Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz is far from a seasoned veteran but the former No. 1 overall pick has taken rookie Cole Anthony under his wing this season in an effort to give him the best chance of being successful on the court.
Fultz, who is entering his fourth season in the NBA, often speaks with Anthony regarding certain coverages he will see from opposing teams and ways to work around them. He gives Anthony tips and pointers but admitted that the best way for him to learn is by experience.
“I want to give him the best chance to be successful and help our team,” Fultz said on Sunday. “We are going to need him this year. I think he is going to be a big part of it. I have just been talking to him, anything that he needs defensively. I’m just trying to help him make easier reads, things that helped me kind of pick it up quicker. I’m just trying to give him all the tricks of the trade to try to help him out.”
The advice from Fultz, plus some film study on Saturday, allowed Anthony to bounce back from what he deemed a terrible performance in his preseason debut. Anthony scored 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 116-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and looked to be more comfortable on the floor.
Following his debut, Anthony criticized his performance in all aspects of the game. Most notably, he was upset with himself for not finding his teammates better on the court and not choosing his spots better on offense. He rated his overall performance in his debut very poorly but earned a higher grade from himself on Sunday.
“We didn’t win so that’s one thing that’s bringing [my grade] down,” Anthony said. “Other than that, I just had some careless turnovers. I just gotta keep my head up. I think I really can find my teammates, I just gotta get into a rhythm a little bit more. I’m still getting comfortable out there. The game still hasn’t fully slowed down for me yet but I’m getting comfortable that’s for sure.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGO6w-N_K8
Orlando selected Anthony to inject the offense with another ball-handler that can run the floor and penetrate into the paint. The Magic are better with movement and Anthony gives the team another offensive threat at the guard position behind Fultz.
The combination of Fultz and Anthony projects to give opposing teams problems containing their penetration. Fultz scored a team-high 21 points on Sunday and showed the aggressiveness that will present challenges on a nightly basis. Whether or not they play together, the two could eventually play similar roles once Anthony can pick things up.
“I think we can be really good,” Fultz said. “Our tempo is a big thing that Coach is trying to emphasize this year so being able to have two guards, I can be interchangeable and he can be interchangeable. We have two guys that can put pressure on the rim and also play pick and roll, that’s always a plus. I think it’s going to be very hard to guard down the road as we continue to learn each other’s games.”
After splitting a pair of games with the Atlanta Hawks, the Magic will return to Orlando and host the Charlotte Hornets for two games to close out the preseason.
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