Markelle Fultz Got His Shot Back and the Hype Train Has Left the Station
This morning, The Player’s Tribune put out a video where Nuggets PG and fellow University of Washington alumnus, Isaiah Thomas, sat down and interviewed Markelle Fultz titled “Last Year Was Last Year”. Questions ranged from stuff about college to the Sixers to his new jumper and expectations for 2018-19 and beyond. There are a couple key factors for Sixers fans to get excited about.
First, Markelle gives us a glimpse inside the Sixers locker room. He says he learned more than most rookies in part because of injury but mostly because of the “great vets” that took him under their wings. Him confirming that they all go out and eat together (I’m sure they do more than go to dinner because they’re all single young virile fellas but I’ll leave speculation out of this) is absolutely everything. One of our other writers, Joey, said it best in our bloggers group chat, “This squad must be protected at all costs.” And truer words have never been spoken (typed? whatever).
But this veteran impact was evident even from my couch watching the games. The team would pick each other up, goof around when necessary, and just seemed to have fun. A moment that stands out to me is when TJ got his triple double and Markelle went absolutely nuts for him chanting “TJ, TJ, TJ” even though those could have arguably been “his minutes.” And TJ reciprocated. The love on the Sixers is undeniable. My heart is full. “17 times the Sixers stole your heart this year and it was absolutely everything” (article possibly coming). Seriously though, this is evidence of him learning from his surroundings which I hope he also did with his jumper with Drew Hanlen and other vets in the offseason.
That brings me to my next point…the jumper is WET. The video came with much anticipated footage of the jumper. We’ve all been treating his jumper like Bigfoot. It doesn’t exist until I see footage of it. And lucky for us this isn’t just some grainy footage taken by a creepy guy with a white beard that lives in the mountains. This is some A1 film and you see EVERYTHING. It’s borderline NSFW. You see footage from his college days when he arguably had one of the best shooting strokes in the country and when compared side-by-side with his reborn jumper, they’re close to identical. So, therefore, by the transitive property (I think? I’m not a nerd) that means Markelle’s jumper is back and he will be the best shooter in the league once again and you can quote me on that.
With the jumper back and the chemistry returning to the locker room with many of the same faces coming back again (RIP Jus, Marco, and Ersan gone but never forgotten) this team has nowhere to go but up. He says that from the beginning of last season at shoot arounds, the Sixers could tell they had a special team. He says the pieces complimented each other well and they had to keep setting new goals for themselves because they kept reaching their previous ones. What a flex here by the kid I got chills hearing it. Markelle put the league and mainly the Celtics on notice that the Sixers are back and they’re coming straight for that Boston ass.
The full video is 17 minutes but definitely worth a watch for everyone (I put the link for it right below this). Whether you’re rooting for or against us, watch it so you know what to expect from Markelle and the Sixers this season. Let me be very clear here as well. “Us” is not in reference to Sixers fans. I used “us” here as members of Team Markelle and if you’re not with us then you’re against us and I feel sorry for you because #HereTheyCome and #HereComesKelle. Book it.