Markelle Fultz is getting closer to returning to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Fultz, who has been out all season with a strange shoulder injury, played 5-on-5 during the Sixers' practice on Sunday, per Sarah Todd of Philly.com.

Though still not considered a full-practice participant because of some small restrictions, Fultz looked good in his full contact play, said coach Brett Brown.

Fultz has been ramping up his activity in practice in recent weeks. This latest development is a great sign for the Sixers, who hope to get their No. 1 pick on the basketball court before the season ends.

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So far, the Sixers have fared just fine without Markelle Fultz. While they have a sub-.500 record, Philadelphia has plenty of budding stars in its roster in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, both of whom look to lead the team out of the doldrums and into relevance in the Eastern Conference.

The Sixers have an upcoming trip overseas to play the Boston Celtics. With how good Fultz looked in practice, Brown was asked if there was a possibility that Fultz would play in that contest.

Fultz will be accompanying the team when they head for London Monday night ahead of Thursday’s game against the Celtics at The O2 Arena, but Brown says he doesn’t expect the rookie guard to return to play just yet.

It's not a big deal for Markelle Fultz to be inactive in London, but the fact that he is traveling with the team is a positive development. He should be back soon if things continue trending this way.