A history of everyone failing to explain Markelle Fultz’s broken jump shot

We now know that Fultz has neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Markelle Fultz’s broken jump shot hit an all-time low when he double-clutched a free throw that — you guessed it — didn’t go in. The way he catapulted the ball off an extended pause resembled a player who grew 18 inches overnight and is just figuring out how to play basketball in a new body.

Fultz has taken a number of ugly shots since being taken No. 1 in the 2017 NBA Draft, but this is his worst try to date.

It was so bad that it sent social media into a spiral. HoopsHype’s Alex Kennedy reported within minutes of the abominable free throw that trainer Drew Hanlen and Fultz weren’t on speaking terms and were no longer working together. (Hanlen seemed to deny the report).

After the game, Fultz gave his own reason for the shot, saying, “I mean, the ball slipped out of my hand, so I had to do what I had to do,” according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “But I’m not really worried about it. I work on my game. The ball just happened to slip. That’s what happened.”

Hmm.

Two weeks later, Fultz’s camp ruled him out with a wrist injury and took him to see specialists. He was eventually diagnosed with a Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS), a nerve problem between the neck and the shoulder.

Going into his second NBA season, we’ve heard every reason on Earth for Fultz’s sudden inability to shoot a basketball. Here’s a recap.

Sept. 28, 2017: Coach Brett Brown blames Fultz’s new form for his struggles

The public first began to recognize Fultz’s miserable-looking shot on Sept. 27, 2017 as video made by ESPN’s Mike Schmitz stacked his new free throw form against the old.

That led to reporters questioning Brown the next day about what was up. We were all clueless back then.

“Markelle has made some personal adjustments to his shot since we last saw him in Vegas” Brown said, according to The Philly Voices’ Kyle Neubeck. “We’ve done stuff with him but really he’s been with his personal trainer over the month of August and since Summer League ended. He chose to look at some different things on his shot; heart’s in the right place, trying to improve. Slowly, we’re coming back into it and trying to recalibrate and get it back.”

(We’d later learn this trainer’s name was Keith Williams, Fultz’s family friend.)

Sept. 28, 2017: Fultz reveals he did try and change his form

“It was just something going on where I wanted to try something new,” Fultz said, according to Neubeck. “But my free throw’s going to look the same as college. I’m just trying to look at different ways to see how the ball can go in the hoop. This is a further three, so just [getting ready to] catch-and-shoot. You’ve got great people here — Ben, JJ, everybody — so you’ve got to be ready to catch-and-shoot whenever you’re open.”

We came away from this media session believing Fultz was fully healthy and just trying to perfect an already good-enough shot.

Oct., 2017: Keith Williams claims Fultz didn’t change his shot

“I can’t speak for [the Sixers],” Williams said on The Carlin and Reese Show, per Neubeck. “But he never changed his shot, I can assure you that … You can look at his stats, he was one of the best shooting freshman point guards ever in terms of shooting off the dribble and catch-and-shoot, and that’s what made him such a great pickup for Philly. That’s what they were looking for, so why would someone who shot so well change his shot?”

This set the table for an alternate Fultz narrative made wonkier by basketball’s most reliable reporter.

Oct. 24, 2017: Fultz’s agent says he can’t lift his arms to shoot, and had fluid drained

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Raymond Brothers, Fultz’s agent, said his client was playing through a serious injury.

“Markelle had a shoulder injury and fluid drained out of the back of his shoulder,” the report initially said, according to Liberty Ballers. “He literally cannot raise up his arms to shoot the basketball. He decided to try and fight through the pain to help the team. He has a great attitude. We are committed to finding a solution to get Markelle back to 100 percent.”

This answer finally provided some solutions ... or so we thought. It made sense that Fultz had been injured, and a procedure indicated that a fix was underway. Things made sense.

Until they didn’t.

Hours later on Oct. 24, 2017: Fultz’s agent recants, says he had a cortisone shot instead

“He had a cortisone shot on Oct. 5, which means fluid was put into his shoulder — not taken out,” Brothers told ESPN. “My intention earlier was to let people know that he’s been experiencing discomfort. We will continue to work with (Sixers general manager) Bryan Colangelo and the medical staff.”

At this point, Fultz had played in four games, rarely looking to shoot. A player who attempted five three-pointer per night in college hadn’t even considered taking one in the pros.

Oct. 29, 2017: Sixers rule Fultz out indefinitely with soreness and scapular muscle imbalance

This is straight from the NBA’s website:

The Philadelphia 76ers announced that rookie point guard Markelle Fultz will be out indefinitely with soreness and scapular muscle imbalance in his right shoulder.

Doctors confirmed that there is no structural impairment to the shoulder, and he will continue his physiotherapy treatment and will be reevaluated in three weeks.

The Sixers were finally ready to concede that this was more than a changed shooting form gone wrong. Medically, there’s something wrong, they say after watching 75 ugly minutes from their top pick.

Fultz won’t be seen on the court again until March.

Nov. 19, 2017: Sixers say Fultz’s soreness is improving

From the Sixers’ release:

Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz was examined and evaluated today by Dr. Ben Kibler, Medical Director of the Shoulder Center of Kentucky at the Lexington Clinic, for the soreness and scapular muscle imbalance that he has been experiencing in his right shoulder. The soreness is dissipating and the muscle balance is improving, and Fultz will continue with physiotherapy and begin progressing toward full basketball activities. Fultz will be re-evaluated in approximately two to three weeks. His return to gameplay will be determined by how the shoulder responds to progressive basketball training and practices in the interim.

