Matisse Thybulle

Matisse Vincent Thybulle was born on March 4, 1997, in Scottsdale, Arizona. His early childhood included a seven-year period living in Sydney, Australia, where he primarily focused on swimming. Upon his family’s return to the U.S. in 2005, settling in Sammamish, Washington, Thybulle improved his basketball skills. He initially attended Skyline High School before transferring to Eastside Catholic, from which he graduated in 2015. At Eastside Catholic, he developed into a respected recruit, ultimately leading to his college commitment.

Thybulle attended the University of Washington, where he played college basketball for the Huskies. In his freshman season (2015–16), he started all 34 games. His defensive prowess became more apparent in his sophomore year (2016–17), where he averaged over two steals per game. Following a coaching change, Thybulle decided to remain with the Huskies, believing in the new coach’s defensive strategy. This decision proved beneficial, as he was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in both 2018 and 2019. In 2019, he received national recognition, winning both the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year and the Lefty Driesell Award for being the top defensive player in college basketball. He also broke Jason Kidd’s Pac-12 single-season steals record with 126 and became the conference’s all-time steals leader.

His collegiate performance led to his selection in the 2019 NBA draft. The Philadelphia 76ers, keen on his defensive abilities, acquired him via a trade on draft night after he was initially drafted by the Boston Celtics. Thybulle joined the 76ers and quickly made an impact, earning NBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in both the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons. In 2023, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in a four-team deal, where he continues his professional career. Additionally, Thybulle is a dual citizen of Australia and the United States and has represented the Australian national team, earning a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.