Sixers guard Markelle Fultz has been an enigma since Philadelphia selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, and during Monday’s game…
Sixers guard Markelle Fultz has been an enigma since Philadelphia selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, and during Monday’s game in Miami, his NBA career seemingly reached a new low.
Fultz appeared to pump fake on a missed free throw, which elevated his issues beyond just struggling with a shot. He was overthinking on free throws and shooting with a form that simply did not resemble the player he was at Washington — or any top NBA pick. The NBA world was left wondering what had happened to Fultz.
By this point, most know Fultz’s story. He was the top pick out of Washington, got hurt, changed his shot, forgot how to shoot and spent all offseason remembering how to shoot. But matters have gotten so bad for Fultz that he has stopped talking to his (now former) trainer Drew Hanlen.
Shortly after the free-throw blunder went viral, HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy reported that Fultz ended his relationship with Hanlen and that they were no longer on speaking terms.
At the very least, it’s not good news for Philadelphia when the person in charge of fixing Fultz’s shot has been essentially kicked to the curb. The timing of the report was also noteworthy — right after the free throw! A way for Hanlen to separate himself from the broken shell of a player that Fultz is right now.
In the past week, though, Hanlen defended Fultz on Twitter but deleted a tweet that raised health concerns. Hanlen’s client list includes players like Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Zach LaVine. Fultz’s struggles seem more like an isolated problem given that Hanlen’s other clients are enjoying solid seasons.
Still, something needs to change for Fultz because he can’t continue to be a punchline if his NBA career is going to last beyond a rookie contract.
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