After ‘horrible’ season hampered by nerve damage, Sixers’ Furkan Korkmaz aims to return to form

Shortly after the All-Star break last February, Furkan Korkmaz began feeling weakness in his right shoulder, causing the power down his dominant arm to dwindle.

Then, the 76ers guard lost sensation in his fingers, making it difficult to identify the placement of the ball in his hand before he let it go.

“I’m a shooter,” Korkmaz told The Inquirer earlier this week. “Everything should be, like, perfect. When you lose sensation, it’s a different story.”

What was eventually diagnosed as nerve damage is what Korkmaz calls the primary culprit for a 2021-22 season he described as “horrible” and “terrible.” He shot a career-worst 28.9% from three-point range, including 23.7% on 2.4 attempts in 16 games after the break, and slipped out of the Sixers’ rotation.

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Based on the way last season unfolded, Korkmaz said was not offended by his team’s offseason moves to upgrade depth. But following a summer of rehab and a solid performance while playing for his native Turkey during EuroBasket, Korkmaz is eager to prove he can still contribute to a Sixers team with championship aspirations.

“I want to show the people again what I’m capable of,” Korkmaz said. “Because, at the end of the day, whatever you do, people remember the end [of the season].”

Solidifying a rotation spot could be an uphill climb for Korkmaz, who is part of a crowded guard and wing group behind starters James Harden and Tyrese Maxey. During Wednesday’s preseason victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, De’Anthony Melton, Danuel House, Shake Milton and Matisse Thybulle all entered the game before Korkmaz. That pecking order unfurled two nights after Korkmaz totaled 15 points and four assists Monday against the Nets, mixing crafty finishes at the basket with a 2-of-4 mark from deep during a third-quarter outburst when both teams had removed their starters.

Korkmaz cannot pinpoint a moment last season when the nerve damage occurred, but surmised it could have resulted from contact while playing more point guard when COVID-19 and injuries depleted the Sixers’ backcourt in January. Korkmaz said the medical staff initially struggled to diagnose his ailment because various tests came back negative. Maxey added earlier this week that he was unaware that there was anything physically wrong with Korkmaz last season.

Yet when Korkmaz got the ball, “instead of just shooting it, I was pressing it,” he said.

“That was hard,” Korkmaz said. " … We couldn’t tell what was going on, and then [I] just needed to play through it. I know something’s wrong, but I’m not a doctor.”

Korkmaz vaguely alluded to the issue during his final media appearance last spring, vowing to correct it. He began exercises to strengthen his back and shoulder, and to relax his neck. But he mostly needed to practice patience as it healed.

EuroBasket presented an opportunity for Korkmaz to “fall in love with basketball again,” he said. He felt more like himself during a home friendly against Slovenia because, as he said with a chuckle, “I was making the shot.” During Turkey’s five tournament games, he averaged 12.6 points per game on 40% shooting from the floor, and made 30.8% of his 5.2 three-point attempts per game.

“Shots that were not feeling right still were going in,” Korkmaz said. “That means I’m in a good direction in the process. I just need to keep it going.”

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Korkmaz said he is still rehabbing — and fixing some mechanics that got out of whack during last season’s struggles. Coach Doc Rivers said Korkmaz looked “fine” shooting the ball during training camp, and also commended the swingman’s ability to drive downhill and make plays.

With the help of the Sixers’ medical staff, Korkmaz believes he will be “super, super healthy very soon.” And he hopes that can help him crack an even more competitive rotation.

“If I can be myself, I know what I’m capable of and what I can do,” he said. “So I’m just going to try my best and then give the team whatever it takes to win a championship. I think I’m going to be a huge part of it.”