Sixers point guard and 2017 first overall draft pick, Markelle Fultz, is out indefinitely with soreness and scapular muscle imbalance in his right shoulder, the team announced via press release on Sunday. Fultz’s doctor’s appointment also confirmed that there is no structural impairment in his right shoulder.
Fultz is set to be reevaluated in three weeks, so it’s likely that Philadelphia’s prized draft pick misses at least one month due to the injury.
Earlier this week, Fultz’s agent, Raymond Brothers, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that his client had fluid drained from his shoulder and that he “literally cannot raise up his arms to shoot the basketball.” However, Brothers changed his story later in the day, stating that Fultz instead received a cortisone shot.
“He had a cortisone shot on Oct. 5, which means fluid was put into his shoulder — not taken out,” Brothers said. “My intention earlier was to let people know that he’s been experiencing discomfort. We will continue to work with (Sixers general manager) Bryan Colangelo and the medical staff.”
Fultz, 19, has visibly struggled with his shooting, whether it be jump shots or shooting from the free throw line. In four games this season, Fultz has averaged 6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 1.8 APG in 19 minutes off the bench. However, as Wojnarowski mentioned, Fultz has almost exclusively relied on drives to basket as he is shooting just 33% (9-for-27) from the floor and an abysmal 50% (6-for-12) from the charity stripe.
The Sixers made a considerable investment to acquire the first overall pick, trading the third overall pick (which was used to draft Jayson Tatum) and a future first-round choice to the Celtics for the right to select Fultz. In his lone season at the University of Washington, Fultz averaged 23.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 5.7 RPG.
That trade keeps looking better and better for the Celtics.
I mean sixers first round picks have to be out their first year
Muscle imbalance. Is that why I can’t do anything left-handed?
Hate to say someone needs to be fired, but the entire medical staff and training staff needs to go. It’s time.
Kind of tired of Colangelo and the lies. How hard is it to be truthful in an injury report and if the shoulder is that bad it’s keeping him out three weeks why was he playing in the first place. Sorry there’s no way Colangelo and the medical staff didn’t know and have botched this many injury reports including Simmons and Embiid last season. Y’all clowns. I love the sixers but they need to stop being shady and being the Mets of the NBA with all their injuries.
Should’ve taken Ball.
lol