Matisse Thybulle to 76ers: Philadelphia's Current Roster After 2019 NBA Draft
June 21, 2019
The Philadelphia 76ers added a defensive force when they selected Washington's Matisse Thybulle with the 20th overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft.
Thybulle is a member of the Boston Celtics for now. According to ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Sixers sent the 24th and 33rd overall selections to Boston to acquire his draft rights.
Here's a look at how Thybulle fits on Philadelphia's roster.
Check out B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman’s scouting profile on Thybulle.
Joel Embiid, C: $29.5M (2023)
Ben Simmons, PG: $6.7M (2020)
Jonah Bolden, SF: $1.8M (2022)
Matisse Thybulle, SG: $2.1M (2023)
Zhaire Smith, SG: $2.8M (2022)
Marial Shayok, SF
Amir Johnson, C: UFA
Boban Marjanovic, C: UFA
Furkan Korkmaz, SG: UFA
Greg Monroe, C: UFA
J.J. Redick, SG: UFA
James Ennis, SF: UFA
Jimmy Butler, SG: Player option, reportedly opted out
Mike Scott, PF: UFA
T.J. McConnell, PG: UFA
Tobias Harris, SF: UFA
The Washington product is a two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and took home the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award in his senior season. He led the nation with 126 steals and broke Jason Kidd's Pac-12 single-season record in the process. What's more, he broke Gary Payton's all-time steals record for a career with 331.
It will draw attention any time a collegiate prospect is breaking Hall of Famers' records, and the 76ers will hope Thybulle continues to do just that in the professional ranks.
The 22-year-old averaged 3.5 steals and 2.3 blocks per game in his final collegiate season, and Percy Allen of the Seattle Times noted Duke's Shane Battier and Kentucky's Nerlens Noel are the only other college players in the last 20 years to average at least 2.0 blocks and steals per night.
Thybulle has the length to bother outside shooters and dart into passing lanes at 6'5". He also has the athleticism to stay in front of ball-handlers and cut off penetration. His quick rotations and shot-blocking prowess also help him protect the rim, even from the wing.
"He's really, really intelligent," Washington head coach Mike Hopkins said, per Jordan Schultz of ESPN.com. "His IQ defensively is on a different planet. He's got incredible anticipation skill. ... He's got the athleticism and the length to create an incredible steal."
There is plenty of room for a defender like that at the NBA level, but Thybulle will need to make strides on the offensive side after he shot just 30.5 percent from three-point range in his senior season while averaging 9.1 points per game.
If he is going to be a three-and-D player, he has to take advantage of open looks on the wing when defenders help off him. There is reason for optimism even with his poor percentage last season because he shot 36.6 percent as a freshman, 40.5 percent as a sophomore and 36.5 percent as a junior.
It was his last season that was the aberration.
Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Thybulle to be a first-round pick in April and said his perimeter shooting "could make or break his NBA potential."
He will now have the chance to hone that shooting and continue playing excellent defense with the 76ers.