The Toronto Raptors organization made an interesting acquisition on Friday afternoon, picking up a player once considered a potential superstar before his career took a turn.
It was announced on Friday that the Raptors 905 of the NBA G-League have claimed former first-overall draft pick Markelle Fultz off waivers. The 27-year-old last appeared in the NBA during the 2024-25 season with the Sacramento Kings. In 21 games, he averaged 2.9 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 rebounds.
Welcome to the team, Markelle Fultz 🤝 pic.twitter.com/7jvN33MBsC
— Raptors 905 (@Raptors905) March 6, 2026
Though his career hasn’t panned out as hoped, Fultz was once a very prominent prospect. The 6-foot-4 guard was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017, with the expectation being that he would develop into a true superstar.
Things never panned out as hoped, as a shoulder condition suffered early in his career affected his ability to shoot.
Fultz wound up lasting just two seasons with the 76ers before being dealt to the Orlando Magic. He would go on to spend 201 games in a Magic uniform, including the 2022-23 season, which saw him average a career-high 14 points through 60 games.
To date, Fultz has appeared in 255 career NBA games, averaging 10.4 points and 4.8 assists.
Whether Fultz is able to resurrect his NBA career remains to be seen, but it’s clear the Raptors brass feels there is still some untapped potential. While he is never likely to reach the heights most expected on draft day in 2017, it will be interesting to monitor his play moving forward in the G-League.
Lead photo by
Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images