Markelle Fultz Expected To Fully Participate In Camp

The Magic will begin their training camp next Tuesday, and point guard Markelle Fultz is expected to be a full participant, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said today, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Fultz, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, last played in an NBA game in November 2018 and hasn’t suited up for a single game for the Magic since being acquired by the team at last season’s deadline. While Fultz is hesitant to say that his health issues – diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome – are completely healed, he has recovered to the point where he shouldn’t face any restrictions in camp, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

While Fultz is healthy enough to participate in training camp, it’s not clear whether he’ll suit up for Orlando’s preseason games or if he’ll be able to play regular minutes to start the season. That may depend on how he looks in camp.

“We’re going to remain patient,” Weltman said, per Reynolds. “We’re not going to put expectations or timelines on his development. He hasn’t played basketball in a year. He’s played 33 games total in his career. So it’s going to unfold the way it unfolds.”

[RELATED: Magic exercise 2020/21 option on Markelle Fultz]

As Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel relays (via Twitter), Fultz couldn’t point to a specific point when he felt as if he was back to normal, but he kept seeing more shots go on with less pain as he shot them, which was a turning point. With his game coming back, the 21-year-old is confident that he can make an impact on the court for the Magic.

“I was the No. 1 pick for a reason,” Fultz said today, according to Reynolds. “I knew that I work hard and what I can do on the basketball court. That’s all that matters.”

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