You want to know the truth? The “workout” part of a prospect’s workout for a team doesn’t matter that much. The best teams have already done the homework on his game.
You can be sure the Sixers did their homework on Markelle Fultz long before he stepped into the Philadelphia training center Saturday night for his workout. They were impressed enough with what they saw before this to get deep into trade talks with the Celtics for the No. 1 pick. Which is why they brought him in.
After his workout, Fultz spoke to the media — and sounded polished with these kinds of interviews. He said exactly what he should: Fultz thought he could fit into the Sixers system well, he could play on or off the ball with Ben Simmons and be whatever the team needed, that his knee is feeling good, he wants to be focused on defense, and he was going out to get a Philly cheesesteak after the workout and meetings were over.
Fultz also posed with Simmons, Joel Embiid and Robert Covington — all of whom came to watch the workout.
This should be legendary if it happens #TheProcess pic.twitter.com/234a42aoZW
— Joel “Troel” Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 18, 2017
What the Sixers likely cared most about was his medical reports — there have been knee issues — and how coachable he was.
The Sixers put a portion of the workout live up on periscope, which led to some ridiculous commentary on Twitter who seemed to think this workout was an audition that mattered. It didn’t, not the shooting part (for the record, the journalists below did not rip Fultz, I’m just using their tweets here).
Fultz from beyond arc pic.twitter.com/TrB2P9nHBr
— Jon Johnson (@jonjohnsonwip) June 18, 2017
Fultz just went 4-for-18 shooting 3s in around-the-world format.
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) June 18, 2017
Any team drafting this high has already done its homework on Fultz and the other top prospects. The Sixers know Fultz shot 41.3 percent from three this season and 50.2 percent overall, and that while being the focus of every defensive game plan. If teams read more into a workout rather than their season of study/film watching, that speaks to management. And it doesn’t speak well. Bobby Marks of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports, who used to work in the Nets front office, put it very well.
Once saw a player shoot 40/50 from 3 in a 1 on 0 workout and couldn't play dead in a cowboy movie. Indiv. W/out does not translate to games.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 18, 2017
Meeting, psych test, agility testing, medical and how coachable the player is should be the takeaways from the Fultz workout.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) June 18, 2017