Hardwood Houdini Draft Profiles
Markelle Fultz: Washington, PG/SG
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 195 pounds
Age: 18
Click on the name for up to date stats: Markelle Fultz
Strengths
Scoring:
Fultz is a very polished scorer at such a young age. To be averaging over 20 points per game at the college level is impressive. To do it on a team like Washington, where he faces constant double teams and defensive pressure, is almost unheard of. Fultz can slash and finish in the lane, pull up from mid range, and knock down threes. Considering how polished he is at 18 years old, it could get scary once he finds his niche in the NBA.
Defensive Potential:
Fultz is a terrific athlete, with great size at the point guard position. He has a 6’9″ wingspan, which will allow him to guard multiple positions at the next level. If you watch Fultz regularly, you’ll notice that he has a chase down block in almost every game. This shows how Fultz uses his defensive instincts and athletic ability to take away easy baskets from opposing players. Once he works more on his defense, Fultz will be a defensive stud that can be your best player on both sides of the court.
Rebounding and Passing:
Using his height and long arms, Fultz grabs rebounds at a great rate for a guard. Then he can start a fast break on his own, which puts defenses at a disadvantage. Also, Fultz does a great job finding open teammates when other teams double him. To average the amount of assists Fultz does on a talent deficient team like Washington shows how good of a playmaker he is.
Jan 25, 2017; Tempe, AZ, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) looks on against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the second half at Wells-Fargo Arena. The Sun Devils won 86-75. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Weaknesses
Effort:
There are times where Fultz seems to coast on the floor. Mostly on defense, he doesn’t play as hard as he could, which could hurt his long term development. Most NBA teams will stray away from players that don’t bring consistent effort on the court. It could just be a false assumption, but the main concern regarding Fultz is that he doesn’t play hard.
Current Team’s Success:
Washington is not a good basketball team outside of their best player. However, it is a little alarming that Fultz can’t will his team to a few more victories. I believe that Washington is just that terrible outside of FUltz, but it’s never a good thing to be the best player on a losing team.
Overview
Fultz is an outstanding player with very minimal weaknesses. He’s extremely athletic, and polished, which makes him a dynamic player with unlimited upside. Fultz will most likely get drafted in the top three, and the team that lands him could have the next Russell Westbrook.
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