The Whiteboard: Markelle Fultz and his unceremonious fall from grace

The 2017 NBA Draft was absolutely loaded with talent. Several All-Stars and even MVP candidates emerged from that rookie class, including Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Lauri Markkanen, De'Aaron Fox, and Bam Adebayo, among others. Really, the list keeps going. Jarrett Allen, OG Anunoby, and Derrick White all got paid this summer. All were first-round picks one of the best drafts in recent memory.

It's easy to get caught up in megawatt star-power listed above and forget about the No. 1 overall pick from that draft — the teenaged Washington Huskies point guard who was supposed to trump them all. Even in a talented prospect pool, there was never much debate about who deserved the honor of No. 1. It was perfectly cut and dry. So much so that we saw the Philadelphia 76ers move heaven and earth to acquire the No. 1 pick via trade with the Boston Celtics.

Of course, this mystery No. 1 pick was Markelle Fultz. There has not been a stranger story to hammer the basketball world this decade. Once the gem of an entire rookie class, Fultz quickly fell out of favor in Philadelphia and found himself scrapping for his NBA life. Now, as training camp begins around the league in 2024, Fultz is without a contract in the NBA or elsewhere.

That begs the question ... how did we get here, and what does the future hold?

Markelle Fultz deserves one more shot at NBA glory

Fultz's downfall is one of the great basketball mysteries of our time. We have a semi-formed understanding of what happened, but we can never know with absolute certainty. The point guard has (understandably) dodged questions about the deterioration of his jump shot over the years. But what happened is pretty simple. The No. 1 overall pick in the draft forgot how to shoot.

At just 19 years old, Fultz was drawing comparisons to James Harden and Gilbert Arenas for his unique combination of size, body control, and pull-up shooting ability on the perimeter. Listed 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Fultz's ability to mix speeds and directions was uncanny. He practically phased through space and time, nixing defenders with gorgeously executed dribble moves that melded art and sport the way only the very best players can.

Sometimes a failed prospect gets hit with the 'well, in hindsight...' argument. There is often some telltale sign we missed. A glaring red flag that got lost in the sea of green. That is just not the case with Fultz. The list of prospects better than him in the past decade can be counted on a single hand. He was that dude. Fultz did not fail because of something we missed during his brief tenure at Washington. He, again, quite literally forgot how to shoot. There was no way to see it coming.

The blame can be tossed around, from his longtime trainer to a wonky shoulder ailment every Philadelphia fan is now intimately familiar with (thoracic outlet syndrome, look it up), but it's mainly just bad luck. Plenty of prospects don't shoot as well as expected at the NBA level, but Fultz's mechanics completely fell apart. He went from a gorgeous, high-release point with a beautiful arc and rhythm to a chest-level push shot within a few months. It was the sort of catastrophe reserved for the special place in basketball purgatory currently occupied by the 76ers of Philadelphia.

Fultz spent the first few years of his NBA career in and out of the lineup, often struggling to get healthy. He appeared in a combined 35 games across two seasons in Philly before a trade sent him to the Orlando Magic, where he was embraced with open arms. Fultz's exit from Philadelphia was not as negative as certain folks would have you believe — he wasn't booed on his way to the airport, as the common narratives around Philly fans might have you believe. Fultz was actually the subject of intense support and optimism from Sixers fans. It was more a sad realization than a combustive falling out. It became clear, with time, that Fultz was just not aligned with Philadelphia's win-now timeline, nor could a non-shooting guard find true success next to Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

In Orlando, Fultz was given a fresh start and, eventually, a nice second contract. He appeared in 21 games across his first two years with the Magic, but appeared in 60 games (all starts) in his fifth NBA season. Everything was looking up for Fultz. All of a sudden, he was in a stable role with a team that valued and necessitated his services.

Fultz averaged 14.0 points and 5.7 assists on 56.4 percent true shooting in 29.6 minutes that season. Perhaps not elite, but Fultz was clearly an NBA-level player — even a full-time starter. So, naturally, last season saw Fultz ravaged by injuries, limited to 18 games at less than 100 percent. It all came crashing down and here we are, with not a single team brave enough to ink the 26-year-old to a new contract.

On the surface, I understand completely why Fultz is currently without a home in the NBA. He's a non-shooting point guard coming off an injury-plagued season with terrible efficiency metrics. Fultz can defend, but he's not an elite on-ball stopper. His value is rooted primarily in offense and it's more than fair to be skeptical of how Fultz's offensive profile fits within your team's ecosystem.

That said, we may be writing off the former No. 1 pick too soon. It's past time to adjust expectations, but many of the traits that made Fultz a generational prospect — his length, dexterity, finishing touch, and playmaking vision — are still intact. The way he can knife through a defense, pressure the rim, and fire passes out of the pick-and-roll is all reminiscent of the former college star who captured the hearts and imaginations of a country.

There is something there. As a 15th man on a minimum contract, there are worse ways to burn your cap space.

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NBA news roundup:

• Luka Doncic suffered a calf strain while working out in the leadup to the Dallas Mavericks training camp. He is expected to miss at least a week, so hopefully this isn't something that impacts the 25-year-old's availability for opening night. That said, it's the sort of early setback you'd like to avoid in a cutthroat Western Conference.

• Steve Kerr told reporters that he has four open spots in the starting lineup around Stephen Curry. That reads most plainly as a challenge to Draymond Green — and an understanding that, without Klay Thompson, this new-look Warriors squad will put forth the best lineup to win, unburdened by sentiment or faux concepts of merit.

• Zach LaVine addressed his long and tumultuous summer at Chicago Bulls media day. He appears ready to contribute for as long as he's in a Bulls uniform. According to Joe Crowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, however, the front office continues to "actively" explore trades. It's a matter of when, not if.

Get ready for another Tyrese Maxey leap...

One would not typically conflate the word "dependable" with the Philadelphia 76ers, but Tyrese Maxey has been exactly that since his arrival back in 2020. He gets better every single season, without fail, living up to the mythical status of his work ethic. Maxey camp into training camp absolutely jacked, looking far stronger than a season ago. He also appears to be taking a step forward as a leader, both on and off the court.

"He's just more assertive, man," Kelly Oubre Jr. told reporters from Sixers training camp in the Bahamas. "I think he's obviously confident, he's come into his own and he's made a name in the league, which he tried to do last year. He's definitely a better leader than he was last year."

Maxey has been vocal and involved on both sides of the ball at camp, and it will be fascinating to see exactly how his game conforms to Philadelphia's new setup. Joel Embiid and Paul George take up plenty of offensive airspace, but Maxey is expected to set the table as Philadelphia's nominal point guard. With George aging and Embiid yet to reach the postseason at 100 percent health, there is certainly incentive to put more on Maxey's plate. In theory, the more he can handle in the regular season, the less burden his more fragile teammates are asked to carry.

Only time will tell how much better Maxey is than a season ago, but trust that we're in for another exciting display from the Kentucky product.