After a tough rookie season that has left him facing more questions than answers, Philadelphia 76ers point guard Markelle Fultz is getting back to the basics. If you've ever played competitive basketball, you know that confidence is vital to playing up to your potential — something which the Sixers guard knows all too well.
Fultz said via Derek Bodner of The Athletic:
“This summer was me working to get my mechanics back, my confidence back, my swagger back…I'm happy where I'm at right now going into training camp.”
Fultz has felt the pressure of being a top overall pick and has also heard the critics. His rookie season went about as bad as possible but most of that seems to be due to injuries.
Once he finally got on the court late last season, Fultz looked like a shell of the player the world saw a year prior at the University of Washington. He was unsure of himself with the ball in his hands and what once seemed like a reliable jumper was gone.
Fultz shot a putrid 40 percent from the field, 47 percent from the free-throw line, while failed to make a 3-pointer. The 20-year-old played in just 14 games, however, so those numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt.
Fultz now finds himself in an enviable position on a team full of young talent. He won't face the pressure that most top picks do, having stars like Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid to take much of the onus off of him.
That type of environment, matched with the obvious talent that made him a top selection just a year ago, points to a strong rebound campaign for Fultz in the 2018-19 season.
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