Whenever a player, coach or member of a front office makes a guarantee, it’s risky.While the reward for correctly predicting an event is the ultimate “I told you so” moment, inaccurately guaranteeing something can make someone look like a complete fool.On Thursday, Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, guaranteed that his Philadelphia 76ers would make the NBA playoffs this season."We’re going to be in the playoffs this year, and I think everybody is willing to put forth their best effort and listen to the coaches and listen to the bench. We've got to just do whatever it takes to get there," Fultz told Matt Bowker of CSNPhilly. "That’s practicing even harder, that’s doing extra work in the gym by ourselves, I mean, we’re going to do whatever it takes."Last season, the Sixers finished 28-54 overall and have lost an astounding 253 games over their last four seasons. However, with a healthy Ben Simmons, last year’s No. 1 pick who hasn’t played a single NBA game yet due to injury, a healthy Joel Embiid, who has dealt with numerous injuries in his young career, and free agent signee J.J. Redick aboard, Fultz sees a lot of potential with the group as a whole.It’s worth mentioning that a handful of young players like Dario Saric, who emerged as a legitimate force last season, are a year older and seemingly more mature as well, thus constituting a surprisingly deep roster."I think we all know that we’re going to go against the odds, really," Fultz said. "Everybody thinks we’re not going to do it, but I think we know we’re going to make mistakes and we’re just willing to work through them.”
Philly hasn’t won a title since 1983. Since LeBron James will likely test free agency next summer, Fultz sees the 76ers as a realistic fit for him.
“Definitely, he would be a great fit," Fultz explained. "I think he would be good, somebody else I can pass the ball to. Everybody, I think the whole city will love him, but I mean, at the end of the day you gotta do what you gotta do, but we’ll love to have 'Bron in Philly.
Since they will have a lot of talent at a low cost on the roster, the Sixers may emerge as a legitimate destination for King James.
From an individual standpoint, Fultz is planning to have a huge rookie campaign. If he does, he feels as though the Sixers will feed off of his individual play.
“My expectations are really just to give it my all," the No. 1 pick said. "I don’t really have any set goals or anything like that. Just play as hard as I can and live with the results. But also, getting us back on the winning side, getting us to the playoffs and everything like that. But in order to do that, you've got to play as hard as you can and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing.”
“I don’t wish I was anywhere else,” he continued. “I think this is the perfect spot for me. A young team, coaching staff is great, the training is great, everything. The fans are the best in the world.”
Especially if Kyrie Irving is traded away from the Cavaliers, it will be fascinating to see which Eastern Conference teams step up to challenge LeBron and the back-to-back-to-back Eastern Conference winners. While their roster is young and inexperienced, Philadelphia has as much talent on their roster as anyone else in the East.