Why Is Former No. 1 Overall Pick Markelle Fultz Still Unsigned?
When Markelle Fultz was preparing to join the NBA in 2017, there was plenty of fanfare surrounding his looming arrival.
At the University of Washington, Fultz blossomed into a true superstar on the college level. Fultz averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game for the Huskies showcasing every night he was a dominant force.
There was no discussion who the No. 1 overall pick in 2017 would be. Although Lonzo Ball dazzled at UCLA, ultimately going No. 2, Fultz was the no-brainer No. 1 overall selection for the Philadelphia 76ers once draft night rolled around.
Philadelphia's front office was so convinced Fultz was the missing piece alongside a young Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to the point they traded up two spots to secure him. Ultimately, the Boston Celtics moved back and drafted Jayson Tatum — and as we all know the rest is history coming off his first championship in 2024.
Fast-forward seven years later and Fultz remains a free agent with NBA training camps set to open up at the end of September. How did we get here?
Fultz's NBA career began with one of the most mysterious injuries of the modern era. What ultimately was thoracic outlet syndrome, a one-of-a-kind instance for an NBA player, Fultz was originally misdiagnosed and tried to play through the injury with Philadelphia.
As frustrations from the Sixers and their fans mounted, Fultz was traded less than two years after going No. 1 overall.
The Orlando Magic took a low-risk flyer on Fultz in 2019, and it would be an extensive project for the organization attempting to rehab his value. In 33 appearances over two seasons, Fultz shot 41.4 percent, which included a grotesque free throw percentage of 53.4 percent.
Evolving into a different role throughout his five-year tenure in Orlando, Fultz became a more consistent playmaker and on-ball defender. However, the offensive production remained shaky at best averaging 11.6 points on a poor 52.6 true shooting percentage.
Is the former top pick seven years ago ready to potentially take a training camp invite to compete for a roster spot? That's the situation Fultz is in, a tricky one that in today's NBA his skillset isn't valued as much. Also, if you are not a consistent threat to score, it's very difficult to find a consistent rotation role anywhere.
Another major factor relating to Fultz's absence on a roster is his long list of injuries.
Fultz has failed to have a fully healthy season thus far, and his latest woe related to his knee has teams concerned. The athletic guard had "small fractures" in his left knee, which was the same one he tore his ACL earlier on. Fultz received bone stimulation treatment during the season, too.
"Obviously, if it was a perfect world, I would keep everyone together," Fultz said at his end-of-season media session in April. "I understand it's a business. Some guys are going to be gone, some coaches might be gone. You never know, some guys might still be together. You obviously hope for the best, but understand you can only control what you can control. I always try to do that. I try to control what I can control — be a great dude, work my {butt} off to be ready for the opportunity at hand and help my teams win anyway necessary. That's all I can do."
As the best available free agent remaining on the board, the 26-year-old Fultz could certainly still contribute at the end of a roster, but there seems to be more questions than answers right now with the 2024-25 season right around the corner.
There are multiple contenders in need of further backcourt help, and Fultz might have to wait into the season before another opportunity arises due to his injury history and lack of offensive development.
What truly could have been for Fultz in 2017, an unfortunate fate has led to this moment for the former No. 1 pick. Now, he hopefully waits for that phone call to join a roster and prove he can be a factor in the prime age of his career.
