Getty Matisse Thybulle #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers blocks Spencer Dinwiddie #26 of the Washington Wizards during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center on February 02, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
There was a great deal of buzz surrounding Matisse Thybulle heading into the season. The fourth-year defensive ace is a polarizing player among Sixers fans. In his three full years in the NBA, he has already cracked the All-NBA Defensive Second Team twice despite playing limited minutes. His unique defensive instincts and 6’11” wingspan make him a nightmare for opposing ball handlers. However, Thybulle is extremely limited on the offensive end which has squeezed him out of the rotation at times.
The Washington product played under six total minutes through the first five games of the season. The Sixers’ desperate need for defensive help has led him to getting thrust back into the rotation. His offensive development has not lived up to the hype thus far, but he recently revealed that former Sixers’ standout JJ Redick’s advice has been something he has leaned heavily on throughout this process.
What a steal from Matisse Thybulle. Wow.
Redick’s Influence on Thybulle
As Thybulle told reporters when asked about his jump shot, “It’s a product of the work and it is its own work. JJ Redick told me a long time ago that the only thing you can really do to get your confidence up is to do the work,” per Sam DiGiovanni of ClutchPoints. Reddick spent two seasons in Philadelphia where he played a crucial role on the team. Despite the short period of time, he ranks 6th all-time in Sixers franchise history in made three-pointers.
During the Sixers media day, both Doc Rivers and Daryl Morey raved about the offseason work that Thybulle had put in. The 25-year-old spent time working out with All-Stars such as Dame Lillard and DeMar DeRozan as well as famed shooting coach Phil Beckner. He mentioned some of the alterations in his shooting form and stated, “I guess you could say just condensing my shot down — getting rid of wasted movement, which allows for more accuracy and consistency.”Thybulle also has been seen coming to the stadium early and staying late to get up additional shots as a credit to his effort.
Matisse Thybulle is drilling corner triples after practice today #Sixers
Thybulle’s Role on Sixers
The early results of these changes have not been positive. While he does appear to have a slightly quicker release from years past, Thybulle is shooting a career-worst 18.2% on three-pointers. The 2-11 sample size is still extremely small but is not encouraging nonetheless.
The Sixers have made it a major point of emphasis to improve their two-way options at wing this year. Players like De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House Jr, and P.J. Tucker have each climbed above the defensive ace in the pecking order. However, Thybulle’s elite defensive abilities have earned him a place within the team as it is a major area of need for the Sixers.
De’Anthony Melton, Matisse Thybulle and P.J. Tucker looks like quite the fun defensive trio
After breaking off the bench with back-to-back 20+ minute opportunities following the slow start to the season, Thybulle looks to be seeing his role cut back once again. He played just 8:21 of game time in the most recent loss to the Hawks and has not exceeded 13 minutes of play in the last three games.
The saying goes that the NBA is a ‘make-or-miss’ league, but this feels especially the case with Thybulle. If he can connect on perimeter shots at just a league-average rate he is a dangerous rotational piece. However, until he can prove for this to be the case and command respect from opponents, he will continue to be a matchup-based player whom the Sixers cannot afford to have on the floor in certain situations.