Markelle Fultz Had Fluid Drained From Shoulder

The number one pick in the 2017 NBA draft is off to a rocky start to his NBA career. Averaging only 6 points and 1.8 assists per game off the bench, Markelle Fultz’s play has been pretty underwhelming based on the lofty expectations for him going into the season.

The most notable downfall of his game so far has been his mysterious lack of a jump shot after it being one of his biggest strengths while at the University of Washington. At Washington, he averaged 23.2 points and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the three point line. During his short tenure as a Philadelphia 76er so far, he has yet to take a single shot from the three point line.

His shooting form has looked notably sloppy and uncomfortable compared to the form he used in college, and it has left many fans and analysts alike puzzled. Rumors swirled about whether or not this change came as a result of a lack of confidence or if he was injured, and the answer is seemingly the ladder of the two.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Markelle Fultz’s agent, said that his client had fluid drained from his right shoulder and will be visiting a specialist soon. The draining of the fluid was performed prior to the beginning of the regular season, and was the reason Markelle Fultz missed the end of the preseason schedule.

“Markelle had a shoulder injury and fluid drained out of the back of his shoulder. He literally cannot raise up his arms to shoot the basketball. He decided to try and fight through the pain to help the team. He has a great attitude. We are committed to finding a solution to get Markelle back to 100 percent.”

The 76ers medical staff has been under fire for their mishandling of young players on the team, and this seems to be another case of just that. The question has to be asked of why Fultz was playing through this kind of injury if it hinders the part of his game that makes him most effective. With this news coming to light, changes to how the team handles Fultz may be on the way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4izJz173GZs

It has been difficult watching Markelle Fultz struggle with his free throws, but now we at least have a reason for why he is shooting them this way.

The team has not yet made a decision regarding whether or not Markelle Fultz will miss any games to rest his aching shoulder.

[Featured Image by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images]