The fate of the Los Angeles Lakers’ top-three protected pick will be known later today as the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery gets underway. But until then, we can still speculate about what the Lakers will do if they do keep the pick.
Reports indicate that they have their eyes set on four players that they would think of taking with the top-three pick. One of those players is Washington point guard Markelle Fultz.
Fultz is the presumptive number one overall pick at this stage in the pre-draft process with a seemingly NBA-ready ability to put the ball in the hoop. At the very least, he should be taken in the top-two of what is assumed to be a deep and talented draft.
Fultz has already met with the Lakers, most notably team president Magic Johnson. On Monday, he made an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio with Eddie Johnson and Justin Termine to speak about that meeting:
“First of all, it was an honor to meet [Magic]. It was just picking up knowledge like I said. Him being a point guard and telling me little pointers of what I could do better, to be a better man and player.”
Fultz also made it clear that he would love being drafted by the Lakers and having the opportunity to pick Magic’s brain:
“I think that would be great. Because I want to be the best player to ever play and my position is point guard and he’s the best and he knows all the tricks and stuff like that. So being able to learn from one of the best point guards ever would be another blessing.”
Finally, Fultz brought some of the bravado that he is slowly becoming known for. Prodded further about whether he believes he can be a better player than Johnson, the point guard said:
“Yeah, for sure. I didn’t tell him that. I’m pretty sure he knows that.”
That’s the kind of confidence you need to make it as a franchise star in LA. If the Lakers are fortunate enough to keep the pick, they will have their choice of prospects that want to wear the purple and gold. Fultz is one of them and he’s certainly worth a look.
