The Markelle Fultz era for the Philadelphia 76ers will always be one remembered for missed opportunities. Fultz was the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA draft and there were a lot of expectations on him after the Sixers traded up with the Boston Celtics to grab him.
Fultz was expected to team up with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons and get the Sixers back towards contention. Instead, it was filled with a lot of injuries and drama as he played only 33 games due to a bizarre shoulder injury and he was traded to the Orlando Magic midway through his second season.
Fultz joined former NBA player Etan Thomas on “The Rematch with Etan Thomas” and he said this about Sixers fans and his time there as most believe that Fultz was hated in Philadelphia:
I didn’t feel like hate or anything. I felt love even from the fans. I think a lot of people get confused because they hear people in the media talking about how the fans treat me bad, but I never felt like the fans treated me bad. I felt like, they always showed love when I was in a game, they’re very supportive. They’re very happy. I got a standing ovation when I came back, you know, and I understand that Philly love. They die and breed their team so they’re gonna get on you when you’re doing bad, they’re gonna love you when you’re good and that’s kind of how my mom raised me, you know? Like, you’re gonna get that tough love of you need to do what you need to do and that’s like coming from the area of DMV, like, that’s all we breed so that never bothered me. I think a lot of people got confused with the media talking about ‘Oh the Philly fans do this, do that’, but I always felt love when I was there.
Fultz talking about Philly fans pic.twitter.com/H64EMFZA3w
— Real Hooper Pilled Trill (@TrillBroDude) November 26, 2021
It’s good to see Fultz come out and speak like this. Especially with the stigma surrounding the fan base of Philadelphia and the report that Simmons does not want to play in front of the fan base anymore. The people in this city are tough, but they will love any athlete that gives an honest effort.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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