The Philadelphia 76ers have always had bad luck with their first overall draft picks the past couple of years. The same will be said this year, as the Sixers will continue a good part of the NBA season without their first overall pick, Markelle Fultz. He has only played four games this season and it seems like he will continue to be out for a long period of time, as reported by ESPN. Fultz is currently averaging six points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and one turnover per game in four games. With Ben Simmons playing the point guard position, it was already forecasted that Fultz will have a hard time getting minutes this season.
Sixers 1st overall pick suffers shoulder injury
Markelle Fultz is reportedly out indefinitely this season due to soreness and Muscle Imbalance in his right shoulder ESPN reported. According to Raymond Brothers (Fultz agent), Fultz had a cortisone shot on his shoulder on October 5 and he has not played since Monday. The Sixers have not mentioned any timetable, but his shoulder will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
Fultz has struggled to shoot the ball well this season, and it actually led to him changing his shooting pattern. It was later on rumored that the change in his shooting form could have been the reason he tweaked his shoulder. Sixers general manager, Bryan Colangelo said in an interview with ESPN that the Sixers Organization never exerted any effort to change his shooting form and that it was Fultz choice to continue playing despite having pain in his shoulder.
The Sixers curse continues
Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz are the first round draft picks the Sixers selected the past four years. All of them suffered major injuries in their rookie season. Nerlens Noel was drafted in 2013, and he missed the entire 2013-14 season due to a knee surgery.
Joel Embiid was drafted in 2014, but he missed the entire 2014-2015 season due to a broken navicular bone in his right foot.
Jahlil Okafor was able to play 53 games in his rookie season but was then ruled out in March 2016, due to a meniscus tear in his right knee. Ben Simmons was drafted in 2016, but before the season began he suffered a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot which led him to miss the entire season. And know Markelle Fultz is added to that unfortunate list, as he becomes another top prospect of the Philadelphia 76ers that will likely miss a big chunk of his rookie season.
