NBA Draft Mistake #22: Philadelphia drafting Markelle Fultz over Jayson Tatum.
In 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers’ made the fateful decision to trade up to number one by dealing the number three pick and future pick to the Boston Celtics. It didn’t work out so well. The 76ers selected Markelle Fultz first, while the Celtics took Jayson Tatum, who went on to become a top-10 NBA player.
To the 76ers’ credit, Fultz was considered a great prospect at the time, certainly worthy of being number one after posting big numbers at Washington. Of course, Fultz couldn’t replicate those numbers in the NBA, especially after a shoulder injury permanently affected his once terrific jump shot. The 76ers later cut their losses and shipped Fultz to the Orlando Magic rather than pay to keep the underperforming and overpaid former number-one pick.
Fortunately for Fultz, he has played much better with the Magic, but unfortunately for the 76ers, they didn’t get the player that they thought they were getting. Worse yet, Tatum and the Celtics have been a thorn in the Sixers’ side since the trade, including eliminating them from the playoffs three times. Given how this situation played out, as well as the Ben Simmons and Jahlil Okafor fiascos, the “Process Sixers” really had some poor luck that continues to haunt them.