FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Tyler Nelson, the all-time leading scorer in Fairfield University men's basketball history, will begin his professional career in the NBA Summer League with the Minnesota Timberwolves this July in Las Vegas. The guard worked out with several NBA teams over the last few weeks, including the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Boston Celtics before signing with Minnesota.
 
"Tyler has proven so much to the NBA about himself and about our program," Fairfield University Head Coach Sydney Johnson said. "There will be no bigger supporters for Tyler than our Stag Nation."
 
Nelson, who graduated as a member of the Fairfield Class of 2018 in May, becomes the first Fairfield University alum to play in the NBA Summer League since Rakim Sanders donned a uniform for the Golden State Warriors during the 2012 NBA Summer League season. Sanders went on to play professionally overseas where he continues his professional career in Europe.
 
The NBA Summer League regular season schedule lists three games for the Timberwolves, beginning with a July 6 game against the Denver Nuggets (11 p.m. ET). The slate will continue with a game against the Toronto Raptors on July 8 (3 p.m. ET) and versus the Brooklyn Nets on July 9 (11 p.m. ET). All three games are scheduled for NBA TV while the ESPN family of networks will also broadcast the games – Denver (ESPN3), Toronto (ESPN3), and Brooklyn (ESPNU).
 
Nelson became Fairfield's all-time leading scorer (2,172 points) as well as the program's top three-point shooter (315 three-pointers) during the 2017-18 campaign. Nelson comes off one of the best offensive seasons in school history which included setting the program's single-season records for points (732) and three-pointers made (104) in addition to attaining both career marks. He also makes his exit from the collegiate ranks slotted fifth all-time in scoring in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) history. He finished his senior year with a 22.2 points per game scoring average to lead the MAAC and rank 13th in NCAA Division I.

Nelson's list of honors from 2017-18 included his fourth berth to a conference postseason awards team. He collected All-MAAC First Team honors for the second straight season after garnering All-MAAC Third Team accolades as a sophomore and a spot on the MAAC All-Rookie Team in his inaugural year with the program. The guard was a NABC All-District First Team pick in 2017-18 after also earning All-District honors a year ago. Nelson picked up a spot on the All-ECAC Team and the All-Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) First Team.

Nelson earned a roster spot at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament in April, garnering All-Tournament accolades after averaging 14.7 points per game – a total that included the tournament-winning basket as he helped guide his squad to a championship. Nelson also played in the Reese's Senior All-Star Game and represented the MAAC in the National 3-on-3 Tournament, both taking place in San Antonio during the NCAA Final Four weekend.