Orlando Magic Daily
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Markelle Fultz’s gravity is what the Orlando Magic need

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Markelle Fultz is already proving how his drives create gravity and can open things up for the Orlando Magic. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
Markelle Fultz is already proving how his drives create gravity and can open things up for the Orlando Magic. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Markelle Fultz, Steve Clifford, Orlando Magic
Markelle Fultz is eager to step back onto the court in the regular season for the first time in nearly a year. (Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images) /

The Orlando Magic lacked a great dribble-drive creator last year. Markelle Fultz is already drawing eyes and defenders to him to create for the team.

The first pass caught Mohamed Bamba by surprise.

Markelle Fultz dribbled in transition and started to head downhill toward the basket. He hesitated a moment and then dropped a pass behind him meant to catch Mohamed Bamba in stride.

Bamba was not quite expecting it. Maybe he was waiting to see Markelle Fultz attack the paint and find the defense surrounding him. Maybe he was trailing a bit too far. But Fultz saw the passing lane, as impossibly small as it might be, he saw the defense gathering around him trying to stop his penetration and he was going to feed the big man trailing.

Bamba knew the next time that opportunity came around, he was not going to let it pass by. Fultz made sure it was equally as flashy.

Fultz set up a pick and roll on the right wing. He rejected the screen and drove baseline. That was enough to draw both defenders to him to stop his penetration. He whipped the ball behind his back and Bamba grabbed it and finished.

All eyes were on Fultz.

The defense shifted and moved with Fultz at every turn. It did not matter he was not much of a jump-shooting threat. He had the defense’s full attention and he had them on their heels.

Given space in front of him and some steam behind him, he was going to make something happen.

This work on the ball attacking the paint is exactly what the Magic need.

"“He was the difference in the game in the second half,” coach Steve Clifford said after Wednesday’s 94-85 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. “We had our best stretch of play in the first half when he was on the floor. His ability to get into the paint and finish plays was the difference in the game.”"

Fultz finished the game with 12 points on 6-for-12 shooting. Almost all of those shots came in the paint. He hit one 15-foot jumper and missed three 3-pointers outside the paint.

Fultz still has a lot of work to do. But his first game proved a revelation. And all eyes are clearly on him.