Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, played only 14 games as a rookie last season. An ominous shoulder injury, coupled with what some conspiracy theorists believe was no more than a bad case of the yips, are largely to blame for his retreat deep into the 76ers depth chart.

But a full offseasons worth of work to get right – both physically and mechanically – have apparently done Fultz well. He debuted a new-look jumper in a Players' Tribune video on Thursday, and while it's too early to tell if it will hold up during NBA games, it sure seems to work in practice.

The mechanical difference between his new jumper and his old are stark. In his new shot, in a catch-and-shoot scenario, Fultz calmly catches, rests it near his waist, then thrusts it upwards and outwards. His release appears to be coming more directly over his head. At Washington, his release was closer to his right shoulder.

Fultz's new motion appears to be more fluid, too. After the shoulder injury with the Sixers, he came back with a noticeable hitch in his shot and an awkward release to boot. Frankly, it was ugly. But it's apparent he's been working to get it back.

Coach Brett Brown said this week that Fultz's jumper, which, for worse, defined his rookie season, is still a work in progress. But he's optimistic the former No. 1 pick will get his groove back.

"When I see him now come back into our gym, you look at his swagger, his cocky side, his mojo, he's seeking shots," Brown said via the Associated Press. "He really is not bashful. When I look at the actual form, there are times, from a posture standpoint, he's a little bit backward. When you look at him rising up, or getting the ball in his shot pocket, sometimes his head will go back and he'll play more in a fade-type fundamental that we want to try and correct."

Time will tell if the new-look jumper will stand the test of the NBA regular season, but for the Sixers, who could use a healthy, functional Fultz to be a serious threat in the East, optimism abounds with early returns that it has been significantly improved ahead of the upcoming season.