National Basketball Association

Washington Husky Markelle Fultz: Star Light Star Bright

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:03 a.m. ET

Fansided, Bret Stuter/FanSided via The Husky Haul

University of Washington Husky guard Markell Fultz is a top prospect in the upcoming NBA Draft, for good reason

Markelle Fultz is a 6-foot-4 point guard for the University of Washington Huskies basketball program. He is a freshman in the program which just jettisoned Marquese Chris to the NBA in the 2016 NBA Draft. As such, a great burden was transferred to the freshman before he ever stepped onto the court.

But he has been strong under the weight. In his 16 games as a Husky so far, he has been solid. He is shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, and 41.5 percent from the perimeter. That accuracy has contributed to his 21.5 points per game average.

But that is not all he does. He averages 6.25 assists, 5.75 rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.25 blocks per game. In fact, he’s somewhat of a jack of all trades. Somewhat only in the fact that he has mastered a few of those trades. See for yourself:

How’s the defense?

Markelle Fultz has a wingspan of 6-foot-9.75 . That eagle-like wingspan gives the young man plenty of leverage to defend his opponent. Unfortunately, the young man is the engine to the team’s scoring. Since shooting game winning shots make highlight reels, offense has been the young man’s focus so far.

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But don’t believe he cannot play defense. he put up five steals and a block against the TCU Horned Frogs in late November. He also recorded three steals and two blocks against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks a week earlier.

But how can he play against solid competition? We’ll know soon enough as the Huskies face the UCLA Bruins, the Arizona Wildcats, and the USC Trojans later this season.

It’s a Team Sport

Markelle Fultz may be the top prospect leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft, but the Washington Huskies will need more than just his play to earn the reputation for a team worth inviting to the NCAA tournament in April 2017.

Fultz has some help, but it will be a close call to determine if it will be enough. Sophomore guard David Crisp is scoring 14.2 points per game on 45.6 percent from the floor and 45.4 percent from the 3pt line, plus 2.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Sophomore forward Noah Dickerson is pitching in with 11.2 points and 8.2 rebounds, while shooting 49.6 percent from the floor.

But the team needs help in the front court. 6-foot-11 freshman Sam Timmins is the tallest of the bunch, but his size is not converting into production at the post. If the Washington Huskies are to make some noise this year, the front court will need to be heard, loud and often.

Can Someone Find Where That Draft Is Coming From?

The 2017 NBA Draft is considered to be one of the best drafts in many years. It’s quite a feather in the cap to stand atop such a fine group of young men. So far, Fultz is considered by many to be the best of the college crop.

Max Rappaport of Liberty Ballers writes:

Markelle Fultz is the clear favorite to be the first overall pick in this year’s draft, and I don’t think it’s all that close. His combination of ball handling, shooting, playmaking, and explosiveness along with his high defensive ceiling make him a pretty perfect fit for the Sixers. He can play both on and off the ball, and the thought of getting 48 minutes of either him or Ben Simmons running the offense every night makes me feel all tingly. His ability to defend multiple positions also makes him incredibly valuable, not only for the Sixers but for whoever is fortunate enough to draft him.

And so, the NCAA basketball season lies between Markelle Fultz and hearing his name called first at the 2017 NBA Draft. But he is a Washington Husky first and foremost. As such, he only sees this season. His focus is only on the next game. That will be Saturday, 14 January 2017 at 8 PM EST to go on the road to face the Stanford Cardinals.

The road to the NCAA Tournament starts now. After a rough outing on the road at California, look for Markelle Fultz to bounce back in a big way.