Markelle Fultz
A former number one overall draft pick whose career became a compelling saga of injury, adaptation, and perseverance in the face of immense early pressure.
Born 1998 (age 28)·American basketball player·Birthday: May 29·Generation Z
Biography
Markelle Fultz's story is one of basketball's most fascinating modern narratives, a tale of skyrocketing expectation and unforeseen adversity. At the University of Washington, he was a smooth, scoring guard with effortless athleticism, a consensus top prospect whose all-around game made him the obvious first pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The Philadelphia 76ers selected him as the final piece of their 'Process,' a dynamic backcourt partner for Ben Simmons. Then, mysteriously, his shot vanished. A combination of a shoulder injury and what was termed a neurological issue led to a well-documented and often-mocked shooting hitch. Traded to Orlando, Fultz began a long, quiet rehabilitation of both his body and his game. He reinvented himself as a defensive-minded, playmaking point guard, losing none of his explosive drives to the basket. While his career arc diverged sharply from the superstar path once predicted, his resilience in battling back to become a reliable NBA rotation player earned him a different kind of respect within the league.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Markelle was born in 1998, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Markelle Was Born
The biggest hits of 1998
#1 Movie
Saving Private Ryan
Best Picture
Shakespeare in Love
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Markelle's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1998Born
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2003Started school
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2011Became a teenager
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Could drive
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2016Could vote
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2019Turned 21
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 28 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA Draft.
- Recorded the 12th triple-double in Orlando Magic franchise history in January 2023.
- Averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game in the 2022-23 season with the Orlando Magic.
Did You Know?
In high school, he grew nearly five inches in one summer, transforming his game and recruitment profile.
He is the first player from the University of Washington to be selected first overall in the NBA draft.
He and his partner have a son named Markelle Jr., born in 2021.
“I'm just focused on getting better every single day.”
