Markelle Fultz flashes defensive potential in summer league debut

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SALT LAKE CITY – There are more elements to Markelle Fultz's game than scoring tons of points.

Fultz showed an ability to make an impact on the defensive end in his Sixers debut on Monday night. The Celtics ultimately prevailed 89-88 on a game-winning jumper from Jayson Tatum with 5.7 seconds left (see game recap). Fultz missed out on scoring the game winner when Jaylen Brown blocked his shot at the rim with 1.9 seconds left.

But the Sixers rookie did everything he could on both ends of the court to give his team a chance in the final seconds. On offense, he totaled a team-high 17 points and set up several critical baskets for his teammates with sharp passing and awareness. Defensively, he blocked three shots and garnered a steal.

The No. 1 overall draft pick is on a mission to prove that he can become a game-changer on both ends of the court as he adapts to the NBA.

"I love chasing down blocks and blocking shots,” Fultz said. “On defense I'm always going to give effort on both ends of the floor. That's one thing that goes unnoticed is just how hard I play on both ends. I'm a great shot-blocking point guard."

Such a mentality is music to the ears of the Sixers' coaching staff. This is a team who preaches tough defense as a component of the process of building a contender.

Sixers summer league coach Billy Lange said Fultz doesn't get nearly enough credit for what he does on defense. Lange said the tendency is to define Fultz exclusively by what he does on offense. Seeing him as a scorer only paints an incomplete picture.

“He knows that the general public thinks that is a weakness of his, so he's out to try to prove that to be wrong,” Lange said. “We're Philly. We talk about competing. We talk about effort. He wants to be a Sixer. He is a Sixer. So he's jumped in with both feet in terms of giving his effort and competing on every play.”

If Fultz can show the same level of defensive effort he displayed on Monday night through an 82-game NBA season, it's a safe bet he'll be known for more than scoring before his rookie campaign is done.

Lottery pick vs. Lottery pick
With the Sixers making their summer league debut against the Celtics, fans got a chance to see two of the top three picks in action. Boston traded the No. 1 pick to the Sixers before the NBA Draft and, with the No. 3 selection, took former Duke forward Jayson Tatum.

Like Fultz, Tatum impressed in his debut. The Celtics rookie poured in 21 points – including his game-winning basket – and added seven rebounds and five steals. His stellar play over the final six minutes of the fourth quarter helped Boston rally from a six-point deficit to secure the win.

Lots of attention focused on the two rookies. Both players carry high expectations in their first NBA seasons. Fultz understands the spotlight is going to follow him all season, but he's determined to not let it be a part of the game for him.

“To me, it was another day to play basketball,” Fultz said. “I don't really look at all the cameras and stuff like that. They don't really bother me. People have big expectations but, to me, it was just another day to play basketball and do what I love.”

Fultz gets the call
Fultz's debut ended on a sour note when his final shot was blocked with 1.9 seconds. Don't think for a second Lange second-guessed putting the ball in the rookie guard's hands.

With the game on the line, the Sixers wanted it no other way. They wanted to get him the ball in the final seconds. Lange said seeing Fultz drive and slash to the rim is exactly what he wanted to unfold in that situation. He wants him to grow and gain confidence that he can get it done in end-of-game scenarios like that one down the road.

More importantly, Lange had confidence Fultz would get it done until the Celtics made a play at the rim.

“We thought it was over,” Lange said. “Here you go. You got your guy and he's driving. The fact that he was ready to do it and the fact that he took it and went aggressively — we're going to walk away from this [feeling happy].”

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