Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Magic Postseason Profile: Markelle Fultz Gaining More Confidence in Orlando
ORLANDO - Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz' NBA journey has been strange to say the least.
Averaging 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists in his lone collegiate season for Washington, Fultz entered the league with immense expectations after being selected No. 1 overall in 2017 by the Philadelphia 76ers.
But after suiting up in just 33 games over his first two career seasons in Philadelphia due to thoracic outlet syndrome, some considered the highly touted two-way guard to be the "biggest bust in NBA history."
A trade to Orlando in February of 2019 not only allowed Fultz to receive a new start, but also a regained sense of confidence for the former No. 1 pick.
"His ceiling is exceptionally high," Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said following the 2019 deal. "I think he’s a 20-year-old player with tremendous potential and I feel confident in saying the league looks at him that way, not just us.’’
And while Fultz has dealt with various other injuries over the past few years in Orlando, including a torn ACL in 2020 and fractured toe at the beginning of this season, the floor general's 2022 campaign proved to be the most productive of his career.
"I've done a great job of taking care of my body throughout this whole season," Fultz said. "Maintaining my shoulder and knee and everything, so my body feels amazing and I feel really good. I think that as the season went along, that's all you guys continued to see, is a young man who felt more and more comfortable, confident swagger, belief and hunger."
After missing the first 21 games of this season, Fultz went on to start 60 of the next 61 games while averaging career-highs in points (14.0), assists (5.7), steals (1.5), field goal percentage (51.4) and three-point percentage (31.0).
Despite the three-point percentage still being far from league average of 35.7 percent among point guards this season, the confidence to let it fly really began showing towards the end of the year.
"Just the will of me going out there and shooting it," Fultz said. "That's something I worked on this summer and knocked down plenty of those shots and felt very comfortable shooting those shots.
"It's a habit thing, it's not like I don't want to shoot threes or I'm not capable. It's more so my habits are getting into the paint, getting to the mid-range."
As the season progressed, not only did Fultz gain more confidence from beyond the arc but also the ability to attack the basket.
After recording 35 dunks over his first five career seasons, the point guard registered a career-high 30 this past year - including multiple highlight reel moments.
"The windmill and the reverse I just had was probably the best I've felt in a long time as far as just jumping and feeling I surprised myself," Fultz said. "Not in the sense that I didn't know I could jump that high, but how effortless it was and how free I just felt moving."
Fultz enters next season in the final year of his three-year, $50 million contract but could be in line for an extension this summer.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Magic? Click Here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want even more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.
