Jul 8, 2017; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz (7) puts up a layup against the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Thomas & Mack Arena. Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Philadelphia 76ers rookie Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 overall pick in last month’s draft, is not expected to play for the rest of the NBA Summer League due to an ankle sprain suffered Saturday night in Las Vegas, according to reports Sunday.
Fultz was helped off the court after rolling his left ankle in a game against the Golden State Warriors.
Fultz, who recorded eight points in 15 minutes in Philadelphia’s 95-93 win, landed on Warriors guard Jabari Brown’s heel after he jumped while attempting to block Brown’s drive.
Fultz was well enough to walk around after the game and the injury is not as serious as initially thought, a source told ESPN’s Marc J. Spears on Sunday.
“I’m ok, thank you for all who were worried!” Fultz tweeted Sunday.
Earlier Saturday, Fultz signed a contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he is slated to make $5.8 million next season and likely will get 20 percent more, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound Fultz averaged team highs of 23.2 points and 5.9 assists to go along with 5.7 rebounds during his one season with the University of Washington. He was a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, which has been presented annually to the outstanding college basketball player of the year.
Fultz wasn’t the only 76ers player injured in Saturday’s game as second-year guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot suffered an upper lip laceration that required stitches.
“Can’t feel great, a guy going down, actually two players going down on the same play,” Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne during the telecast. “Again, based on the initial diagnosis, you rather hear that than something worse.”
The Sixers have dealt with significant injuries to top draft picks in recent years. Joel Embiid, the third pick in the 2014 draft, missed his first two seasons and played in just 31 games last season. Last year’s No. 1 pick, Ben Simmons, missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury.
“Oh no no no.. don’t do this to us,” Embiid wrote on Twitter shortly after Fultz was helped off the court.
