Getty Images Markelle Fultz on the bench
Markelle Fultz has had trouble with his right shoulder almost as soon as he joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Sixers’ No. 1 pick out of Washington in the 2017 NBA Draft will have visits with several shoulder specialists until tomorrow, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and the Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Keith Pompey.
This after The Athletic’s David Aldridge, reported last week that Fultz will not participate in team practices or games with the Sixers until he is seen by a shoulder specialist.
Fultz played in just 14 regular season games last season. This season, Fultz started all 15 games for the 76ers before Jimmy Butler was traded to Philadelphia earlier this month.
Jerryd Bayless and Dario Saric were Fultz’s teammates with the Sixers before being part of the package sent to Minnesota that brought Jimmy Butler to Philadelphia.
They’re pulling for Fultz.
“I see a young player that’s had extraordinarily high expectations placed upon him based on where he was drafted that’s going through a lot of things that most young players will go through,” Jerryd Bayless told Forbes over the weekend.
“Is it heightened because he was the number one pick? I would say so. Is he a perfect player right now? No. Did they think he’d be better? Yes.”
Fultz is guaranteed $9.7 million next season. Per Wojnarowski, examinations of Fultz’s right shoulder will last through Wednesday in New York and no decision on his next steps will be known until later in the week.
Dario Saric is optimistic.
“It’s been very hard for him what’s been happening the last couple of seasons,” Saric told Forbes. “I saw him this summer, he was, like, fine.”
Added Saric:
“He was happy, he was really enjoying it,” Saric said. “When I was talking to him, he seemed like everything was okay.”
Fultz tried to fix the shoulder last season with physical therapy. And this offseason, he worked with shooting coach Drew Hanlen, as reported by Michael McCann at SI.com.
Speaking to The Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck, Markelle Fultz’s agent and lawyer, Raymond Brothers said:
“Markelle and the motorcycle, I saw the article that was sent, 100 percent not true. Quote me on that.”
Brothers also indicated in his chat that Fultz has to make an adjustment to the pro-game. “In terms of stuff that’s going on with Markelle, he’s a 20-year-old kid,” he said.
“He’s got a fantastic mom and a good foundation. Most professional athletes have to make an adjustment from college to the pros, and that’s what Markelle is doing…[the constant speculation] is unfortunate.”
Fultz contends that he’s healthy. “For sure,” Fultz said on November 6.
“I mean, nobody is ever 100 percent healthy in this game. You play five games in seven days and you get bumps and bruises.”