Todd Fuller

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Todd Douglas Fuller (born July 25, 1974 in Fayetteville, North Carolina) is an American professional basketball player who was selected by the Golden State Warriors with the 11th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. Fuller was taken ahead of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Peja Stojakovic, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Jermaine O'Neal, all of whom became NBA All-Stars. He played in five NBA seasons from 1996-2001 for the Warriors, Utah Jazz, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat averaging 3.7 ppg. This has led many sports sources to include Fuller on NBA draft lottery "bust" lists.^[1][2][3] He also played six seasons overseas, on pro teams in: Spain^[4], Poland^[5] Greece,^[6] and Australia.^[7]

Fuller has been active in politics. He is currently the treasurer of the Mecklenburg County Young Republicans, after serving as its campaign chairman.^[8] He also served as Mecklenburg County District 5 Captain for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education member Kaye McGarry’s re-election campaign, in the fall of 2007. McGarry received the most votes of any school board candidate that election.^[9]

Fuller played collegiately at North Carolina State University (NC State) and led the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in scoring during his senior year with 20.9 ppg and 9.9 rpg. He was an Academic All-American, and declined to accept a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford in order to play professional basketball. He was also inducted in to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from NC State.

On July 4, 2006, it was announced that Fuller had been signed by the South Dragons of the Australian National Basketball League to play in the team's inaugural season.^[10] At a press conference on October 23, 2006 it was announced that coach Mark Price and Fuller had both been released from the South Dragons.^[11] In sacking Fuller, player-coach Shane Heal, who replaced Mark Price as head coach, cited Fuller's work ethic as a reason for sacking Fuller.^[12] However, Fuller averaged 18 points and 9 rebounds per game in his five games with the South Dragons, while shooting 63% from the floor and 70% from the free throw line.^[13]

Fuller sponsors the annual mathematics competition for Raleigh, North Carolina area high school students through North Carolina State University called the "Todd Fuller Math Competition."^[14] He has a scholarship fund set up through the North Carolina State University Physical and Mathematical Sciences (PAMS) college.^[15]

North Carolina State University honored Todd Fuller by hanging his number 52 jersey from the roof of the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina during a halftime ceremony of the Red and White basketball scrimmage game on October 27, 2007.^[16]

Fuller is also known for his strong Christian beliefs including abstinence from sex before marriage.^[17] He is also a licensed private pilot and lives in Charlotte with his wife, the former Elizabeth “Libby” Shaw, who is an elementary school teacher. ^{[18] [19]}

Fuller is a frequent global traveler for volunteer events. Recently, he participated in the Australian National Baptist Basketball – an annual Christian youth sporting event held each year in Australia – during January 2008 in Tasmania.^[20]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• NBA player profile
• Rumor: Todd Fuller Trade to the Warriors in the works (Golden State of Mind)
• NBA Draft Busts #18