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Closer Look: Markelle Fultz

A high school standout and five-star recruit, Markelle Fultz burst onto the scene during his junior year of high school at DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. Averaging 16-plus points, nearly eight rebounds and four assists in his junior season, Fultz drew invites from the likes of the Under Armour Elite Invitational, NBPA Top 100 camp and Adidas Nations camp.

The 6-foot-4 guard went on to capture a gold medal with the 2016 U-18 FIBA Americas Champions.

A freshman at the University of Washington, the Maryland native’s NCAA debut showcased what would be one of college basketball’s most exciting individual seasons. Tallying 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists versus the Yale Bulldogs, Fultz’s versatility shined, earning consistent minutes throughout the season.

Capitalizing off of size mismatches, Markelle’s scoring ability is unique – with an aptitude to create off the dribble, absorb contact at the rim and shoot efficiently from the perimeter, Fultz can play both guard positions at the NBA level.

Almost as impressive as his ability to score points is the Washington product’s knack for distributing, tallying nearly six assists in addition to his 23-point scoring average during his sole collegiate season. Fultz finds open teammates, creates looks for slashers and navigates the pick-and-roll extremely well.

Defensively, the 18-year-old showed promise, boasting over a block and steal per contest - consistently displaying the ability to jump passing lanes and close out quickly on defenders.

These tools all came together in a 37-point outing, the biggest scoring output by Fultz in his freshman season.

After 25 games, Fultz declared for the draft following averages of 23 points, five assists and five rebounds throughout the season.