CJ FULTON MADE Irish basketball history on Wednesday night as he became the first Irish-developed player to feature for an NBA franchise, coming off the bench for the Minnesota Timberwolves in their 89-85 Summer League victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Ireland international point guard Fulton checked in for just under four minutes in the first quarter, earning game-time among several other Minnesota rookies and development players in Las Vegas.

Belfast’s Fulton conceded one turnover but otherwise slotted in seamlessly as he broke new ground for a talent cultivated in Ireland, live on ESPN 2.

Speaking to media post-game, the 22-year-old Fulton said: “It was definitely a cool moment for me, checking into the game. Obviously proud to get here, proud of the achievement.

“Wish I could have contributed a little bit more, but it was definitely a cool moment, cool experience.”

Fulton’s family and some of his friends made the trip to Las Vegas, wielding Irish flags in the crowd as they celebrated his achieving a seminal moment in Irish basketball.

“It’s really special,” said former Belfast Star Fulton. “They’ve supported me the whole way and everyone’s buzzing back home as well, so it’s been great.

“Hopefully I can inspire a few players down the line, future players, just to keep working, and show them that reaching this stage is possible.”

The Summer Leagues are used by NBA franchises primarily to develop players further down their rosters, with the T-Wolves centering their efforts this year around Rob Dillingham, their eighth pick in last year’s draft. Dillingham, who has been guarded by Fulton in team practice in recent days, scored a game-high 23 points against the Suns.

Minnesota’s Summer League coach Kevin Hanson praised Fulton’s efforts throughout training camp, expressing some regret that the Belfast native was dropped in the deep end on Wednesday night having not featured in his side’s opening three games.

“Yeah, he was awesome in camp,” Hanson said. “I feel bad because, basically, he did not play the first three games, and it’s pretty hard to have any rhythm or feel for the team at that point.

“We’ve had one practice since we’ve been here, so I felt bad throwing him in there in that kind of circumstance, but it was good to put him in. He earned it, he was awesome in camp.”

Fulton became only the second ever Irish-born player to feature for an NBA team after Pat Burke, who played for the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns in the 2000s after moving to the States when he was three. Susan Moran remains the only Irish player to have featured in the WNBA, having been selected in the second round of the 2001 draft by the New York Liberty.

While Fulton is understood to have offers from several of Europe’s top clubs, his dream of making it in America remains alive.

One potential avenue to extend his stay Stateside would be to get signed as a G League player, wherein he would have a two-way contract split between an NBA franchise and its affiliate in the NBA’s development league.