Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer broke news on Tuesday that #1 pick hopeful Markelle Fultz plans to workout only for the Boston Celtics.
Fultz arrived in Boston for his first ever visit to the city on Monday and had a workout/physical planned for the day after. These latest developments show that Fultz truly does want to lead the future of the franchise.
The Washington guard was spotted with Celtics President of Basketball Operations Dany Ainge on Monday while going out for lunch in the city.
@stoolpresidente @FelgerAndMazz @StoolGreenie caught @MarkelleF lookin at the next 10 banners. Put my life on Fultz at the 1. pic.twitter.com/I2thYcZmoy
— Jeremy Rubin (@JeremyRubin10) June 6, 2017
This isn’t the first time this move has been used heading into the NBA Draft. Last month, it was reported that UCLA guard Lonzo Ball was only planning on working out for the Los Angeles Lakers. Players are welcome to visit who the want and decline invitations from others, but that all comes with the assurance that the team they do visit will draft them. Just last week, rumors and news began to spread that Magic Johnson and the Lakers may not wind up taking Ball with the #2 pick.
Fultz has already made it clear his interest in being drafted by Boston, and there is nothing wrong with that. The only problem is that enthusiasm alone is not a sound basis for a team to draft a player. Fultz is young and it would appear he has his mind made up, but it may be wise to keep that mind open to other possibilities. Nothing is set in stone until the Commissioner Silver reads the first name come draft night.
There are no guarantees on what Boston will do with their pick. They don’t have to make that call until the day of the draft, and nobody should expect the organization to make any sort of announcement weeks before they need to.
This post will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
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