NBA prospect primer: PG Markelle Fultz

Unlike the NFL Draft process which unfolds over months and months, the NBA season turns around to the draft so quickly that it can sneak up on you. In advance of June 22, we're going to take a look at some of the top prospects and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously, a lot of redditors know about these prospects already and have formed their own opinions, but this series is intended for those NBA fans who haven't studied the draft yet and want a one-stop shop to get to know the next generation of NBA talent.

######PG Markelle Fultz, Washington

his career

It's strange to think now, but the consensus #1 prospect in the draft actually played JV as a sophomore in high school. Of course, that was at a powerhouse DeMatha program in Maryland, but the fact remains that Fultz's rise to national prominence came more suddenly than some of his peers.

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar recruited the young Fultz before he became a household name and top 5 prospect, which helped motivate Fultz to buck the local blue blood programs and head across the country to Seattle instead.

Unfortunately for Romar, that recruiting coup didn't go according to plan. Although Fultz put up monster stats, the Huskies struggled mightily, limping into the end of the season with a 9-22 record. Romar, despite all his recruiting prowess, got fired as a result.

But despite all those losses, Fultz cemented his spot at the top of draft boards with a MONSTER statistic season. He finished with averages of 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in his short stint in the NCAA.

why he'll succeed

What does Markelle Fultz do well? Essentially: everything. Let's start with the scoring, where the 6'4" guard lit it up on all three levels for those 23.2 points per game. He crashed the lane and drew 6.7 foul shots per game, he scored in the midrange with some pick and roll action, and he even shot 41.3% from beyond the arc. There's a chance we're talking about a 25+ point scorer on the NBA level here.

Fultz's scoring ability is predicated on his overall craftiness in the lane -- which makes those James Harden comparisons legitimate. I don't know if you'd call either one pure point guards, but they can absolutely be scoring lead guards in the NBA. Surround them with shooters, and your offense will hum.

Although Fultz isn't the quickest and most explosive athlete in the world, his size (6'4" with a freaky 6'9" wingspan) really helps him on the defensive end as well. That length enabled him to snatch 1.6 steals and swat 1.2 blocks per game, an insane rate for a guard prospect. Fultz has growth potential -- he could be the type of player versatile enough to switch between PG, SG, and even SF in the NBA. In today's NBA, that's the type of big guard that you'd love to have.

why he'll struggle

First, let's keep in mind that "struggle" is in the context of a #1 pick here. It's hard to imagine a world where Fultz is a bad pro. However, there are legitimate questions about whether he'll be an All-Star and true MVP candidate in the future.

Let's start with the shooting. While Fultz shot well from the three (41.3%), he only shot 64.9% from the line (on a decent sample size, given those 6.7 shots per game). Of the two, which is the fluke? In NBA workouts, Fultz allegedly shot the ball poorly as well. Pundits wrote those off because "we all know Fultz is a good shooter." Do we...? I'm a little scared that Fultz may be a little inefficient out of the gate in the NBA, which is a concern when you're talking about a high-volume scorer. He should still be an effective shooter, but he's not "elite" in this area right now.

He's also not an "elite" athlete, by superstar standards. He operates with craftiness and length more so than explosiveness. That's not a major concern on offense -- see Harden -- but it can bite you on the defensive end. While Fultz has the length to be a good defender, he hasn't always shown an attack dog defensive mentality there.

When I hear about Fultz being a "can't miss" star, I can't help but think back at D'Angelo Russell, the #2 pick in the draft out of Ohio State. Russell was a big lead guard (with nearly identical 6'5" height and 6'9" wingspan) who racked up averages of 19.3-5.7-5 for the Buckeyes. At the time, many writers thought Russell was the best player in his draft, citing his passing ability and "craftiness" as signs that he'd be a superstar. I still think Russell will be a good starter, but the early returns have been underwhelming.

More than anything, that's my concern with Markelle Fultz. I fully expect him to be a good pro, but I'm worried that he may not be a great pro. Let's say Fultz turns out to be a level lower than James Harden -- maybe a Jrue Holiday type (in terms of value, not skill set). Jrue Holiday's a "plus" starter on offense and defense, and may command as much as $20 million per year this summer. That said, if Fultz turns out to be a Jrue Holiday-level player, will he be considered a disappointment? I don't think that'd be fair. However, it's a legitimate possibility.

best team fits

PHI (#1) -- Presuming that Philadelphia 76ers trade turns into fruition, I like the fit with Markelle Fultz going to Philly. Fultz may not be a pure point guard, but you don't need one with ball-handling Ben Simmons offense. Their offense could be scary, but I'd be terrified of the length of Fultz, Simmons, and Joel Embiid as well.

BOS (#3) -- I can see why Danny Ainge and Boston wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of jamming Markelle Fultz into a crowded backcourt, but I actually thought he fit the team fairly well. Fultz had the size to play with Isaiah Thomas (where he'd be a SG), and the offensive skill set to play next to Avery Bradley (where he'd be a PG). Fultz may have developed into the go-to star by the time Thomas transitioned into a 6th man role.

overall grades

For this, we're using the scale that:

• = bust

** = rotational player

*** = starter

**** = good starter

***** = All-Star

immediate impact : ***

low-end career : ***

upside career : *****

total score : 11 stars. (#2 prospect on our big board)

But for the record, this ranking isn't intended to be a contrarian view or a "hot take." It's my honest opinion, based on my view of the #1 prospect, which will be discussed in more detail tomorrow.

edit: I accidentally listed his upside as 4 stars originally but that was a mistake. 5 star for sure.

previous prospect primers

#1 -- Josh Jackson, #2 -- Markelle Fultz, #3 -- Lonzo Ball, #4 -- Jayson Tatum, #5 -- Malik Monk, #6 -- Jonathan Isaac, #7 -- Dennis Smith, #8 -- De'Aaron Fox, # 9 -- Lauri Markkanen, #10 -- Jarrett Allen, other lottery talent