Northern Irish basketball star earns pre-draft workout with NBA team
The 22-year-old guard, who currently plays for college side the Charleston Cougars, will take part in the event in a bid to impress the Timberwolves' coaches ahead of the NBA Draft, which begins on June 25.
Fulton, the son of former Ireland international Adrian, started his career with St Malachy's College and Belfast Star in Northern Ireland before securing a move Stateside in 2020, joining the Winchendon School in Boston.
A switch to Lafayette University followed after securing a basketball scholarship and he would then move on to Charleston, whom he featured for in college basketball's annual 'March Madness' tournament last year.
Now he will get a shot at standing out in front of an franchise that only just missed out on going to the NBA Finals this year, losing the Western Conference Finals for the second year in a row, beaten by the Oklahoma City Thunder after missing out to the Dallas Mavericks a year ago.
Were he to break into the NBA then Fulton would follow in the footsteps of Dublin's Pat Burke, who played for the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns in the early 2000s, while Susan Moran featured for the WNBA's New York Liberty in 2002.
Fulton could make history, however, as he would the first Irish-trained player to reach the NBA should be dress for a game at any point as Burke, while Dublin born, moved to Cleveland, Ohio when he was just three-years-old.
While he is not currently listed inside the top-100 expected draft picks, that does not mean the Belfast man could not forge a successful career for himself, with the likes of Artis Gilmore and Randy Smith (both 1971) having been drafted outside the top-100 and gone on to become All-Stars.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
15 minutes ago
- Leader Live
British and Irish Lions warn Australia must release players for tour fixtures
Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has allowed Western Force players Nick Champion De Crespigny, Dylan Pietsch, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain and Nic White to take part in Saturday's first match Down Under in Perth. However, all those from the Reds, Waratahs and Brumbies, including big names such as Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Rob Valetini, will not face the Lions until the Test series. Roll on Saturday 🦁 Game two, and our first on Australian soil: @westernforce in Perth 📍#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) June 23, 2025 Given Australia's lack of depth, Schmidt is keen to avoid picking up any injuries while their warm-up fixture against Fiji in Newcastle on July 6, which takes place the day after the tourists meet the Waratahs, is another obstacle. However, Lions chief executive Ben Calveley has reminded the hosts of the terms of the tour contract, knowing Andy Farrell's men want to play the toughest possible opposition to provide adequate preparation for the opening Test on July 19. 'We'll see a competitive fixture at the weekend and that's what we're looking for. We want to make sure our guys are battle-hardened when it comes to the Test series,' Calveley said. 'The agreement is very clear – it says that Test players have to be released to play in fixtures leading into that series. That is our expectation. 'We'll play the game at the weekend and will carry on having discussions with (Rugby Australia chief executive) Phil Waugh and will take it step by step. 'It's really important that these games are competitive. It's not just from a performance standpoint but it's also right for the fans, partners and broadcasters, who are all expecting competitive fixtures. That would be their expectation as well.' Calveley declined to reveal what action the Lions could take if Schmidt will not be budged from his current policy, but it is clear the tourists hold all the aces given the vast revenue they generate for hosting countries. A sold-out Aviva Stadium turned red for Friday night's send-off in a display of commercial power from the elite of British and Irish rugby, who continue to be a huge draw. Argentina won an entertaining but scrappy game 28-24 and given they are positioned three places higher than the Wallabies in the global ranking in fifth, they could be viewed as a more credible tour destination than Australia. There are also calls for France to be added to the current rotation that is completed by South Africa and New Zealand. For now, however, fixtures against other nations will be bolt-ons to existing destinations rather than stand-alone tours. 'There are different teams around the world that we might be interested in playing against in future. Traditionally that's been consigned to a pre-tour element – Dublin, Murrayfield – so we'll probably focus on that,' Calveley said. 'We're also interested when we go away on tour to see if we can bring in other countries like Japan and Fiji to feature in those games as we build up to the Test element. 'We're open and we're flexible, but right now there are no plans to change the rotation of the tour structure.' Calveley was speaking at a 'Welcome to Country' ceremony, a 20-minute First Nations cultural experience held in in Perth's Kings Park.
