We finally know what Markelle Fultz’s injury is — and it’s not good.
Markelle Fultz’s injury is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, or TOS. What is that?
TOS is more prevalent in the MLB, especially among pitchers. It’s another fold in the Fultz saga.
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Fultz has not been able to properly shoot a basketball since the 76ers traded up to select him No. 1 overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, and his agent Raymond Brothers announced the 76ers’ guard has been diagnosed with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS).
Brothers described it as a physical injury that “affects nerves between the neck and shoulder resulting in abnormal functional movement and range of motion, thus severely limiting Markelle’s ability to shoot a basketball. TOS is treatable by physical therapy.”
What Markelle was like before all this
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
It’s easy to forget that Fultz was ticketed for stardom before the mysterious deterioration of his jump shot. Here are five pieces that will remind you:
- Dec. 8, 2015: How Markelle Fultz went from JV to a high-school superstar
- June 27, 2016: Markelle Fultz has NBA scouts giddy after destroying U18 FIBA Americas
- Jan. 4, 2017: Markelle Fultz has mastered the art of the chasedown block
- June 21, 2017: Markelle Fultz shows you don’t have to win in college to go No. 1
- June 22, 2017: Markelle Fultz completes the 76ers’ New Big 3
Fultz is out indefinitely, but Wojnarowski is reporting an approximate three-to-six-week timetable depending on “success of rehab to ease symptoms and pain tolerance.”
According to MayoClinic, common causes of TOS include “physical trauma from a car accident and repetitive injuries from job- or sports-related activities.” Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson reported Fultz was in a motorcycle accident years ago, which may have been the cause of his condition. Brothers vehemently denied any motorcycle accident ever occurred, through Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck.
TOS is more prevalent among MLB players, especially pitchers. Matt Harvey was an All-Star pitcher in 2013 who suffered from TOS seasons later. He opted for season-ending surgery in July 2016 and had a rib removed to alleviate pressure on his nerve. “My shoulder’s dead, my arm’s dead, and there’s no energy there, I couldn’t feel the ball,” he told reporters then.
Former Knicks and Raptors wing Landry Fields had a similar and unfortunate situation, injuring the ulnar nerve in his shooting elbow. His career ended shortly after. Fields described his inability to shoot the basketball in an interview with local Toronto media. His issues sound a lot like those Fultz appears to be struggling with:
The diagnosis is devastating for Fultz who was a lights-out scorer and shooter in college. He averaged 23.2 points on 41.3 percent shooting from three in his lone season at Washington. Fultz has been unable to find that range from distance in the NBA, only attempting and missing one three-pointer in 14 games as a rookie and shooting just 4-of-14 from deep this season.
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