Kentucky doctor working to get NBA’s top draft pick back on court

Markelle Fultz, the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, was examined Sunday by Dr. Ben Kibler, the medical director of the Shoulder Center of Kentucky at the Lexington Clinic, according to a report by ESPN.com.

The 6-foot-4 point guard out of Washington will miss another two to three weeks as he recovers from soreness and scapular muscle imbalance in his right shoulder, the Philadelphia 76ers said Monday.

Kibler, a specialist in sports medicine whose patients have included several prominent professional athletes, serves as a medical consultant for the Women’s Tennis Association Tour. He has also worked extensively with the Lexington Legends baseball team. In both situations, Kibler is valued for his expertise with shoulder injuries. Kibler was an All-Southeastern Conference outfielder as a player at Vanderbilt University.

Fultz has played only four games this season. The team shut down Fultz on Oct. 29 to give the injury time to heal. The Sixers said Fultz’s return to action will be determined by how the shoulder responds to progressive basketball training and practices in the interim.

Fultz, a 19-year-old picked over the likes of UCLA’s Lonzo Ball and Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox was shooting 33 percent from the field, 50 percent from the free-throw line and had not attempted a three-point shot yet this season. His shooting woes have been underscored by an altered shooting motion that has made some wonder whether the shooting tweak led to the shoulder injury or the shoulder injury forced him to change his shot, the ESPN report said.

Fultz will continue with physiotherapy and begin progressing toward full basketball activities, the team said. He’ll be re-evaluated in about two to three weeks.

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 6:23 PM with the headline "Kentucky doctor working to get NBA’s top draft pick back on court."