Philadelphia 76ers: We don’t know what will happen with Markelle Fultz

The Markelle Fultz saga has yielded more questions than answers for Philadelphia 76ers fans.

We’re just over a month away from the start of Philadelphia 76ers basketball. It was around this time last year that things went south for Markelle Fultz. Videos started surfacing, and his shot began deteriorating. Now we’re left we a lot of questions and very few answers.

The 20-year-old enters his second season with high expectations. He has been working nonstop with Drew Hanlen, the trainer credited with molding Jayson Tatum into the Celtics’ next star. Many expect him to take a step forward.

In keeping tabs on “predictions” for Fultz’s sophomore year, many have confidently projected significant three-point improvement. Some have him shooting over 30 percent from deep, while others expect him to move into the starting five before the playoffs start.

And those predictions are fine — very reasonable, and not at all unfeasible. The issue is the lack of solid information we have surrounding Fultz’s shot. We simply don’t know what to expect, because the lack of historical precedent and tangible improvement is overwhelming.

The only physical evidence of Fultz’s improved (?) shooting under Drew Hanlen is this image (the third photo) — one he posted to Instagram a few days back. It’s not a video; it’s a picture of him shooting over another trainer in an empty gym, with Hanlen working his magic in the background.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmwtobWnMiw/?taken-by=markellefultz

Of course, there have been positive reports regarding Fultz’s current state. Richaun Holmes‘ mother said the Washington product will surprise folks next season, while both Hanlen and Brett Brown have praised his progression this summer.

But we can’t take that praise and preach it as truth — Hanlen has a business to promote, and his job is to build up Fultz’s confidence. Brown is his head coach, giving him a similar agenda when speaking publicly about Fultz’s growth.

Nobody in his circle is going to tear Fultz down, and odds are, some form of improvement has been made. The extent to which he has improved, however, remains unknown. And we won’t know until he steps on an NBA floor and goes against professional defenders.

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At this point, it’s generally accepted that Fultz’s issue was more mental than physical. Hanlen straight-up called it the yips, which is essentially a tricky form of performance anxiety.

It’s tough to put yourself in Fultz’s shoes. He went first overall, fulfilling a lifelong dream of playing in the NBA. Then he lost control of his shooting mechanics, something that inevitably sent social media into an unbearable frenzy.

He, a teenager, then had to deal with the pressure of losing his groove on the world’s biggest stage. That’s where this piece from Liberty Ballers’ BehindCurve comes into play.

While people have acknowledged the mental side of Fultz’s problem, few have actually brought into question the method behind rebuilding Fultz’s confidence. The article basically asks one question: Is handing the keys to a basketball trainer the best way to solve Fultz’s shooting woes.

We aren’t in a position to question Fultz’s state of mind, but there is bound to be some level of emotional trauma that comes with enduring the endless ridicule of media personalities and fans.

In the piece, BehindCurve references multiple sources close to Fultz — many of whom had questions about how Fultz’s situation was being handled. Is the issue more complex than simply putting Fultz in a gym and having him get up shots?

"“Sources I’ve spoken with have wondered if the [mental health] problem was never addressed directly enough, and are concerned this may still be an issue. They are also doubtful that the lofty expectations being set by Hanlen are helpful, because they may create additional pressure to fix the shot in the next few weeks, when it may take more than that.” — Liberty Ballers"

Simply put, there’s reason to believe fixing Fultz’s shot is a more nuanced process than the media is making it out to be. Putting all your faith in Hanlen’s mechanical changes without addressing the mental block (or yips) that held him back last season is ill-advised.

Cleaning up his form in an open gym isn’t enough for Fultz. He needs to maintain those mechanical changes and remain confident in his shot against actual NBA competition. That’s where the yips will or won’t strike.

He needs to be willing to shoot threes, and his mechanics can’t break down under the pressure of real-time defense. We have no clue whether or not that will happen. We have no clue whether that’s an immediate fix or something Fultz will gradually improve over time.

We have never seen the No. 1 pick — someone who garnered James Harden comparisons before the draft — go through what Fultz has gone through. Most Sixers fans are basing their opinions and projections around a few Drew Hanlen comments and one Instagram photo.

That isn’t enough evidence to have an informed opinion on what to expect next season. We know Fultz is talented. He’s a buttery finisher with elite court vision and an All-Star ceiling. But we can’t sit here and project massive shooting improvement before Fultz plays in an NBA game.

NOTE: Fultz is an effective NBA player without a jumper. He will almost certainly be a factor next season. This article is focused on the progression of his shot and whether or not it will improve next season.