CJ Fulton: NBA Dream – Belfast to Minnesota Timberwolves

The Summer League, which takes place over the space of 11 days in Las Vegas in July, is an opportunity for Fulton to impress in front of the biggest names in the sport.

Fulton is aiming to become the third Irish-born player to earn the chance to compete at the highest level in the United States after Pat Burke and Susan Moran.

“It gives teams a chance to evaluate their group and make a decision on their roster going into the year,” added the Ireland international.

“It’s crazy to think about and I never thought I’d be in this position.

“We’ve a training camp in Minnesota for a few days and then we head out to Vegas as a team. I’ll try and learn as much as I can and embrace the opportunity.

“Hopefully I can give a good account of myself, but it will be really cool to see all the talent. There will be 30 teams there and celebrities – the whole deal, so I’m really excited.”

Fulton says “you never know what can happen” but feels he has options outside the NBA if the Timberwolves look elsewhere.

He says the G-League, the NBA’s team-affiliated development league, could be on the cards or he could return to Europe to forge a professional career – as was his initial plan before his NBA dreams sparked into life.

“The NBA would be unreal but we’ll see what happens.

“I never really thought it was in the picture for me. My goal coming out of college was to try and get to the highest levels of Europe.

“I didn’t think I would get this opportunity but now that I’m here I’ll try and make the most of it.

“It would be pretty big.”