Getty Orlando Magic point guard Markelle Fultz.
Ben Simmons might not be “mentally ready” to return to the court because he’s scared of the reaction waiting for him. Philadelphia fans are known for being tough on players, specifically first-round draft picks who don’t live up to expectations.
Maybe Simmons should call up Markelle Fultz if he wants a crash course on how to handle the pressure. The Philadelphia 76ers took Fultz with the first overall pick in the 2017 draft. His struggles with the “yips” were well-documented after being diagnosed with a nerve condition called neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.
Fultz saw action in only 33 games in Philly before being traded to the Orlando Magic. The 23-year-old recently appeared on “The Rematch with Etan Thomas” where he described how he dealt with the “tough love.” Spoiler alert, Fultz had nothing bad to say.
“I didn’t feel like hate or anything. I felt love even from the fans,” Fultz told Thomas. “I think a lot of people get confused because they hear people in the media talking about how the fans treat me bad, but I never felt like the fans treated me bad. I felt like, they always showed love when I was in a game; they’re very supportive. They’re very happy. I got a standing ovation when I came back, you know, and I understand that Philly love.”
Fultz talking about Philly fans
Fultz compared his relationship with Sixers fans to the one with his mother. She let him know when he did something bad and loved him when he was good. It’s all part of growing up.
“They die and breathe their team so they’re gonna get on you when you’re doing bad,” Fultz said. “They’re gonna love you when you’re good and that’s kind of how my mom raised me, you know? Like, you’re gonna get that tough love of you need to do what you need to do.”
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Paul Reed Recalled From G League
Paul Reed has begun splitting time between the Sixers and the Delaware Blue Coats, their G League affiliate. The team recalled the second-year player on Monday and he’ll be available for tonight’s matchup against the Orlando Magic. Reed scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 30 minutes for the Blue Coats on Saturday.
MVP. MVP. MVP. MVP. 🏆
Paul Reed filled the stat sheet with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks to lead the @blue_coats to the victory.
Reed played on a two-way contract last season but the Sixers converted it to a standard deal in April. His three-year contract is worth $3.9 million while giving him the flexibility to bounce between assignments. Remember, the 2020 second-rounder (58th overall pick) won G League MVP honors last season. He averaged 22.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.8 blocks for Delaware.
Paul Reed (@Bball_paul) is the first player in @nbagleague history to:
– Win MVP
– Win ROY
– Earn All-G League First Team honors
– Earn All-Rookie Team honors
– Earn All-Defensive Team honors
Only two other players have done even the last three in one season.
Shake Milton Remains Questionable
Backup point guard Shake Milton remains questionable with groin soreness. He missed Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves after suffering a last-minute setback during shootaround. Furkan Korkmaz replaced Milton as the primary ball-handler behind Tyrese Maxey.
Shake Milton gets some shots up after shootaround this morning #Sixers
Simmons (personal, mental illness) was the only other Sixers player listed on the injury report. Meanwhile, a slew of Orlando Magic players are either officially out or in danger of missing Monday’s game: Cole Anthony (ankle, questionable), Mo Bamba (back, questionable), Terrence Ross (back, questionable), Michael Carter-Williams (ankle, out), Markelle Fultz (knee, out), Jonathan Isaac (knee, out), E’Twaun Moore (knee, out).