Markelle Fultz: From College Standout to NBA Prospect
Markelle N'Gai Fultz, born on May 29, 1998, is an American professional basketball player. He played for the Washington Huskies (2016-17), where he showcased his talent as a point guard and shooting guard. Despite the team's struggles, Fultz earned recognition as a third-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 player.
Early Life and High School Career
Fultz's father abandoned the family, so he relied heavily on his mother, Ebony. Passionate about basketball, Fultz was mentored in his early years by a local instructor named Keith Williams. In 2012, he began attending DeMatha Catholic High, an all-boys prep school and basketball powerhouse.
He had shown promise on the DeMatha Stags' freshman team; but as a sophomore, the 5-foot-9-inch (1.75 m) guard was cut from the varsity roster. He was overlooked due to his awkward gait, having the appearance of "Bambi"; as assistant coach Cory McCrae explained, "He was long and lanky, and he’d walk and his knees would be hurting".
As a senior, he averaged 19.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game where he concluded his high school career as he recorded the Stags' single-season record for assists with 278 and led the team to their second consecutive conference championship. At the McDonald's All-American Game on March 31, 2016, Fultz tallied 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. At the Jordan Brand Classic come April, Fultz accumulated 19 points in a 131-117 East team victory. During the summer, he was selected to Team USA's FIBA Americas Under-18 roster.
Assistant coach Raphael Chillious of the Washington Huskies was the first to notice Fultz's potential, describing him as an athlete with the makings of an NBA All-Star-caliber player if he continued to grow. On August 21, 2015, Fultz committed to the University of Washington.
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College Statistics and Performance at Washington
The Washington Huskies were fully expecting to open the 2016-17 season with Dejounte Murray and Marquese Chriss; instead, however, both freshmen were selected in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft. Fultz said of the anticipated scenario if they had stayed: "I think we would be No. 1 in the country".
Although the Huskies finished with a disappointing 9-22 record, Fultz enjoyed one of the best freshman seasons in all Pac-12 Conference history. In 25 games that season, his 23.2 point average was the highest mark in the Pac-12 in 20 years and second in Huskies history behind Bob Houbregs' 25.6 points per game in 1952-1953. Fultz also led the team in minutes played with 35.7 per game as well as assists with 5.7 per game and was second in rebounds with 5.9 per game.
While he did not stack wins, he put up numbers that are hardly ever accomplished from a high-volume shooter. Fultz is one of only four players since the 1992-93 season to play more than 20 games and average better than 23 points and five assists and shoot above 40 percent from deep and 50 percent inside the arc, according to Sports-Reference.com. The other three players on that list were seniors who played at the mid-major level.
Scouting Report: Strengths and Weaknesses
Jeremy Woo's scouting report highlights Fultz's strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths: Fultz jumps off the page athletically and possesses creative scoring instincts and playmaking skills. He's an outstanding transition player, solid using ball screens and has the size to play both guard spots thanks to a nearly 6'10” wingspan. Despite how bad the Huskies were, Fultz was proficient in the pick and roll and as a passer. He's a solid rebounder and developing jump shooter, and all the pieces are there for Fultz to become one of the league's top guards. He's an extremely well-rounded offensive player already.
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Weaknesses: Although he has the tools to be a good defender, Fultz's effort level occasionally wanes, and you'd like to see him renew his commitment on that end in the pros in order to maximize his talent. He can shoot, but could use added consistency in that area and might never be a high-end perimeter scorer, although he does enough things well that he may not need to be. He can occasionally come across as overly laid-back on the court, which combined with Washington's frustrating season has sparked some minor questions about his competitiveness.
Concerns About Team Success
Fultz's main selling point is his ability to carry an NBA offense, so it is disconcerting that his college offense struggled so badly. This is especially true since he is in the mold of a player who should elevate a poor team to adequacy. The fact that Washington couldn’t even muster a top 100 offense suggests that maybe his passing impact is not nearly as good as his assist rate implies. Perhaps as he matures and receives higher quality coaching, he develops into a good floor general.
Another area of concern is Fultz’s 65% FT compared to 75% for Harden. Fultz shot well from 3 and was exceptional shooting off the dribble at an extremely high volume. But his poor FT% casts some doubt into the sustainability of that performance and the overall goodness of his shooting.
Comparisons to Other Players
Some scouts see similarities between Fultz and James Harden. They share similar dimensions, frames, and athletic profiles. Neither is particularly explosive, but both are able to navigate through the defense with smooth footwork and great body control.
However, there are also concerns that Fultz could disappoint, potentially resembling a Kyrie Irving type of player. Fultz has clear upside to trump Kyrie’s passing with better vision and his defense with much better length, but it is also plausible that he is similarly as poor on these ends.
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NBA Draft and Early Career
Fultz was selected as the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, who then finalized his four-year rookie contract on July 8. The 76ers, after years of mediocrity, had lofty expectations of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2012; such were the high hopes that rested on their new core consisting of Fultz, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons.
In his first regular season game, on October 18, the rookie posted 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 18 minutes of play coming off the bench. It was not long, however, before a shoulder injury-termed a "scapular muscle imbalance"-so ravaged his shooting that he shot only 33 percent from the field and attempted zero three-pointers in four games. In response, the 76ers decided to sit Fultz indefinitely until he recovered. Debate ensued between sports analysts and the organization over how much his shooting woes were of physical versus psychological origin. Fultz himself later clarified: "What happened […] was an injury. Let me get that straight."
Later NBA Career
For the 2018-19 season, head coach Brett Brown named Fultz the starting shooting guard over veteran JJ Redick. Fifteen games into the season, however, Fultz lost the position to Jimmy Butler, whom the 76ers acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Conflicting statements regarding Fultz's health and poor production continued to be sources of conflict and drama for the team.
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