NBA
Markelle Fultz To Visit A Shoulder Specialist, Out Indefinitely
This has been a bumpy roller-coaster ride in the NBA for the 20-year-old Markelle Fultz. He will be out for the 76ers once again to re-evaluate a shoulder injury that occurred in his rookie year.
Rookie Season
Last year, Fultz only played a total of 14 games in his rookie year. It was very noticeable how bad his shot was during that time. He only shot 40.5% from the field and 47.6% from the free throw line. He also didn’t hit a single 3-pointer last season.
The spectacle of Fultz only grew more abnormal when you would see videos of him shooting in the gym last year. His shot was looking even worse throughout practices and shootarounds. It became apparent that Fultz’s shot went missing, and he wasn’t the same kid from the University of Washington.
Building the Confidence Back
This offseason, he spent countless hours working on his mechanics and getting back to the becoming the Fultz of old.
“This summer was one of my most hard-working summers,” Fultz said at Sixers Media Day. “Everybody knows what happened last year, so this summer was really just me working to get my mechanics back, my confidence back, my swagger back. It was a very productive summer.”
New Season, Same Struggles
However, after 19 games in his second year, things don’t seem to be getting better for Fultz. Sure, his numbers are better this year. He is averaging more points, rebounds and shooting at higher percentages, but those numbers don’t read “#1 overall pick.”
He’s shooting 41% from the field, 29% from 3-point range, and 57% from the free throw line. The highlights of his shot the past couple of games have also been scary (and not in a good way). The most recent one being his free-throw shot, where he looks to have pump-faked it and hit the back of the rim.
To make the situation even weirder, Fultz and trainer Drew Hanlen are no longer on speaking terms. It’s not known who ended the relationship, but they are both going their separate ways.
Fultz moved to the bench on November 14th when Jimmy Butler arrived in a trade for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Last night, Fultz only played seven minutes against the Phoenix Suns.
Media Has Made Their Ruling!
Sports Broadcasters and Debaters have also made up their minds about Fultz’s future in the NBA. Colin Cowherd has already claimed that Fultz is a bust. Stephen A. Smith thinks Fultz will be gone from Philadelphia at the end of the season. Chris Broussard “sources” say Butler will get Fultz out of town.
In the NBA, situation matters, and the 76ers might not be the spot for Fultz at this very moment. With all the cameras on him because of how relevant the team has become, it might be a bad thing. A team like the Orlando Magic or the Suns, who don’t have media attention around them, could work. He needs a place where he can build his game without any rush.
Time Will Tell
There are a lot of factors regarding Fultz’s problems with his shooting. Is his shoulder still hurt or mis-diagnosed? Was it the trainer? Was it the 76ers rushing him and babying him all in one season? Is it a confidence issue? Has he had enough with the 76ers? Only time will tell what the answer is to Fultz’s problems.
Right now, he looks like a confused mess on the court, and that’s the complete opposite of the player he was in college. Only time will tell where the issue stems from.
Photo Credit
Nazrul Islam via Flickr
Writer Brandan Verrastro