The Herald Scotland
19 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Braehead owners team up to boost 'trading synergy'
The partnership will align the marketing, management and leasing of Braehead Shopping Centre, Braehead Arena and XSite, with the owners and their advisors working to deliver a consistent approach to the customer experience across the estate. Reporting to a board comprising SGS, TDL and XPE, the asset management and operational team includes Pradera Lateral, Savills, BWP Group, Lunson Mitchenall, BGP, and Metis. Their aim is to expand the "natural trading synergy between adjacent ownerships" which currently generate £6.3 billion in annual retail and leisure spending. 'The scale and diversity of Braehead Ambition's offer means the destination is more relevant to more consumers more of the time," said Claire Barber, chief executive of SGS UK Retail. "The partnership will position Braehead as a lifestyle choice, creating even higher levels of loyalty and engagement that will drive the commercial performance of the individual assets, and the wider social and economic prosperity of the area.' SGS completed a "landmark" reorganisation of its finances in May of last year that allowed it to return to standard governance and management after falling into administration in June 2020. The group, previously known as Intu SGS, came under the control of its creditors after Intu collapsed into administration from the weight of its debts during the Covid pandemic. XSite experienced similar difficulties in the wake of the pandemic but has since recovered to welcome 2.1 million people through its doors in 2024. Earlier this year XPE announced that it will invest more than £12 million in the site which will include the opening of the world's longest indoor e-karting track and e-sports venue, K1 Speed, later this year. Barry Cox, non-executive director at XPE, said Braehead Ambition is a shared commitment to offer consumers a unique destination whose "total is greater even than the sum of the parts". "As consumers are becoming ever more discerning as to where and how they spend their time and money, bringing together the strength of our individual assets to create the strongest destination of scale in Glasgow makes total sense for our customers, our business partners, and for Renfrew," he added. Located within the shopping centre, Braehead Arena is a 5,200-seat multi-purpose events and sports venue that serves as the official home of the Glasgow Clan ice hockey team. The team and the management of the arena were taken over by Irish broadcasting company TDL in May 2023. Stephanie Weir named as new Edinburgh Airport Commercial chief (Image: NQ)
Glasgow Times
21 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Goodwood set to be next port of call for Merchant
The William Haggas-trained three-year-old continued his progression when quickening up stylishly to win the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot last week, giving owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing a fifth victory in the race. 'To win another King George V was really special. It's been an amazing race for us,' said Highclere's Harry Herbert. 'We've always loved that type of horse, but they are becoming more difficult to buy. We were over the moon to buy him as a Teofilo with Group One scope – he was so gorgeous William Haggas rang up asking to train him, which he's never done. Tom Marquand aboard Merchant after winning the King George V Stakes (John Walton/PA) 'He's still relatively inexperienced, he was sort of dossing on the outside going along very easily with his head not really in full throttle position, but one tap from Tom (Marquand) and he really quickened up impressively. 'He's a really exciting prospect, I would imagine he will go for the Gordon, that's the right sort of race, we'll take it one step at a time. The fact he was even entered in the King George tells you the regard William holds him in, but having spoken to him this morning I think we'll go a more regular route and probably head to Goodwood.' Highclere also went close at the big meeting with George Boughey's Awaken, who was runner-up to Venetian Sun in the Albany Stakes. 'Awaken is a very exciting filly, she's a scopey filly so everything is a bonus. It's gone from wondering if she'd get on the track this year to here were are having been second in an Albany,' said Herbert. 'I don't know where we'll go. We could just try to get her a win in a maiden or a novice or we may go for another Group race. 'If we do I think something like the Princess Margaret back at Ascot might suit her.'
