Those most familiar with Matisse Thybulle's game believe his wholly unique set of skills, coupled with obvious ability to strengthen his weaknesses, could eventually make him a perfect fit in the modern NBA. After how the University of Washington product on Thursday night described his interaction with the Philadelphia 76ers during the pre-draft process, it's safe to count Brett Brown, Elton Brand, and company among that group.
The 76ers traded the No. 24 pick and No. 33 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft to the Boston Celtics for No. 20, moving up four spots in the first round to snag Thybulle despite him not working out for a single team before June 20. Not that he was surprised Philadelphia made the move to get him, of course.
“Philly showed interest early and we just trusted them and decided that we were going to put our faith in them and kind of shut things down,” Thybulle said, per The Athletic's Derek Bodner.
Thybulle, a 6-foot-5 wing, averaged 9.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and an incredible 3.5 steals and 2.3 blocks per game as a senior en route to winning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year. Thybulle might have more shooting potential than it seems at first glance, too. He shot just 30.5 percent from beyond the arc as a senior, but connected on 36.5 percent and 40.5 percent his junior and sophomore seasons, respectively, on a high volume of attempts. Thybulle also made a stellar 85.1 percent of his free throws attempts in 2018-19, normally an indicator that aligns with a player’s shot-making ability.
Depending on what transpires in free agency with players the varying caliber of Jimmy Butler, J.J. Redick, and James Ennis, expect Thybulle to fight for reserve minutes on the wing next season with Zhaire Smith, Philadelphia's 2018 first-round pick.
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