Former Falkirk Fury star Fraser Malcolm proud to play role in basketball medal
Fraser Malcolm admitted that it was difficult to sum up his pride after finally being able to banish his previous Commonweath Games pain.
The Falkirk native, 30, tasted medal success for the first time last Wednesday.
He helped his Scotland team-mates secure bronze in the 3x3 basketball event, having previously narrowly missed on a podium placing twice.
Malcolm – and Caledonian Gladiators club-mate Kyle Jimenez – lost out in the bronze medal match against New Zealand in 2018 and four years later against Canada. The latter in Birmingham was by a single point.
This home Games was finally when Scotland’s luck turned.
A sensational buzzer-beater from guard Jimenez sent his team to the semis, and although they lost out to Australia in the final four, Malcolm and his team-mates showed steel to edge out New Zealand 18-16 in Glasgow.
“It’s very difficult to put into words, it’s been a long month for us in preparation,” former Signs Express Falkirk Fury star Malcolm said.
“For myself and Kyle (Jimenez), this is this has been eight years in the making, going from Gold Coast, missing out and finishing fourth, and then losing out to Canada by a point in 2022.
“The commitment from the four of us has been incredible, the support from everyone in the in the backroom staff and everyone who’s come out and supported us in their numbers here in Glasgow has been absolutely incredible.
“So, yeah, it is really difficult to put into words. Absolutely proud, proud every time we put in the jerseys, and it’s great that we’ve got a medal to show for it all.”
The ex-Larbert High School pupil, who followed in the footsteps of his brother Craig by climbing the youth ranks at local SBC Division 1 Championship title holders Fury, highlighted how Scotland continues to excel at basketball despite being dwarfed by other nations.
“It’s not as popular a sport as it is in other places in the world, but every time we play an international stage, we punch above our weight,” he added.
“Hopefully we (the Scotland teams) get the coverage and the publicity that the sport deserves. There’s lots of good people in Scotland pushing basketball, so hopefully it gets the recognition it deserves.”
For Fury, Malcolm's success is another proud milestone in a remarkable journey that began in the club's junior ranks.
He progressed through the club's Scottish National League age groups, helping Fury win multiple national titles at both U16 and U18 level while developing into one of Scotland's brightest young prospects.
Malcolm earned his first major opportunity at the age of 18 when he signed for Icelandic Division One side FSu Selfoss.
The move came after Fury head coach John Bunyan spoke with former Fury player Erik Olsen, who had become head coach at Selfoss. It proved to be the perfect stepping stone for Malcolm's career.
After an impressive season in Iceland, Malcolm impressed out on the US before returning to Scotland in 2019 to join the Glasgow Rocks (now Caledonian Gladiators).