With the way the Sixers have played lately, the need for a crafty guard who can space the floor, dribble, and shoot has never been more glaring. The Sixers' solution seems to be sitting courtside every night, bright-eyed and baby-faced.
The 2017 No. 1 overall draft selection, Markelle Fultz, who played in the first four games of the season, has not been on the court since Oct. 23 because of a scapular muscle imbalance in his right shoulder. The injury was even more perplexing because it seemed to be the reason that Fultz's shooting form went from smooth and fluid to resembling a toddler trying to shot-put.
On Dec. 9, after months of uncertainty, the Sixers released a statement saying that Fultz's shoulder issues were resolved and that he would be ramping up his on-court activity to ready himself for a return (date TBD). Re-evaluation was slated for three weeks from that date, which means an update should be coming soon.
So when Fultz finally starts playing with the Sixers, what should be expected of him? What does history say about No. 1 picks who have started their careers on the bench?
We can't know for certain what will happen when Fultz becomes a mainstay in the Sixers rotation, but we can definitely look back and hope that the past sheds some light on what's to come.
