Markelle Fultz can bring a new dynamic to the Philadelphia 76ers’ offense.
Last week on the For The Record episode with Isaiah Thomas and Markelle Fultz, Philadelphia 76ers fans were encouraged to see video footage of the 2017 No. 1 overall pick’s jump shot looking back to normal (skip to 0:06,12:21,15:21, and 16:53 to see his jumper).
According to Fultz’ trainer Drew Hanlen, Fultz shot 150,000 jump shots this summer. Drew Hanlen trains NBA stars such as Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, and Joel Embiid. If someone could help Fultz through his shoulder injury and return his jump shot back to normal. it is Drew Hanlen.
Markelle Fultz x Isaiah Thomas | Last Year Was Last Year
Markelle Fultz on the jump shot the entire basketball world has been talking about. Isaiah Thomas on a brand new start with the Denver Nuggets. The two guards are ready to put the past behind them.
Posted by For The Record on Thursday, September 20, 2018
The video footage shows many promising signs. First and foremost, there is no obvious hitch in Markelle’s jump shot. Last year he was shooting the ball from under his chin due to the mysterious shoulder injury that prevented him from playing most of his rookie campaign. Second, his release point is higher than his jumper pre-shoulder injury, which is good for a comboguard such as Fultz. Lastly, his jump shot looks quick and smooth, unlike the horrid free throw form that took the internet by storm last October.
I looked at footage used in The Player’s Tribune as well as footage of Markelle’s shot at U-Dub. Personally, it looks quicker to me. The ball is not sticking three feet out in front of him like it was in pre-game warmups last year.
Good news for Sixers fan is that Fultz’s shot looks better than Lonzo Ball‘s shot and I assume he will shoot the ball more efficiently than Lonzo did last year — effective feld goal percentage of 44. percent (14th percentile) and 31.2 percent from three, according to Cleaning The Glass.
With Markelle Fultz’s jump shot fixed we can now focus on how he will impact this Sixers squad for the 2018-19 season.
The reason the 76ers drafted the 6-foot-4 guard from Washington was due to his ability to score anywhere on the court. With his athleticism, he can blow by defenders and finish over the top of taller defenders, and most importantly create his own shot off the dribble via mid-range or from beyond the arc. Defensively he is an incredible shot blocker as a guard thanks to his 6-foot-9 wingspan and is far from a defensive liability. He’s also a great rebounding guard.
The Sixers have every type of player(s) an elite NBA team needs. The quarterback of the team in Ben Simmons, sharpshooter J.J Redick, lockdown defender (and streaky three-point shooter) Robert Covington, a Hakeem-like post scoring, shot blocking, rebounding center in Joel “The Process” Embiid.
Now how does Markelle Fultz fit in on the Sixers this year? The last type of player the Sixers were missing last season was a scoring guard. Markelle Fultz is the missing piece that the Sixers need to make a deep playoff push and get past the Boston Celtics.
By a scoring guard, I mean a guy you can give the ball to who can score at will anywhere on the court. A guy you give the ball to in crunch time to give you a much-needed bucket. Fultz can also fit in wherever you need him in the Brett Brown’s offensive scheme. He showed last year that he can cut to the basket well, catching backdoor passes from Ben Simmons, as well as spotting up from deep (assuming his jumper is efficient in games).
Sixers fans wanted a marquee free agent this summer and were upset when the Sixers struck out. I would not have minded a Paul George or Kawhi Leonard, but the Sixers may have all they need right in front of them. If Fultz can blossom into the player he was drafted to become, that Philly traded up for, than we are in for a promising season.
Coming off the bench allows Fultz to acclimate to the fast-paced NBA game without the pressure of starting and with a mature bench squad. T.J McConnell, Mike Muscala, and Wilson Chandler are perfect guys to have around Markelle as he adjusts to the game with a jump shot.
I predict Fultz will have first priority in scoring with the second unit. As the season progresses and Fultz takes steps forward I could see him taking over for J.J Redick in the starting lineup, but even if he does not start, he can still get valuable minutes and contribute thoroughly off the bench.