Sixers point guard Markelle Fultz has been shelved indefinitely by a right shoulder soreness – a few weeks late, I might add – but it sounds like the rookie may have found a solution to his injury woes.
Just shoot the ball lefty instead!
Fultz was spotted taking left-handed shots at Sixers practice on Monday, and judging from this video taken by Kyle Neubeck for Philly Voice, it looks roughly as painful as when he shoots with his right. At least, it’s not any easier to watch, anyway.
I suppose the good news here is Fultz almost certainly is not preparing to make an early comeback as a lefty. Sixers coach Brett Brown downplayed the display, which he had not even seen, according to Paul Hudrick for NBC Sports.
"I haven't even seen it but I can tell you that there's nothing to read into it," Brown said.
Take a deep breath. This does not appear to be another excuse to force Fultz on to the floor before he is healthy and ready.
NBA
More likely, Fultz’s left-hand stroke is simply the result of his horsing around. He’s a 19-year-old kid who’s stuck in a gym, but isn’t allowed to play basketball right now. Of course he’s going to work on his trick shots.
That’s not likely to stop people who think Fultz should be on permanent bedrest from freaking out. He was the No. 1 overall choice in the NBA draft, so naturally there is going to be some concern that the Sixers aren’t protecting their investment.
But as long as Fultz isn’t doing anything that can damage his injured shoulder, I don’t see what the big deal is. Who knows, developing the ability to score with his left might even pay off somewhere down the road.