Former No. 1 draft pick Markelle Fultz joins Sacramento Kings feeling healthier than ever
Markelle Fultz seemed destined for greatness when he came out of Washington as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
Injuries have altered the course of Fultz’s career, but now the 26-year-old point guard has a clean bill of heath and a fresh start as the newest member of the Sacramento Kings.
“This is the best I’ve ever felt since being in the league,” Fultz told The Sacramento Bee. “I never had the opportunity to take my time and get healthy, so being able to do that last summer has been great for me. I’m super excited for this opportunity and I’m thankful for it.”
Fultz joined the Kings in New Orleans on Thursday less than 24 hours after signing with Sacramento. He was in uniform but did not play in a 140-133 overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.
CJ McCollum scored 43 points to help the Pelicans (13-42) snap a 10-game losing streak.
Zach LaVine had 32 points and 10 assists for the Kings (28-27). Domantas Sabonis posted his league-leading 49th double-double of the season with 22 points and 28 rebounds, tying the Sacramento-era franchise rebounding record he set earlier this season.
Before the game, interim Kings coach Doug Christie said he didn’t know if Fultz would play or not, but he was happy to have him on the team.
“I haven’t even got a chance to talk to him yet, so once we talk, we’ll see, but it’s just a blessing to have another really talented guy on the team,” Christie said. “I’ve always been a fan of his game. I watched him at (Washington) so I understand what he brings from that aspect.
“I need to see him, see where he’s at, how he’s feeling, all those things, but he is definitely a talent. That’s one thing that our league thrives upon is talent, and the more we have, I think the harder it gets on me, but that’s OK. We’ll figure that part out. I would rather have more than not enough.”
Fultz will have to prove he can be an effective shooter, but is a strong defender with good size and length at 6-foot-4 with a 6-9 ½ wingspan.
“That’s a big pickup for us,” Kings guard Malik Monk said. “He’s a long defender who’s been getting back on his game. He plays hard, knows how to pass, knows how to play, so he’ll be a big help for us.”
Fultz was a prolific scorer in college who averaged 23.2 points while shooting 47.6% from the field and 41.3% from 3-point range, but he has shot 27.4% from long distance as a pro while struggling to overcome a rare shoulder injury.
“He don’t give up,” Monk said. “That’s one of those guys that never gave up, and you can see that now. That’s why he got another team and another chance because he just keeps working.”
The Kings signed Fultz to improve their depth at point guard after sending De’Aaron Fox and Jordan McLaughlin to the San Antonio Spurs in the three-team trade that brought LaVine to Sacramento. While Monk has taken over as the team’s starting point guard and LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Sabonis can all initiate the offense, there isn’t another true point guard on the roster.
“I just want to come in and help the team any way I can,” Fultz said. “I saw that they just got rid of Fox and there’s an opening at the point guard position, but there are a lot of great players here. I’m really just trying to come in and help any way I can, just use my speed, athletic ability and playmaking ability to try to help this team.”
Fultz spent his first seven seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic, averaging 11.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 234 games. He had his best season with Orlando in 2022-23, averaging career highs of 14.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists over 60 games while shooting a career best 51.4% from the field.
Fultz’s career was nearly derailed by a severe shoulder injury that was diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome, which affects nerves between the neck and shoulder. The injury resulted in abnormal functional movement and range of motion, hindering his ability to shoot a basketball.
Fultz eventually recovered and scored 26 points in Orlando’s 120-113 win over the Washington Wizards on Dec. 27, 2020. Ten days later, he tore his left ACL in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
Fultz appeared in a total of 26 games over two seasons with Orlando from 2020-22. He was relatively healthy in 2022-23, but he was limited to 43 games in 2023-24 due to a right meniscus injury that required surgery over the summer.
“My knee was really bothering me, which ended up compensating and messing with my shoulder a little bit,” Fultz said. “Being able to take the summer to really rehab my knee and get my full body the way I wanted to get without having to rush anything was big for me. I’m glad I had an opportunity to do that and now I’m able to get back on the court.
Fultz said he has been training Monday through Friday in Los Angeles in recent months while preparing for his comeback. He drew interest from the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and other teams before reaching an agreement with the Kings following a private workout in front of assistant general manager Wes Wilcox and other members of the organization.
Fultz said he’s eager to show Kings fans how hard he has worked to overcome his injuries and rediscover his shooting ability.
“I know they have an extremely amazing fan base,” Fultz said. “Every time I played there, it’s very loud. They’re getting a guy who works extremely hard, that loves to play the game of basketball, and is finally healthy.
“I never had a chance to feel the way I feel now and shoot the ball the way I’m able to shoot now. Nobody’s ever seen it, but I think they’re going to be able to see it.”
Christie commended Fultz for his perseverance.
“I look at a lot of that as a blessing because you learn a lot about yourself,” Christie said. “You find your way in this league. This league eats up people and spits them out, so for him to still be here standing speaks a lot to who he is and what he’s about, so I’m excited to have in the locker room and part of this team.”
