CJ Fulton has officially signed with NBA franchise Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 23-year-old Belfast man has been in the United States for pre-season with the back-to-back Western Conference finalists in anticipation of a contract which is now confirmed.

In the coming days, Fulton is expected to be waived to Iowa Wolves in the G-League – the NBA's team-affiliated development league that begins in November – which will provide an opportunity to develop and work his way into the full Timberwolves squad.

"It's a way of keeping me around the franchise and working my way up," he explained to BBC Sport NI earlier in September.

Fulton missed out on selection at the NBA Draft in June, but debuted for the Timberwolves during the NBA Summer League.

He played four minutes in their 89-85 win against the Phoenix Suns in July, making him the third Irish-born player to take to the court at the highest level in the United States after Pat Burke and Susan Moran.

The former St Malachy's College pupil then played 17 minutes against the Houston Rockets, scoring two points with two assists and two steals.

He initially caught the attention of the Timberwolves with his displays in college basketball for Lafayette and the Charleston Cougars, averaging 7.8 points and 6.5 assists per game for the latter during his senior year.

The Minnesota club begin their six-game pre-season schedule on Sunday, 5 October against the Denver Nuggets in San Diego.

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