Matisse Thybulle is a Rising Star, Whether the NBA Admits It or Not

The participants for this year’s Rising Star game were announced recently, with Sixers forward Matisse Thybulle left off the roster. While the other young players selected are certainly all deserving with better offensive numbers, few are more impactful on the court than Thybulle. He is already an elite NBA defender who should without a doubt be considered for one of the All-Defensive teams despite limited minutes.

He’s starting to remind many of a young Kawhi Leonard, who was also a draft day steal. Both players came into the league with elite defensive tools and a raw offensive game. Currently, the majority of Thybulle’s offense comes from spot-up jumpers, straight-line drives, hustle plays, and transition buckets. So while he has a long way to go before he can even think about reaching the level of offensive mastery Kawhi currently enjoys, his defense has already made him an extremely valuable player.

The Sixers found an absolute gem in Matisse Thybulle who, even if he never improves, will remain one of the most important players on the team moving forward. The NBA may not acknowledge Thybulle’s value, but his fingerprints are on every Sixers win. So whether or not he’s playing in that meaningless game this Friday night, Matisse is the true definition of a Rising Star.