OK, progress. But this is sounding like a serious injury now for him to miss so much time.

Yet despite that, Fultz continued to take practice shots in front of the media.

Dec. 9, 2017: Sixers say Fultz’s soreness and scapular imbalance are healed

From the team:

Fultz is no longer experiencing soreness in his right shoulder and the scapular muscle imbalance is resolved. He will continue ongoing physical therapy and maintenance, while participating in increased strength and conditioning training and elevated on-court basketball activities. The 76ers medical team, in coordination with Dr. Ben Kibler, will gauge his readiness in approximately three weeks.

Jan. 2, 2018: Sixers say Fultz is cleared

From the team:

Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz has been cleared to begin the final stage of his return-to-play program. The program consists of gradual re-integration into team practices and training, complemented with additional conditioning work to support fitness readiness for gameplay.

Feb. 6, 2018: Fultz talks with Caron Butler live on TNT, reveals he has to relearn basketball skills

Butler breaks news on live TV, saying Fultz isn’t suffering from a scapular muscle imbalance. Instead, it’s a dyskinesis, which has caused him to have to relearn basketball functions.

Butler: According to reports, you have a case of scapular dyskinesis from reports from doctors. Which means you have to relearn things from a functional standpoint. Tell em what you’ve been doing with that.

Fultz: It’s been tough but at the end of the day I know that it’s going to make me better. It’s been a long journey trying to relearn it. I’m going through it and I want to go back out there as quick as I can but it’s been a slow process.

Feb. 9, 2018: Then-GM Bryan Colangelo claims Fultz’s range is limited to the paint

“It’s within the paint basically,” Colangelo tells the media, according to Neubeck. “Paint shots, perimeter shots are kind of where you draw a line. But anything instinctive going to the hole, talk about shot creation and what he’s able to do just some of the rise ups, it’s nice to see.”

This was the last major update until Fultz returned to the floor on March 26. He’d finish the season averaging seven points on 40.5 percent shooting, taking and missing one three-pointer and shooting 47.6 percent from the free throw line.

Yikes.

Sept. 20, 2018: In an interview with Isaiah Thomas through The Players Tribune, Fultz claims he’s back

Fultz: There was a lot of things going on about changing shots, and all this and the third. But there was an injury there. For me, I’m a hooper, so I was like ‘Man this ain’t gonna stop me.’ So once I realized really I couldn’t do stuff to my full capacity I was like ‘It really is something.’ So I had to find out what it was, and we did that throughout the season. It took a long time and people couldn’t really understand it, thinking I was just being soft. But it was really an injury. Now I’ve gotten a chance to pick apart all of these doctors. We’ve figured it out. And I’ve been back to work this summer. Everything’s back to and even better than what it was.

Nov. 5, 2018: New trainer Drew Hanlen clams Fultz is still hurt

Hanlen spent the summer working with Fultz, and though the 20-year-old looked slightly better to start the season, he still didn’t look quite right.

Called out by another trainer online, Hanlen tweeted (and later deleted) a message saying “you don’t know his situation. He’s still not healthy.”

Nov. 6, 2018: Brett Brown and Fultz say he’s healthy, contradicting Hanlen

According to NBC Sports:

“Nobody’s ever 100 percent healthy,” said Brown. “To the best of my knowledge, he’s healthy enough to go do what he’s been doing. He’s been playing basketball and doing well. He’s fine. There’s no conspiracy theory out there.” Nobody’s 100 percent healthy. But he’s healthy to play basketball like JJ [Redick] is and Joel [Embiid] is.”

And from Fultz:

“Nobody’s ever 100 percent healthy in this game. You play five games in seven days, you get bumps and bruises. That’s life in the NBA, that’s what you sign up for when you get here. But I’m working every day to get better.”

Nov. 20, 2018: Fultz to see a shoulder specialist by request from his attorney

A day after playing only seven minutes, Fultz is going to see a doctor again.

Per The Athletics’ David Aldridge:

At the direction of his attorney, Raymond Brothers, @MarkelleF is scheduled to see a shoulder specialist early next week. Per Brothers, Fultz will not participate in team practices or games until after the the specialist has had a chance to evaluate him.

According to The Athletic, Fultz won’t participate in practices or game until then.

The never-ending saga of What’s Wrong With Markelle Fultz continues to go in circles, and we may never get a definitive answer about what happened to cause the consensus top prospect in a deep 2017 draft class to suddenly forget how to shoot.

It’s wild that a year later, we’re still asking if it’ll ever be fixed.

Nov. 21, 2018: Fultz has a wrist injury, too, and reportedly wants to be traded. Fultz’s agent denies the trade request.

Per the Athletic:

In addition to a previously diagnosed right shoulder injury that continues to impact him, Fultz has been playing with an apparent injury in his right wrist area that has adversely affected his ability to shoot, league sources told The Athletic. The potential issue has led to periodic difficulties holding on to the ball during his shot. Specialists have been working with Fultz to figure out how they can strengthen the wrist area to remedy the injury.

Sources with knowledge of Fultz’s thinking have also told The Athletic that the player would prefer a fresh start with a new team.

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

Raymond Brothers, the agent for Sixers guard Markelle Fultz, tells ESPN: “I have given no indication to Elton Brand or anyone else that Markelle would prefer to be traded. My focus is to get Markelle healthy. End of story.”

Dec. 3, 2018: Fultz ruled out due to a nerve issue

Via agent Raymond Brothers:

The 76ers confirmed the diagnosis.