Much ado about.. nothing?
The young man named Markelle Fultz is the focus of a great deal of national media attention. But that spotlight did not shine on him a year ago at the University of Washington. Of course, everyone knew he was a special type of basketball player, but nobody treated him in that soon-to-be-a-celebrity fashion. In fact, it was that calmness and lack of showcasing which attracted Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Luck to feature the young man in a pre-draft article.
His choice of colleges was a curious one. He was so incredibly talented and in choosing the University of Washington, he elected a sort of “free form” scheme. The Huskies featured Fultz in their offense, and cut him a blank check to run the plays as he saw fit. But that free form did not prepare Fultz for the NBA, but rather showcased him for it.
UW coaching did not help Fultz, 76ers coaching will
But all the while, his head coach Lorenzo Romar was on the hot set. Romar could attract young men to the NBA, but he did little to improve their skillsets. In fact, while Fultz wowed NCAA fans with his skills, Romar sat on a hot seat. Ultimately, Washington fired Romar after a 9-22 season, but the history had already propelled Fultz to the NBA – both the raw talent and the lack of disciplined scheme.
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While there is no doubt that the Philadelphia 76ers are still the best fit for Fultz, there is that matter of transitioning to the NBA for a young rookie with a lot of cameras suddenly pointed in his direction. For a player who has walked the streets freely, hit the gym without fanfare, this is a complete culture shock. And the best way to build up tolerance is to work on the repetition to remove outside distractions. Ultimately, what is behind the curtain for Markelle Fultz? Simply a coaching staff who cares enough about their star 2017 NBA Draft pick to ensure he takes the court fully ready for the NBA, at all levels.