Markelle Fultz returns to Philadelphia for the first time since being traded away in 2019 when his Orlando Magic face-off against the 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday night.
The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft only played 14 games in his rookie season with the Sixers due to a shoulder injury, and was limited to just 19 in his sophomore season with another shoulder ailment. After just 33 total games on Broad Street, he was traded to the Orlando Magic at the 2019 deadline.
The 24-year-old reflected on his time with Philadelphia ahead of his return on Monday.
“Me personally, I felt a lot of love. Just from the fans, from my teammates, people like that. You obviously always have those few fans and people that are doubting and hating and want other things to go on, but for the most part, everybody just wanted success really,” Fultz remembered.
“So whatever we had to do to get that, it was that that was being done but again, my teammates did a great job of supporting me and I did a good job of just trying to get back on court.”
Fultz was supposed to be part of a “Big 3” with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons that never worked out. Fultz says that him and Embiid still talk “every once in a while,” but asserts that the two have a lot of love for each other.
Fultz's career has been plagued by injuries, including an ACL tear in early 2021 that kept him out of the rest of the 2020-21 season. But he's returned to form this season, averaging 12.1 points and 5.6 assists while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 34.2 percent from deep in 29 games during 2022-23.
“It's always fun to come back here,” Fultz shared about returning to Philadelphia. “The fans are one of a kind here. It’s definitely going to be fun to be able to step on the court and play tonight. I’m very thankful for everything that Philly has done for me.”
Markelle Fultz and the Magic will tipoff against the Sixers just past 7pm EST on Monday night.
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