Matisse Thybulle emerging as NBA worthy talent

[caption id="attachment_49331" align="aligncenter" width="590"] TUCSON, AZ - JANUARY 29: Matisse Thybulle [/caption]rn After a shocking upset of undefeated Kansas , the Washington Basketball team has turned some heads in the nation. One of the team's heroes, Matisse Thybulle , should be popping up on scouts lists and an NBA worthy player rnThe National Basketball Association is more than a league of players scoring at will. Half of the game is defense, and to win big games in the NBA, teams have to defend very well. After a big win against second-ranked Kansas, the Washington Basketball team knows something about winning games on a big stage. And that means the team knows plenty about defense.rnrnWing Matisse Thybulle is earning his NBA defensive PhD under head coach Mike Hopkins . As such, his name should be penciled in on the scouting list of virtually every NBA team.rn On NBA radar screen rnI'm not the first to notice.rn rn Thybulle is an NBA prospect to watch if he gets his defensive side of the floor together under Hopkins. Shooter, 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan. https://t.co/LKWcaQjtXY

rn— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) July 30, 2017 rn rnrnAnd in my honest opinion, Matisse Thybulle is not the only NBA worthy prospect on the Washington Basketball team.rnrn[nextslide teaser="The Wandering Albatross" slider="true" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_49090" align="aligncenter" width="590"] TUCSON, AZ - JANUARY 29: Matisse Thybulle[/caption]rn The Wandering Albatross rnOn one hand, the Wandering Albatross is the bird with the greatest wingspan. Their wings stretch all the way to 11-foot-6. On the other hand, Mattisse Thybulle is not quite that expansive. In fact, he boasts a 7-foot-0 wingspan. Comparing him to NBA players, that 7-foot-0 wingspan is huge, particularly on a 6-foot-6 small forward body. That's not just great for shot making, it's great for shot stopping.rnrnImagine an NBA player hovering around seven steals per game?rn rn 1u20e36u20e3 Stealsrn1u20e35u20e3 Blocks @UW_MBB is the only program in the NCAA to record 16 steals and 15 blocks in a single game since the 2011-12 season after doing so against Bethune-Cookman on December 19. #UWDataPoints

rn&gt;&gt; https://t.co/FD4wctfkQq pic.twitter.com/WR0D80H5LL rnrn— Washington Athletics (@UWAthletics) December 21, 2017 rn rnrnSeven steals in one game warrants NBA discussion.rn Trending up rnRight now, Thybulle is averaging 3.5 steals per game. On top of that production, he is incredibly mature. He chose to remain at Washington despite a coaching change. As a result, he is flourishing under the new defensive 2-3 scheme of head coach Mike Hopkins rnrnhttps://youtu.be/5OBTDo2OUw8rnrnKeep in mind that he averaged 1.1 steals per game as a freshman, and 2.1 steals per game as a sophomore. Now, as a junior in a defensive minded scheme, he is up to 3.5 steals per game. Logically, if he remains for his senior year, that number could go way up. And at some point, NBA representatives notice that type of defense.rnrnThree-and-D players get noticed, and get paid, in the NBArnrn[nextslide teaser="Why Thybulle fits NBA now" slider="true" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_49332" align="aligncenter" width="590"] TUCSON, AZ - JANUARY 14: Parker Jackson-Cartwright [/caption]rn Why Thybulle fits NBA now rnThe NBA will have a crop of shooters every year. Players who score bushel baskets of points in the NCAA. Still, most of those players will struggle to score as easily in the NBA. And some will never match their collegiate production. In the NBA, parity exists. Schemes rarely feature the same player night after night on the offensive front.rnrnSo NCAA stars dim in the NBA.rn rn Jamal Crawford Brings Out The Tricks @TheCrawsover ! Matisse Thybulle Dunks ALL OVER DEFENDER!! https://t.co/dOgaiMUdtF pic.twitter.com/JLOwXApdFM

rn— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 20, 2017 rn rnrnBut basketball players who can shoot but also play solid defense do not fade away so quickly. Defense wins championships. The only reason so many players do not pursue their defensive skillsets is the commitment it requires. Defense is every moment on the basketball court. Each shot must be contested. Each dribble must be defended. Matisse Thybulle "gets it", thanks to Coach Hopkins.rn Four year program, three year star? rnNow, Coach Hopkins runs a four year program. As players familiarize themselves with roles and responsibilities, they will instruct newcomers as well. As such, I don't project Matisse Thybulle as an automatic to the 2018 NBA Draft.rnrn[nextpost teaser="Coach Romar integral part of Washington’s upset of Kansas" url="https://thehuskyhaul.com/2017/12/07/coach-romar-coach-hopkins-integral-part-washington-basketball-upset-kansas/" /]rnrnBut I cannot lie either. He has NBA worthy talent, today. And if he dangles himself out there as a participant at the 2018 NBA Combine, I suspect the warm welcome by NBA scouts will encourage serious consideration to move on to the pros. I know several NBA teams with a true need at the wing position. And there is no reason all NBA teams won't take a look at a solid wing who can shoot from the perimeter and play good defense. After all, Matisse Thybulle is the real deal. Sooner or later, the NBA will discover that. I hope its later. I fear it's sooner.