By Josh Liddick, Sports Talk Philly editor
The kid has spoken: The Sixers are going to the playoffs.
Markelle Fultz sat down to talk with CSNPhilly on Thursday and offered his thoughts on a plethora of topics that have been circling the Sixers fanbase over the past couple slow weeks.
The Sixers haven't been to the playoffs since 2012, when they beat the first-seeded Bulls and then lost to the Celtics in seven games in the semis.
Since then, they have endured "The Process," and have lost too many games to count over that spread.
But now, with a large influx of young talent and the additions of key veterans J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson, the team looks ready to build towards a much, much brighter future.
Fultz was drafted by the Sixers in June's NBA Draft with the first overall selection and he has already shown a burning desire to win for this team and get the Sixers back to the playoffs.
"We’re going to be in the playoffs this year, and I think everybody is willing to put forth their best effort and listen to the coaches and listen to the bench. We got and just do whatever it takes to get there."
With no NBA experience and a team that is still very young and very injury prone, a guarantee to make the playoffs seems as if it would be a pretty bold statement. However, the team on paper seems like they are in a lot better shape than other teams in the Eastern Conference, and really only time will tell whether or not the statement will be true.
LeBron James has been a pretty interesting topic around the Sixers media over the last couple weeks, especially with news that Kyrie Irving has asked the Cavaliers for a trade.
The Sixers have been keen on the idea of signing LeBron, and the rest of team seems like they wouldn't mind the King playing for the team in 2018, especially Ben Simmons.
Fultz offered CSN his thoughts on the whole ordeal, and he seems to be in a pretty solid agreement with everyone else.
“Definitely, he would be a great fit," Fultz said. "I think he would be good, somebody else I can pass the ball to. Everybody, I think the whole city will love him, but I mean, at the end of the day you gotta do what you gotta do, but we’ll love to have ‘Bron in Philly."
Fultz went on to mention that he wouldn't mind seeing Kyrie Irving or Carmelo Anthony come to town either.
And finally, Fultz talked about his expectations for this coming season on the court, as he looks to prove the doubters wrong and bring a winning basketball team back to Philadelphia.
“My expectations are really just to give it my all," Fultz said of his rookie season. "I don’t really have any set goals or anything like that. Just play as hard as I can and live with the results. But also, getting us back on the winning side, getting us to the playoffs and everything like that. But in order to do that, you gotta play as hard as you can and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing."
Life seems good for the rookie, as he gets ready to make his debut for the new Sixers season in just a couple more months.
Markelle Fultz talks LeBron, Lonzo Ball and playoffs: "We’re going to be in the playoffs this year."@mattbowker_https://t.co/EdHIdb0XYK
— CSN Philly (@CSNPhilly) July 27, 2017
