FILE – In this Wednesday, July 5, 2017, file photo, Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz (7) drives around Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum during the first half of an NBA summer league basketball game in Salt Lake City. Fultz needed to be helped off the court with an injury to his left ankle in the 76ers’ summer league game Saturday, July 8, against Golden State. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
LAS VEGAS — No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz will miss the rest of the NBA summer league because of a sprained left ankle.
The Philadelphia 76ers say Fultz is expected to return to basketball activities in one to two weeks. Fultz tweeted Sunday : “I’m ok, thank you for all who where worried!”
Fultz appeared to roll his ankle in Saturday night’s game and was helped to the locker room by two teammates.
He had just signed his contract earlier in the day and was taken for X-rays. The former Washington star had eight points in 15 minutes.
It was the last thing the Sixers wanted to see just when they appeared ready to put years of misery behind them. They have dealt with significant injuries to center Joel Embiid and last year’s No. 1 pick, Ben Simmons, over the last three years.
The 76ers pulled off a trade with Boston before the draft to move up from No. 3 to No. 1 to take Fultz, the dynamic scoring point guard that team president Bryan Colangelo felt was the perfect piece to put with Simmons and Embiid.a