Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz suffered a torn ACL at the end of the season in Wednesday night’s 105-94 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Magic announced.
Less than five minutes into the game, a Fultz rookie was cut by Cavs rookie Isaac Okoro, and Fultz’s left knee bent without contact.
Fultz, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, writhed in pain on the floor for several minutes before helping him get into a wheelchair.
Fultz posted a tweet Wednesday later, writing in part, “God has a plan for me and I know this adversity will only make me stronger in the end.”
“I believe in my brothers on this team and we have a lot more to prove,” Fultz wrote in his tweet. “To all the fans. Keep riding with us. I will approach this recovery with all my heart and I will be the best teammate I can be of this organization. True to routine.”
Fultz signed a three-year, $ 50 million extension last month and finally showed promise that made him the No. 1 overall pick as he led the Magic to a quick start this season. He averaged 14.3 points in the race, along with 3.6 rebounds and 6.1 assists in seven games.
Fultz was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as part of his long reconstruction, but struggled for years with a hard-to-diagnose shoulder injury that was eventually determined as thoracic discharge syndrome, a nerve disease that affected the sensation in the arm and hand. In February 2019 they changed it to Magic.
“It’s a huge blow for us,” said center midfielder Nikola Vucevic, whose team will also be without striker Jonathan Isaac this season due to an ACL tear. “Unfortunately for [Fultz] this is really sad, because for two years he had a shoulder injury, and last year he finally got to play and this year was supposed to be a big year for him. He was ready and the season started awesome. This really sucks for a guy like him who has worked his way back. It is difficult to see and feel for man. “
Terrence Ross, who scored 20 points from the bench to lead the Magic, expressed confidence that Fultz would recover from his injury.
“If anyone can do it, it’s‘ Kelle, ’” Ross said. “He has the heart of a lion. He is super talented. It is always positive. I know he will be able to face it, and we all turned our backs on him and we will be here for him.
“You don’t like to see that, especially for a guy who had already fought so many things and came back and was playing ball. Now that. It’s one of those things that will make him stronger, and he’ll come back from that. “I definitely have.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.