Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle has surprised a lot of his competition by showing his shooting prowess in the summer league. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard was more known for being a defensive hawk than a shooter, but his 30.5% 3-point acumen in his senior year raised some questions, along with a 42.9% career field goal percentage.
Yet the rookie has impressed in his few games in the Summer League, averaging 12 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 41.7% from the floor and 39.1% from deep.
“Someone on the Pistons said, ‘Hey, bro, they told me you couldn’t shoot.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s what everyone’s been saying. I don’t know where they got this idea from that I can’t shoot.’ But I hope that I’ve proved a little bit now that I’m a decent shooter,” Thybulle told Jackson Frank of The Athletic.
“I was never worried about it. I knew what I was capable of but I guess it’s just a matter of convincing everyone else.”
Thybulle was drafted as a defensive specialist, a player that can help make up for the loss of a scrappy player like T.J. McConnell. His jump shot still needs some work before it's up to par with other pros, but he's looked good from the corners and will only get better and more confident as he starts connecting more and more over the next few months before the season.
All in all, Thybulle has focused on taking the right shots and molding his defense from zone to the NBA's man-to-man, a transition that will take some time, but eventually should help him thrive as one of the league's best young defenders.
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