Promising guard Markelle Fultz suffers season-ending ACL tear

Markelle Fultz’s tragic start to a promising NBA career continues after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee during the Orlando Magic’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, January 6 (Thursday, January 7, Manila time).

The 21-year-old guard suffered the tear during a routine drive with 7:35 to go in the 1st quarter as the Magic were down 3-11 prior to an eventual 105-94 win.

The former 2017 first overall pick had to be helped off the court as rookie Cole Anthony took over ball-handling duties for the rest of the game.

Fultz seemed headed for a long-awaited breakout year after signing a three-year, $50 million extension with the Magic last December 22.

In 7 games prior to the injury, the 6-foot-4 combo guard posted career-best averages of 14.3 points and 6.1 assists in 30.1 minutes per game.

Fultz already got off to a rough start in his first two years with the Philadelphia 76ers after he only suited up for 33 of a possible 164 games with the team due to a lingering shoulder issue that greatly affected his shooting mechanics.

With Ben Simmons taking over as the Sixers’ point guard, Fultz was then traded in 2019 to the Magic, where he finally got a consistent role, and gained the team’s confidence in the process.

The Magic now have two young stars out of commission due to left ACL tears, namely Fultz and Jonathan Isaac, whom they signed to a four-year, $80 million extension also last December 22. – Rappler.com