Markelle Fultz Faces Boon Bane In Upcoming NBA Draft
By Bret Stuter
Washington Huskies point guard Markelle Fultz is top pick in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft. His fate is determined by ping pong bulls of the 2017 NBA Lottery. But his future is both a boon and a bane, for him, and for his future NBA team.
Washington Huskies Markelle Fultz is a very good basketball player. In fact, He plays basketball with two very distinct manners: very skilled and very versatile. But he is just one player. On one hand, no NBA team can win on the shoulders of just one player. On the other hand, the build up of the 2017 NBA Lottery suggests that is that one player is all a team will need to make that happen. In fact, 14 NBA teams will participate in the lottery for the right to select the top pick of the 2017 NBA Draft.
That top pick is believed by many to be Washington Huskies point guard Markelle Fultz.
Markelle Fultz is 19 years old, and he will be entering the NBA as a rookie. But unlike most rookies, the fans of his new NBA team will already have expectations from him. As soon as he introduces himself to his new coach and teammates, he is expected to improve his new team. And therein lies the double-edged sword.
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Grow Up Quickly Markelle
Boon and Bane. Markelle Fultz stands to earn significant compensation for his efforts in the NBA. The top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft earns over $5 Million per year. That is quite the boon. And with that comes the respect of the NBA, the headlines of every city his team visits, and a dedicated national paparazzi to keep him relevant to the nation.
Ah, the fame of it all.
But with that high salary comes higher expectations. The NBA is a very tough stage to shine upon, and Markelle Fultz will be new at virtually everything.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Even his 19 year-old body will be changing and growing. He will be in a new place, working for a new coach, wearing a new jersey, playing with new teammates, and the immediate expectation will be rather high.
Superstar high.
From the summer league, to preseason, to the regular season, fans will look for his name atop the NBA stats leaders. Sometimes it works out that way, sometimes it just doesn’t. In either outcome, Fultz will be the talk of the town.
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One and One
In fact, Markelle Fultz picked first in the NBA Draft will likely be the first time that the WNBA and the NBA top draft picks emerged from the same school. In a pattern of setting records, the University of Washington Huskies will likely set one more this year. The One and One record.
But unlike Kelsey Plum’s ventures in the WNBA with flair, purpose, and pursuit of something bigger, Markelle Fultz is entering a basketball league with established household named stars. His time in the sun will come at the expense of other NBA stars.
Future Fate Sealed Via Ping Pong Balls
He has all of the talent. He has the right mindset. Now Markelle Fultz must hope that the ping pong balls are kind to him. Perhaps he will land in the hands of the Boston Celtics, who will immediately be paired up with Isaiah Thomas for a Huskies backcourt for years to come. Perhaps he will land on the Philadelphia 76ers, who have a great head coach in Brett Brown, famous for developing young talent into NBA ready. Or perhaps the fates will send him to the chaos of the New York Knicks, where the team seems to struggle to find the same page.
Next: Former Washington Huskies PG Isaiah Thomas Lives On The Edge
Its a boon and bane future in store for Markelle Fultz. Like a ping pong game, it all depends where the ball lands. Ping pong anyone?