Season-finishing torn left ACL, Orlando Magic’s Markelle Fultz endures

Orlando Magic watchman Markelle Fultz endured a season-finishing torn left ACL in Wednesday night’s 105-94 home success over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Magic declared.

Under five minutes into the game, a driving Fultz was cut off by Cavs new kid on the block Isaac Okoro, and Fultz’s left knee clasped without contact.

Fultz, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, squirmed miserably on the floor for a few minutes before he was helped into a wheelchair.

Fultz posted a tweet later Wednesday, writing partially, “God has a plan for me and I know that this adversity will only make me stronger in the end.”

“I believe in my brothers on this team and we have so much more to prove,” Fultz says. “To all the fans. keep riding with us. I’m going to approach this recovery with all my heart and be the best teammate I can be to this organization. Faithful to the grind.”

Fultz marked a three-year, $50 million expansion a month ago and was at last indicating the guarantee that made him a No. 1 generally pick as he drove the Magic to a fast beginning this season. He came in averaging a vocation best 14.3 focuses alongside 3.6 bounce back and 6.1 aids seven games.

Fultz was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as a component of their long revamp yet battled for quite a long time with a hard to-analyze shoulder injury eventually resolved to be thoracic source condition, a nerve affliction that influenced the inclination in his arm and hand. He was exchanged to the Magic in February 2019.

“It’s a huge blow for us,” said Magic center Nikola Vucevic, whose team also will be without standout forward Jonathan Isaac this season because of an ACL tear. “Unfortunately for Fultz this is really sad, because for two years he had the injury with his shoulder, then last year he finally got to play and this year it was supposed to be a big year for him. He was ready and he started the season out awesome. This really sucks for a guy like him who has worked his way back. It’s hard to see, and you feel for the guy.”

Terrence Ross, who scored 20 focuses off the seat to lead the Magic, communicated certainty that Fultz would ricochet back from his physical issue.

“If anybody can handle it, it’s ‘Kelle,” Ross said. “He got the heart of a lion. He’s super talented. He’s always positive. I know he will be able to handle this, and we all got his back and will be here for him.

“You hate to see this, especially for a guy who had already fought through so much and came back and was balling. Now this. It is one of those things that will make him stronger, and he will come back from this. I have no doubt.”