The next chapter in the story of Markelle Fultz begins this June when the Draft lottery arrives. Recently, Fultz was interviewed by Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp profiling his life, love of basketball and some lofty goals he has for himself.
His mother Ebony has been behind him every step of the way ever since he was a young boy. She said that “Markelle should’ve been born in the 70’s” due to him going outside all day long, every day. He would play basketball from morning until sunrise. He has also received much support from his sister Shauntese and his trainer Keith Williams. Williams first met Markelle when he was only six years old and now he refers to himself as his “trainer, mentor, uncle, and sometimes Dad-figure.” Ebony and Shauntese will also be moving to the city Markelle gets drafted to.
Whoever drafts @MarkelleF will be getting one ambitious rookie: 'I'm trying to be the MVP next year' pic.twitter.com/4uRkS0Sqx5
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 19, 2017
When asked bout Lonzo Ball’s comments on being the better player, Markelle simply laughed it off and said: “Any competitor will tell you they’re the better player.” He is embracing the rivalry.
Fultz attending Washington, a school that never made the NCAA tournament and was 3,000 miles away from him always seemed rather odd. Raphael Chillious, Washington’s associate head coach was on a trip back to his hometown in Maryland when he arrived in Dematha and watched Fultz play a JV high school game. After being amazed, Chillious called back Lorenzo Romar on the west coast and said,
“I just watched a JV player who had NBA All-Star potential if he grew a few inches.”
Markelle Fultz intends to be the No. 1 overall draft pick and said he can play along with any conclusions you want to draw.
“I like doing everything under the radar,” he says. “I don’t like making a scene. As far as being cocky, I never want to put anybody below me. I’ve been at the bottom. I know what it feels like to work hard, and when somebody else tries to showboat, it just makes me want to work harder.”
