Markelle Fultz, the number one selection in last month’s NBA draft, signed a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team said Saturday.
The 76ers also confirmed the signings of free-agent guard J.J. Redick and forward Amir Johnson.
Financial terms of Fultz’s deal were not disclosed by the team, which pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics prior to the draft to allow Philadelphia to move up two spots to own the top pick for the second straight year.
“Markelle Fultz possesses elite basketball skills, instincts and talent which prompted us to move up to No. 1 and add him to our talented young core of players,” Philadelphia president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said.
“At only 19 years of age, the sky is the limit for Markelle and we could not be happier to have him join our Sixers family.”
Philadelphia selected Fultz out of the University of Washington.
The guard averaged team highs of 23.2 points and 5.9 assists to go along with 5.7 rebounds during his one season with the Huskies.
He was just the second NCAA freshman to average 23 points, five rebounds and five assists per game since 1992-93.
He joins a young squad that features Australian forward Ben Simmons, who was taken with the top pick by the 76ers last year but missed all of last season with a foot injury.
Just hours after announcing the deal, Fultz twisted his ankle and had to be helped off the court during Saturday night’s exhibition summer league contest against Golden State. The team said he suffered a sprained left ankle. –Ā Agence France-Presse
