NBA: 76ers rookie Fultz out indefinitely

Markelle Fultz (right) with NBA commissioner Adam Silver (left) after being drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers during the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City.  (AFP FILE PHOTO)

Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz, the top pick in last June’s NBA draft, will be sidelined indefinitely with the right shoulder injury that has hindered him this season, the Sixers said on Sunday.

The 76ers said Fultz would be re-evaluated in three weeks.

Fultz was seen by several shoulder specialists, who found a scapular muscle imbalance in his right shoulder but no structural damage to the joint.

Fultz had already changed the mechanics of his free throw shooting in a bid to solve the problem.

But his play has suffered and he averaged just six points and 2.3 rebounds in four games, before missing Philadelphia’s last two.

He had averaged 23.3 points in his lone college season with the University of Washington.                                         /kga