The Philadelphia 76ers’ rookie is a real contributor.
For parts of the 2019-20 season, it felt as if Matisse Thybulle‘s time in the Philadelphia 76ers‘ rotation was waning. There was even a time when Thybulle wasn’t expected to contribute at all. Now the rookie seems all but cemented in Philadelphia’s long-term vision.
After four successful years at Washington, Thybulle went to Philadelphia 20th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. Some considered it a reach, others praised the Sixers’ move up to get him. Thybulle landed 15th on my draft board, higher than the consensus and in line with Elton Brand‘s ultimate valuation.
As a rookie, Thybulle has appeared in 27 of 28 games. His offensive numbers are middling — 4.9 points per game, 1.3 assists per game — but his defense, in conjunction with underrated success within his role offensively, has allowed Thybulle to be the domineering force on the bench at times.
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It’s historically rare for Brett Brown, omitting the process years, to invest significant trust in a rookie. Thybulle breaks the mold — a four-year college player who, evidently, has a ready-made NBA I.Q. Despite foul troubles and a few blunders here and there, Thybulle has shown a feel and intelligence for the game few rookies possess.
His feel and intelligence manifests most clearly on defense. In a humble 18 minutes per contest, Thybulle is averaging 1.4 steals and 0.7 block, which extrapolates to 2.9 steals and 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes. Fouls are a concern, yes, but 4.3 fouls per 36 minutes isn’t a death sentence for a rookie who plays with Thybulle’s aggressiveness.
The Sixers rookie has the potential to develop into a game-changing talent on defense. He’s a unique disruptor, unlike anyone currently in the league. Even Robert Covington, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Draymond Green — other elite roamers. Nobody matches the frenetic, twitchy presence of Thybulle in the passing lanes.
Thybulle glides over screens, has a keen nose for the ball, and has elite athleticism that often goes unrecognized. He has flaws — his 43.6 shooting percentage isn’t great, and his handles are rudimentary — but Thybulle could reach All-Defense level in the near future, and he’s a bench piece.
As a fitting topper, Thybulle is converting on 46.7 percent of his 2.2 three-point attempts per game. Shooting was drilled into oblivion as Thybulle’s primary question mark this summer. So far, he’s the most efficient deep threat on the Sixers (slightly problematic on the whole, but a testament to Thybulle’s work ethic and individual success).
It’s difficult to imagine a version of events where Thybulle doesn’t get minutes in the postseason. The 2020 postseason. Considering the public opinion of Thybulle even a couple months ago, his progression has been stunning. He’s a real part of the future in Philadelphia.