For the past few years, Philadelphia 76ers fans have been told to patiently "Trust the Process", turning the phrase into their team motto. It's become almost a joke of sorts, implying that there is no process and that the team is just tanking with the blind hope of something good coming out of it. It's kind of like the Big Bang theory. It doesn't make any sense, but we just trust that it works.
Markelle Fultz, a 6'4", 195 pound freshman point guard out of Washington, is the second consecutive #1 overall pick the Philadelphia 76ers have drafted, following Ben Simmons, a 6'10" 240 pound small forward out of LSU. The 76ers are hoping that with Fultz and Simmons paired together, the foundation for a championship level team is finally in place.
The only action that Simmons saw last season for the 76ers was in Summer League, suffering a foot injury that kept him out for the whole season. In a way, the 76ers are actually adding two number one picks to their squad at the same time. Both Fultz and Simmons have played in zero NBA games, which means they will be going through the same learning curve together.
Between the two, Simmons is considered to be the better prospect, drawing comparisons to a young LeBron James due to his combination of size, athleticism, and all-around skill. In regards to Fultz, he has the potential to be a dynamic point guard that can score, facilitate, and defend both point guards and shooting guards. In today's NBA, you need to have an elite point guard to contend for a championship, which is why point guards often go #1 in the draft. If both Simmons and Fultz live up to their potential, the 76ers will really be cooking with gas, possessing the next great point guard in the NBA in addition to the next LeBron James.
What's scary about the 76ers is that neither Simmons nor Fultz are considered their top talent. That distinction goes to Joel Embiid, a 7'0", 250 pound big man who went #3 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. After missing a couple of seasons due to injury, Embiid had a breakout first season in the NBA, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game on 78.3% shooting from the foul line. Embiid only played in 31 games last season, but his presence was definitely felt every time he stepped on the floor, drawing comparisons to a young Hakeem Olajuwon.
The big question mark for this 76ers team is whether or not Fultz, Simmons, and Embiid can all stay on the floor together and avoid injury. If they can beat the injury bug, the sky is truly the limit for them. If on the other hand they are constantly dealing with one or two of these guys on the sidelines in a suit and tie, we'll never see them live up to their potential.
Note: Triple-Threat Thursday is a weekly piece that focuses on Rookies/NBA Draft.
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