The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers: Reasonable expectations for Markelle Fultz jumper

By Lucas Johnson

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 14: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Miami Heat in game one of round one of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 14, 2018 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 14: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Miami Heat in game one of round one of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on April 14, 2018 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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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Philadelphia 76ers point guard Markelle Fultz has had hype building around him this offseason, but it’s good to have some realistic expectations as well.

Multiple times I have written about the hard work that Markelle Fultz has put in this offseason. There is little doubt the second year guard should show improvement. What the Philadelphia 76ers and their fans will have to wait for is to see to what extent Fultz has improved his jump shot. While it would be awesome if Fultz comes into the season being the same player he was in college, that may not be a reasonable expectation for a player getting over the yips.

The struggle that Futlz dealt with during his rookie year has only been experienced by a few former first overall drafts, most recent of which would be Anthony Bennett. Expecting Fultz to play near an All-NBA level to begin the season would be an unfair to do so.

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To begin with, even head coach Brett Brown commented on Fultz’s form isn’t fully consistent yet. On top of that even if Fultz would still have to play third fiddle behind Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons respectively. Being the third option will certainly make it hard to put up gaudy numbers. However, it’s also important that Brown commented on Fultz’s aggressiveness in looking for his shot again.

Fans can get a good look at Fultz’s shooting form in a video that has been posted on the Players’ Tribune twitter account. The hard work this summer has seemed to have payed off. Fultz’s release is slightly low, however he does have solid overall form. How this translates to playing full speed is yet to be seen, but one would hope he can keep his form once game action begins.

Depending on if Fultz starts or comes off the bench will certainly impact the type of numbers he puts up as well. I have written that in due time Fultz should start, just not right away. With that in mind along with his willingness to shoot, though it may not always be consistent, Fultz may have a slightly above average season for an NBA point guard. With an improved jump shot, Fultz’s minutes should go up as should most of his stats.

A realistic expectation when it comes to shot related stats for this upcoming season should have Fultz averaging around: 12-13 points a game, while shooting 46 percent from the field, 33 percent from the 3-point line and 70 percent from the free throw line. While not the flashiest of stat lines, it does show major improvement from a player who only attempted one 3-point shot in 14 games last season.

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Fultz regaining his college form will take time, so fans shouldn’t expect Fultz to be back to his college self coming out of the gates. It will probably take several seasons before Philadelphia 76ers fans see the Fultz that the club drafted out of college. Not having high expectations on Fultz should help ease the pressure on him.