CJ Fulton on NBA Summer call: 'I’m still almost in disbelief'
CJ Fulton with dad Adrian and grandad Danny.
On Friday, CJ Fulton made history as the only Irish-developed player to sign a contract for the NBA Summer League. He is the second Irish player to do so, following Pat Burke, who left Ireland aged three.
The Fulton family is steeped in Irish basketball. Grandad Danny Fulton coached the Irish senior men’s team. He has passed that baton to his son Adrian, who served as an assistant coach with CJ as he made his senior debut in 2021. And while he may be walking a well-worn path — CJ is carving out a legacy of his own.
A dynamic playmaker, recording over 500 career assists in college, he was ranked 14th in the nation last season averaging 6.5 assists per game. Fulton stretches the opposition’s defence with devastating accuracy from beyond the three-point line.
The 6'3 point guard is also regarded as the safest hands in college basketball, leading the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio across multiple spells of his college career.
CJ Fulton playing with Charleston Cougars
CJ Fulton playing with Charleston Cougars
While being chosen in the NBA draft seemed unlikely from the outset with only 60 players picked on the night, Fulton was invited to pre-draft workouts with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the 2023 Champions Denver Nuggets.
“I never thought I would be in this position and I’m still almost in disbelief myself," he said. "But I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
After a busy summer of NBA workouts, graduating from the College of Charleston, and training with fellow Irish international Neal Quinn in New Jersey, Fulton managed to squeeze in a trip back home, spending a few days with family, friends, and former Belfast Star teammates as the first step in his professional career began to unfold.
Tim Connelly when asked if he came into the draft thinking he was going to take two 18 year-old 7-footers:
"I was hoping to get like 14.4 feet combined. And I achieved that goal." pic.twitter.com/gGzhZdJbdM
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA)
Tim Connelly, the Timberwolves general manager, shared his aspirations to add Fulton to his Summer League roster in a media interview on Thursday evening and due to the time differences, CJ slept through the contract negotiations.
"I was kind of expecting an update from my agent after the second night of the draft to see if teams were showing any interest in me for Summer League.
"He texted me after midnight to say he was talking to the Timberwolves but it wasn’t until the next morning that I saw the interview with Tim Connelly.
"That was pretty cool. I was buzzing when I saw that."
The Summer League is a stepping stone towards an NBA contract as it gives undrafted players like CJ a chance to prove themselves on a bigger stage. He will suit up alongside the 17th overall pick in Joan Beringer and last year's 8th overall pick in Rob Dillingham.
With plenty of celebrities spotted courtside during the 11-day tournament every summer it becomes the focal point of the basketball world every July.
“I head back to Minnesota this week for a short training camp and then we travel to Vegas from there.”
The Timberwolves will travel to the Thomas & Mack Center and Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada. On July 10th they will face New Orleans at 2:30 CST (7:30 Irish time).
Their schedule also includes games against the Denver Nuggets on the 12th, the Detroit Pistons on July 15th, and the Phoenix Suns, Pat Burke’s former team, on the 16th, which will be available to watch on the ESPN app.
“It should be a really cool experience with a lot of top-level talent so hopefully I can give a good account of myself.
“I’m very grateful to the Timberwolves for the opportunity and for all the support I’ve received from back home."
With 450 jobs in the NBA, it’s uncertain whether CJ will sign a contract for the regular season; however, what is guaranteed is more scouts from the NBA's G League (development league) top-tier European clubs analyzing his game.
While the golden era of Irish basketball is regarded as the success of the domestic league during the 80s and 90s. Fulton is leading the charge in what looks to become our most significant era, as a wave of young stars put Ireland on the basketball world map. And we inch closer and closer to seeing an Irishman back in the NBA.
Austria F1 GP Auto Racing
Austria F1 GP Auto Racing