In explaining Markelle Fultz’s potential value as an NBA player, there is only one place to start:

Pick n roll basketball is the cornerstone of most any successful NBA offense. And becoming a great pick n roll guard has proven to be an extremely rare set of skills to acquire if you don’t have a natural talent for it. Markelle Fultz is naturally gifted at pick n roll basketball in such a wide variety of ways and to such an extent that by itself arguably justifies selecting Fultz first overall in the 2017 NBA Draft.

With that said, here is a close look at the key factors that make Markelle Fultz so good at running the PnR:

(Worth noting: the plays I linked are not necessarily the craziest or most impressive plays Fultz has made, they are just simple examples I could find to demonstrate what I’m talking about)

FROM DEEP:

Fultz is a very credible threat from long range off the dribble which forces defenders to stick very close to him and lose awareness of what’s happening away from the ball. This makes picks very effective at freeing Fultz from his first defender.

Fultz recognizes his defender tracking him down on the break and steers him into a tree.

Fultz is capable of squaring up to the basket and getting a good shot off with little warning to his defender. One moment he is dribbling behind the arc with his shoulder to the basket and by the next he has already squared up to the basket and is getting a clean look from three point land.

Lonzo Ball leaves Fultz some space to avoid being picked off and Fultz instantly punishes.

The switch is late and Fultz again deals instant punishment. Making the most of illegal screens is just another sign he’s NBA-ready.

Fultz can command attention and create space off the ball as well.

It’s unclear if the NBA’s 3-point line, which is 13% farther from the hoop around the arc than in college, will undermine Fultz’s credibility from deep. College defenders regularly guarded Fultz way out past the NCAA arc and into NBA 3-point range, which you can see in most of Washington’s half-court possessions when Fultz is running the point.

PATH FINDER:

Fultz is very crafty slipping through traffic and has an arsenal of moves to beat his second (and third) defender. He has a keen ability to mind several defenders simultaneusly and that awareness allows Fultz to predict and overcome the next obstacle. This is largely because of Fultz can adjust, counter, and readjust as the play develops in real time. Before Fultz has finished with one defender, he is already reading the next one and deciding what to do with him.

Fultz sees a crack of light and goes behind the back to split the hedge and get into the paint.

Fultz also likes to put slower, bigger opponents who come out of the paint between himself and other defenders, effectively using opposing bigs to block their own teammates from getting into Fultz’s lane.

Fultz drives the right lane but quickly spins into the left when he detects the 2nd defender coming to help from the right side. The entire defense collapses on Fultz but he still gets the finish.

Fultz sees the split but changes course when he sees it closing & spins through four defenders for an easy layup.

AROUND THE RIM:

Fultz is very talented at finishing around the rim and has demonstrated creativity and a wide variety of ways to get the ball through the hoop from close range. Dunks, leaners, reverse lay-ups, up-and-unders, to just straight-up taking contact and laying it in. When Fultz drives he absorbs contact exceptionally well and has a soft finishing touch on close/midrange floaters and finger rolls. Fultz welcomes contact and I think that will serve him well with NBA whistles. His ability to finish through contact is perhaps his most impressive and valuable aspect, although it is important to remember it is the aggregation of all his very valuable skills and traits that make him truly stand out.

After coming up with the steal, Fultz breaks one defender with a shamgod then goes right into the last defender to get the dunk.

Fultz goes right at the last defender, absorbs the contact, finishes with a soft touch.

Fultz bounces off the contact gracefully and banks in the floater.

Fultz gets the defending bigs in the air with the up and under and finishes on the other side of the rim.

Fultz gets the ball on the perimeter with an open lane and immediately goes to the rack. He get the angle on the rim protector and uses his body to keep three defenders away from the ball as he lays it in.

Fultz protects the ball and gets through traffic bullies his way to the rim.

Fultz again using the up and under to get defenders off their feet.

MID-RANGE:

Fultz’s mid-range pull-up shooting coming off of picks is pretty good and already credible enough to punish rim protectors who sag in the paint instead of coming out to contest. Fultz smartly doesn’t fall back on this type of shot very often in the PnR as it is usually just not the best use of a possession. Fultz tends to reserve pull up jumpers for 1v1s to punish defenders who leave him room or generally anyone who thinks they can just sit back in the paint when he gets in the lane.