Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas would be more than happy to roll out the welcome mat for Markelle Fultz.
In an interview with Jay King of MassLive Friday, Thomas said Fultz, the star freshman guard for the University of Washington, “will be the No. 1 pick, for sure,” and expressed his belief that they would be able to coexist in Boston.
“He has all the tools,” the two-time All-Star said. “He can shoot, pass, he’s athletic. He’s got nice size. He plays at his own pace. That’s something you can’t teach. Like, he’s so poised in any type of situation.
“I can play with anybody,” Thomas continued. “I can play off the ball, I can come off screens, I can catch and shoot. So I think that’s, even going back to college, my first couple of years I was off the ball. And then I can play on the ball as well. So a lot of guys can’t do both, but I’m fine with doing both.”
King adds that Thomas, who also attended college at Washington, has built a relationship with Fultz after playing some pickup games with him over the summer and occassionally communicates with Fultz via text message.
The Celtics are all but certain to have the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall selection next June with their possession of the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected first-rounder. But Fultz isn’t necessarily a sure thing to be chosen with the top pick thanks to fellow fab first-year Lonzo Ball of the UCLA Bruins, and a Thomas-Fultz backcourt pairing would produce quite the size deficiency.
Still, it may be viable for Thomas and Fultz to settle into a mentor-mentee relationship of sorts with Fultz coming off the bench to begin his career, and it’s great to see Thomas, who has been playing with more braggadocio lately, being warm and hospitable towards his fellow Husky.
