The Philadelphia 76ers went all in on Markelle Fultz when they drafted him as the No. 1 overall pick in 2017. The highly-touted 6-foot-3 combo guard was supposed to be an integral part of The Process in Philly, but unfortunately, injuries early in his career prevented Fultz from being able to establish himself as a key member of that team.
Fultz ended up playing just 33 games in his first two seasons with the Sixers before the team decided to pull the plug on what they deemed a failed experiment. Fultz got dealt to the Orlando Magic, where he's had a much better run in the four years he's been with the squad.
In a recent interview, Fultz was asked if he thought he got enough support from the Sixers during his lengthy injury spells. The 25-year-old hesitated a bit before coming out with a diplomatic response to the loaded question:
“It was a weird situation,” Fultz said. “… I wish I had a chance to help them because I really feel like I could've helped them win if they were patient and let me get healthy. But at the same time, I'm thankful for everything that they did for me. Everything worked out good.”
As he said, Markelle Fultz is appreciative of everything the Sixers did for him during his two-year spell in Philadelphia. He also said that he understands the business side of the game, as well as why the Sixers ultimately decided to let him go. However, it is clear that Fultz holds a lot of regret during his time with the team. He's also adamant that he could have helped the squad if only they were more patient with his situation.
At the end of the day, everything worked out relatively well for all parties involved. Fultz is coming off his best season as a pro with the Magic after playing 60 games this past season. He's not exactly living up to the hype of being a No. 1 overall pick — at least not yet — but there's no way you can say that this young man is a complete bust.