The Slatest

No. 1 NBA Draft Pick Markelle Fultz Has Strengths and Weaknesses

NBA commissioner Adam Silver with Markelle Fultz after Fultz was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2017 NBA Draft on Thursday in New York City.

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

As expected, the Philadelphia 76ers drafted University of Washington guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. Philadelphia acquired the pick from Boston, who apparently did not want the best player in the draft. To each his own, as they say.

To see what Fultz can bring to the 76ers, let’s take a look at some of his strengths and weaknesses.

Strengths:

  • Incredible athletic ability means he will be ready for the speed of the NBA
  • Can score at will
  • Underrated defender whose size and wingspan will be invaluable on the perimeter
  • Perfect fit with Philly’s other promising young players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons

Weaknesses:

  • He was born on May 29, 1998, which means he never had a chance to see Titanic in theaters.
  • Ted Kaczynski has been in prison for Fultz’s entire life. Some of his older teammates may try to explain what it was like when the Unabomber was on the loose, but the rookie won’t fully grasp the gravity of that particular situation, which may affect him on the court.
  • Was a baby during the Monica Lewinsky scandal—incapable of appreciating the eerie prescience of the Dustin Hoffman–Robert De Niro comedy Wag the Dog.
  • Never had to tape-record a song he liked off the radio
  • Remember looking up a pizzeria in the yellow pages? Markelle Fultz doesn’t.
  • Missed some playing time last year due to knee soreness.
  • No VHS tapes to rewind, therefore no opportunities to learn the mechanics of kindness.

The 76ers surely weighed all these factors before making their pick. Now, it’s up to the player to navigate the ups and downs of a life in the pros. Thankfully for Fultz, he will have time to develop—and catch up on Mad About You reruns. Appreciating Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt’s chemistry will prove invaluable in the modern pace-and-space NBA.