this paragraph. For more information on one-motion and two-motion shooting forms, check it out.

Judging from these two attempts, it seems that Markelle Fultz is currently using a three-motion shot. In the process of picking up his dribble and letting the shot go, he pauses twice. Fultz brings the ball to his right shoulder, pauses, raises the ball slightly, pauses again, and then releases. The massive hitch results in a putrid miss.

Before the Sixers indefinitely shut down Fultz, he had been starting his free throw motion at his shoulder.

The London shots look alarmingly similar to his previous free throws. He cannot start these pull-up jumpers at his shoulder because he needs to pick up his dribble first, but he does jerk the ball up to his shoulder as soon as possible. This unorthodox starting position essentially serves as the first pause in his shot.

Additionally, most great shooters dip the ball to their waist before beginning their motions to generate rhythm and momentum. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and pre-fiasco Fultz all use the dip. Fultz may struggle to generate enough power to shoot from long range with this rhythmless, shotput-like motion.

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Since the end of October, Fultz has supposedly been rehabbing his shoulder and rebuilding his shooting form. The unfortunate truth is that his shot looks no better today than it did three months ago.

Bryan Colangelo’s decision to shroud the situation in mystery makes it even more troubling. Facts about Fultz’s injury and the Sixers’ plan to integrate him back into the lineup are hard to come by.  He could suit up in the next few weeks. He also might not play until next season.

If I was running the Sixers, I would not let him play until his shooting form looks like it did at Washington. Allowing him to play those four games at the beginning of the season put him under unnecessary scrutiny.

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No one should make a final judgment based on a video taken by a reporter. Still, Fultz’s apparent lack of progress is worrisome. Hopefully, the Sixers or Fultz will grant everyone some clarity on the situation soon enough.