John Fulkerson Finds Professional Basketball Home

VFL John Fulkerson will begin his professional career overseas in Belgium, where the Kingsport native will play for the Leuven Bears. 

"John is an athletic, explosive player with many other qualities," said the Leuven Bears via their press release. "The sporting staff is convinced of the added value that John will contribute to the team next season."

Fulkerson enters professional play coming off a six-year career in orange and white, where the 6'9" power forward became one of the all-time Tennessee Basketball fan favorites. 

A leader on and off the court, Fulkerson was the embodiment of a Tennessee Volunteer during his time on Rocky Top. Fulkerson is a three-time member of the SEC Community Service Team and two-time member of the SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll. 

On the court, Fulkerson tabbed with a spot on the SEC head coaches' Preseason All-SEC Team before the 2021-2022 season, was a member of the 2020 All-SEC Coaches' Second-Team roster, and was named Lute Olson National Player of the Week SEC Player of the Week on December 27, 2021 following his brilliant 24-point, 10-rebound seventh career double-double in the Vols' win over No. 6 Arizona in Knoxville. Fulkerson's SEC Player of the Week honor was the first and only of his collegiate career.

A Volunteer that first graced UT grounds in 2016, Fulkerson saw a lot in his Tennessee career, capping it with an SEC Tournament victory in the 2021-2022 season–the first for the Volunteers in 43 years. 

Now that his long tenure at the University of Tennessee is over, the 25-year-old will look to put his basketball skills to good use overseas for the Bears in the 2022-2023 season. 

Photo Credit: Brianna Paciorka of the Knoxville News Sentinel 

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