Tennessee basketball's John Fulkerson to begin pro career in Belgium

Mike Wilson, Knoxville News Sentinel
·1 min read
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John Fulkerson will begin his professional basketball career in Belgium.

The former Tennessee basketball standout signed with the Leuven Bears, the team announced Wednesday.

The Kingsport, Tennessee, native set the SEC record for games played with 165. He played six seasons with the Vols, choosing to return for the 2021-22 season to use the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 6-foot-9 Fulkerson averaged 7.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in his final season. He had 24 points and 10 rebounds in UT's 77-73 win against then-No. 4 Arizona on Dec. 22, 2021.

Fulkerson averaged 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds as a junior to earn second-team All-SEC honors. He scored in double figures in all but four SEC games. He scored 18.3 points per game in the final 10 games of his junior season, including a career-high 27 points to carry the Vols to a comeback win at Rupp Arena.

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Fulkerson averaged 3.1 and 1.7 points in a reserve role as a sophomore and freshman, respectively. He started his career well in the 2016-17 season before suffering a gruesome elbow injury in December 2016. He tore his labrum the following spring, which limited him going into his freshman season.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee basketball's John Fulkerson to begin pro career in Belgium