CJ Fulton is looking to become just the second Irish-born player to play an NBA regular-season game. Fulton will get a chance to show what he can do this fall as the 23-year-old agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Lauren McCann of the BBC.
Irish Guard Wants To Make Most Of NBA Opportunity
Fulton went undrafted this past June out of the College of Charleston. But the 6-3 point guard, who worked out for Minnesota and Denver before the draft, joined the Timberwolves summer league squad and quickly made an impression. He is the first Irishman to play in the NBA Summer League.
“I was pretty impressed with the Irish CJ (Fulton),” Timberwolves Summer League coach Kevin Hanson said after Fulton played 17 minutes in a July 19 game. “I mean, he is a true point guard.”
Fulton finished the summer league action with two points, two assists, two steals, and four turnovers in 21 total minutes. He connected on 1 of 2 from the field. All of his production came against the Rockets.
“It was a great experience, seeing how players at that level operate and train, so it was really fun,” Fulton told BBC Sport NI’s Thomas Kane about his summer league experience. “It was a bit overwhelming at first. I had to adjust to a new normal, but now I’ve come through it and trained with them, I know I belong there.”
Who Is CJ Fulton?
Fulton grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland. While the Irish aren’t known for hoops, he does come from a basketball family. Fulton’s father is Adrian Fulton, who played professionally in Ireland and appeared in a few games for the Irish national team. His grandfather, Danny Fulton, coached the Irish national team and was inducted into the Irish basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Fulton decided to play college basketball in the United States. Fulton began his career in the Patriot League at Lafayette, where he immediately contributed. He was named to the 2021-22 All-Patriot League Freshman team and then was a third team all-conference selection as a sophomore.
After his sophomore season, Fulton transferred to the College of Charleston. Fulton played two seasons for the Cougars, earning 2024-25 All-CAA Third Team honors last season. He registered two double-doubles in his senior campaign and finished his collegiate career with an incredible 3.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Fulton possesses a high basketball IQ, outstanding court vision, and excellent ball handling. Fulton loves to push the pace and is an exceptional passer who is fantastic at getting downhill in pick-and-roll and dribble-handoff situations. While not a scorer, Fulton is a good 3-point shooter. He is also a smart defender with quick hands.
Fulton To Participate In Timberwolves Training Camp
According to McCann, Fulton will attend Minnesota’s training camp as a developmental player. Fulton is expected to stay with the Timberwolves throughout their six exhibition games and then join the G League’s Iowa Wolves. With Iowa, Fulton should be allowed to learn the pro game and continue to grow his game.
“I came back home after summer league, didn’t really know what the story was going to be,” Fulton told McCann. “But I was talking to the general director and agreed to sign a deal with them to go out there for a few weeks. Then I’ll be heading to Iowa, where the G League team is based. It’s a way of keeping me around the franchise and working my way up. It’s a great opportunity for me to go in, learn as much as I can, and enjoy it.”
“I thought I’d be coming back to Europe a few months ago and figure out what leagues I could play at in Europe,” he continued. “So I didn’t expect to be in this position, but now I am. I just want to make the most of it, and it’s the best position I could be in.”
Pat Burke is currently the only Irish-born player to appear in a regular-season game. The 6-11 center appeared in 127 career games over three seasons with Orlando and Phoenix.
Fulton and The Iowa Wolves
The Timberwolves have 13 players on standard contracts. It was reported a few weeks ago that Bones Hyland will be the 14th and final player signed to the 15-man roster. With Hyland’s addition, the Wolves will be slightly below the second apron.
Fulton is the second player to sign a training camp deal with Minnesota officially. On August 1, Dane Moore reported that Juzang had signed a training camp deal with the Wolves.
So, Juzang may join Fulton with Iowa. Additionally, the Wolves’ two-way players —Rocco Zikarsky, Tristen Newton, and Enrique Freeman — will likely see plenty of time in the G League.
Additionally, Iowa has recently acquired the rights to several returning players. Iowa acquired Zyon Pullin from Long Island and Jules Bernard from Canton. They also brought in Luke Avdolovic and Justin Smith from Austin.
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