The first meeting between star freshmen point guards Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, the potential top two picks in the 2017 NBA draft, ended up generating more excitement in the build up than during the game itself. Ball’s UCLA team dominated from the start on its way to a 107-66 blowout win over Fultz and Washington.
Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball are both NBA stars in the making
The 2017 NBA draft’s top two prospects each put on a show in their first head-to-head matchup.
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
That shouldn’t be a surprise -- UCLA is No. 10 in the new AP poll and has legitimate Final Four aspirations, while Washington is a longshot just to make the NIT at 9-14 overall. Does this mean Fultz is a loser who lacks the intangibles to be a star and Ball is a winner who makes his teammates better? Well, not quite.
Looking at each of their stat lines on the night, it’s hard to separate the two:
| Points | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | Field goals | Three-pointers | Turnovers | |
| Fultz | 25 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 9-19 | 5-10 | 5 |
| Ball | 22 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7-12 | 4-7 | 3 |
Both teams played a lot of zone and switch-heavy man defense, so Ball and Fultz didn’t go at each all that often. Still, the matchup underscored several truths about both players even in a rout.
Fultz is being weighed down by a subpar supporting cast
From the start, it was clear that even a superhuman effort from Fultz probably would not have made the game close. The Huskies’ first points that were not scored or assisted by Fultz came at the 12:15 mark, and their defense was somehow even more disastrous. This is a typically nice pass by Ball, but also just an egregious lack of awareness by the Washington defense.
Ball gets plenty of (deserved) credit for his passing, but Fultz also did a good job of showing off his own impressive vision. It is certainly fair to wonder how we would perceive each player’s passing were their team situations flipped.
The difference in team context between the two is dramatic. Ball is surrounded by shooters and playmakers who give him space to play his freewheeling brand of basketball. Fultz's teammates lack shooting or creation, allowing defenses to key on him. Fultz faced constant swarms of attention, but nonetheless did a good job of showing off his scoring off the bounce, the biggest discrepancy in their styles of play.
The one time Ball wasn't helped out by his defense in the pick-and-roll, he couldn't do much to stop Fultz from getting to his spot.
Fultz and Ball have different skill sets
The contrast in shooting from the two is fascinating. From a numbers perspective, they seem similar. Ball is shooting 43 percent on 135 attempts while Fultz is at 42.1 percent on 114 attempts. However, the types of threes they hit could not be more different.
Fultz excels at making shots with a defender right in his face, like the ones above, due to his high release point and excellent elevation. Ball is the opposite. His unconventional release means he needs plenty of space to get his shot off. Fortunately, he has more than enough range to compensate.
The biggest area of difference in their game is their ability to score within the arc. Fultz has impeccable body control that allows him to step through and around defenders, and adjust his body in the air to finish.
Ball lies on the other end of the spectrum. He really struggles to arrest his momentum and can't contort his body to finish gracefully.
However, Ball has other advantages on Fultz that he put on full display in their matchup. Fultz is a creative and instinctual player, but he is not necessarily a super-high-IQ point guard. He takes a plethora of deep mid-range shots, and he loves to pull up right after he comes off screens. Ball is simply one of the smartest players college basketball has ever seen.
Ball used his knowledge of Fultz's tendencies to get the best of him on a few occasions. Here, Ball is aided by the way UCLA is able to help onto Fultz, but he also does a great job of diagnosing what Fultz is about to do and committing to stop it.
On a similar play earlier in the game, Ball made another great read but also ended the play with a subtly impressive fast-break finish. Fultz is a master of the chase-down block, and Ball had the presence of mind here to time his steps weirdly and finish on the other side of the basket to deny Fultz a highlight opportunity.
Little plays like these are what add up to Ball having an impact on the game beyond his simple scoring, or even passing numbers.
While it might make some sense to call Ball a "winner," it is a false narrative to say Fultz is a loser. Opposing defenses are able to focus so much attention on him, and his team just does not play enough defense to make up for what is largely a one-man show on the offensive end. That being said, Fultz is not entirely excused from being part of the problem defensively.
Neither player is perfect
His effort level on defense often seems questionable, as he gets beat on closeouts and doesn't consistently stay in a stance. Plays like this where he loses track of a basic zone assignment are real issues.
It is understandable that Fultz might not be super motivated on the defensive end. After all, even if he gave the defensive performance of a lifetime the Huskies weren't coming close to winning this game. He does a good job of creating defensive events with his length and instincts. Because his tools are so good, it would be nice to see him more consistently make plays on the defensive end.
Ball's flaws are harder to pick up on in a matchup against a team like Washington. Since UCLA has such a comfortable talent advantage, he is able to pick his spots and stick to what he's good at -- shooting and distributing. However, in watching the type of things Fultz can do with the ball, it becomes more obvious where Ball is limited. He almost never gets in the lane and finishes like Fultz, and he certainly never makes or takes the type of contested pull-ups Fultz hits at startling efficiency.
Washington and UCLA meet next on March 1 at UCLA. I have zero expectation that Washington will even make the game competitive, but I will be watching closely to see how Fultz and Ball square off in round two.
If Fultz can pick up his defensive effort and prevent Ball from outsmarting him on defense, it will say a lot about his NBA future. Likewise, if Ball continues to put his smarts to use on the defensive end along with his shooting and passing, it might be time to re-consider who should go No. 1 in June.
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