76ers' Matisse Thybulle Continues to Stand out Defensively in Orlando

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle wasn't flawless in year one. Like many rookies in the NBA, the young guard has hit some rough patches. Sometimes, Thybulle could find himself in the team's starting lineup when injuries shake up the rotations. Other times, Thybulle could find himself on a cold streak, garnering little to no minutes.

Offensively, Thybulle struggled during the first stint of the 2019-2020 NBA season. Through 57 games, Thybulle shot 41-percent from the field, nailing just 35-percent of his three-point shots. In total, he has averaged only 4.7 points-per-game.

Defensively, Thybulle has been an entirely different story. Coming out of Washington, Thybulle was recognized as one of the best defensive prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft. As a team that prioritized defense and playing bully ball in 2020, the Sixers figured Thybulle fit the description of exactly what they were looking for.

In no way did the rookie disappoint this season. Heading into the NBA's hiatus, Thybulle led all rookies in steals this season. And as the Sixers prepare for the NBA's restart this summer, 76ers head coach Brett Brown is once again reminded of just how good his first-round rookie is on the defensive side of the ball.

"You're reminded of how disruptive Matisse is," Brown told the media following Friday's practice. "He leads our team in deflections; we chart all of our deflections. He is in the top three in steals after this period of time that we've practiced, and he's just so disruptive." 

Before the NBA's suspension back in March, Thybulle was well-aware of his defensive impact on the 76ers. He was also aware of how some of his daring moves on defense affected his teammates negatively if all didn't go as according as planned, though. When the league gets back in action, Thybulle intends to be more "under control."

While he doesn't plan to play with more fear of making mistakes, Thybulle understands he has to take more "calculated risks." And through nearly two weeks of practice, Brett Brown and the 76ers are excited about Thybulle's potential moving forward.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_