It’s been an eventful last week for projected top pick Markelle Fultz, who was under the belief he was Boston bound until two days ago when trade talks between the Celtics and Sixers picked up. The sides reportedly agreed in principle on a deal late Saturday night, with the Sixers now obtaining the top overall selection in Thursday’s draft.
Philadelphia will indeed draft Fultz on Thursday, adding the 19-year-old Washington guard to a core already consisting of talented young players Ben Simmons, Robert Covington, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid. He impressed in his short workout with the team on Saturday and was taken in by Sixers players the moment he entered the facility:
Trust The Process pic.twitter.com/LLNzDiBWpc
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 17, 2017
This should be legendary if it happens #TheProcess pic.twitter.com/234a42aoZW
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 18, 2017
On the possibility of playing for the Sixers, Fultz appeared to be more than content:
“I think it would be great,” Fultz said at a media availability Saturday night. “They’re big on defense. I think the tools I have to be a defensive player, I think that would help them. Get out in transition. I’m a pretty good shot-blocker for a point guard.”
Fultz, just hours after his workout with the team, already appeared to ‘trust the process’.
Markelle Fultz trusts the process pic.twitter.com/OKTaZ5Hja2
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) June 18, 2017
With Saturday’s trade, a deal that will become official Monday morning, the Sixers will soon sport one of the league’s most formidable young core’s. Fultz, Simmons, Embiid and company will likely go through some growing pains to start, but make no mistake, this young nucleus has sky-high potential.
“I think it’d be pretty cool,” Fultz said. “The upside of it would be crazy.”
Somewhere, someplace, Sam Hinkie is smiling.
