NBA's Timberwolves single CJ Fulton out for Summer League praise
IMPRESSING: Ireland's CJ Fulton
The Minnesota Timberwolves have gathered for a mini training camp ahead of the NBA Summer League, which kicks off this Thursday in Las Vegas.
All Irish eyes are on CJ Fulton, who is rubbing shoulders with top NBA draft picks and current NBA squad members as part of the Timberwolves’ 15-man roster.
The dream of seeing an Irish-born and Irish-developed player actually reach the NBA seemed almost impossible just a month ago. However, growing interest in Fulton has forced many to reconsider what might now be possible for Ireland’s brightest basketball prospect.
Impressive pre-draft workouts led Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly to name-drop Fulton after the NBA Draft as a player he was keen to sign for their Summer League squad.
That initial excitement has only continued to grow as the Summer League approaches. After the first day of Timberwolves practice, Assistant Coach Kevin Hanson - who is coaching the Summer League squad - identified Fulton as the standout performer from Day 1.
CJ’s ability to run a team and get the ball into the hands of higher-profile teammates is what earned him this opportunity, and that approach clearly made an impression on the coaching staff as they prepare for Vegas. Hanson went as far as saying Fulton reminded him of Indiana Pacer TJ McConnell who recently played a major role in the NBA Finals.
However, Hanson did note a reluctance on Fulton’s part (compared to McConnell) to aggressively seek out his own offence - an observation echoed by Timberwolves analysts, who have raised questions about his ability to score at the highest level given that he only average single digits at the NCAA level.
Still, CJ knows how to run a team, a skill set the Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch is known to covet. For the first time in his life, Fulton is set to be surrounded by NBA-level talent now too, which will only help him thrive. If he can hold his own defensively and continue to thrive in his role, making those around him better, then what once seemed impossible might now be considered a long shot... or perhaps even more.