Landon Buford
Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz, has not played a game in the NBA since November 19th of 2018. About a month later, the Philadelphia 76ers announced that he would be out of action indefinitely with a nerve disorder.
Before the announcement, the former number one pick out of the University of Washington had been scrutinized due to his shooting woes, and the injury explained them. Sixers ’Vice President of athlete care, Dr. Daniel Medina shared after consulting specialists, Fultz was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Fultz’ agent Raymond Brothers took it a step further and shared with ESPN, that the specific diagnostic was neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, which, according to Brothers“affects nerves between the neck and shoulder resulting in abnormal functional movement and range of motion, thus severely limiting Markelle’s ability to shoot a basketball.”
However, former 13-year NBA veteran Nate Robinson believes, Fultz needs to find the love that he developed while growing up in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
“He has to find the love that he had for the game of basketball when he was a kid. Some people lose that because there are some many things that you’re exposed to once you get to the league. You are going to fight through injuries, people saying things that you might not agree with and you lose sight of that.
He has to find that inner-child and stay in that happy place and get back in the gym. In order to find that love for the game again and you have to start from ground zero to get back to the top. Spend hours working on your jump shot, even go back and study film on how you played before the injury. You never know what will trigger your brain to help you get back on the right track.”
Earlier this year I spoke with Clippers guard at the time Avery Bradley about how Fultz could come back from his injury mentally.
“I can’t really speak for him, but it varies based on the person. Everybody is different sometimes it takes guys a few games to get adjusted and sometimes it takes people a little longer. I can say this, I do wish the best for him and hope that he is able to get over the mental blockage, and can go out there and play the game he loves.”
Last summer Basketball Society’s Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson spoke with Jamal Crawford, who was a free agent the time about working out Fultz.
“Markelle is like a little brother to me,” said Crawford. Obviously, he went to the University of Washington, and we talk every other day.”
“We don’t have a timetable for when he’ll be back, but he’s really doing a good job.” @OrlandoMagic HC Steve Clifford gives @TermineRadio and @Jumpshot8 the latest on Markelle Fultz pic.twitter.com/N8gTv7rh3j
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 15, 2019
As for now, the Orlando Magic have no idea of when Fultz will make his return to the court. Magic’s head coach Steve Clifford spoke with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson on the SiriusXM show “NBA Today” last week.
“He’s been great. He’s working hard. He’s made good progress. You know, we don’t have a timetable for when he’ll be back, but he’s really doing a good job.”
