As we head into the height of the NBA off-season, The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is here to satisfy your basketball craving.
In the ninth year of the TBT, 64 teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament. The winning team takes home $1 million to split between their players, coaches and GM.
With high stakes comes high competition and the best of the best teams are made up of the world’s best players who aren’t in the NBA – from former college stars who have taken their talent abroad to former NBA players who are showing off that they can still do it, there is still something in the tank.
The basketball tournament will be broadcast on the ESPN family of networks. You can also stream The Basketball Tournament on Sling TV, TBT’s official streaming partner. Viewers who sign up for Sling TV get half of the first month with no long-term contracts.
Tune in to any TBT game and you’re sure to see a familiar face or two from years past, many of which just get better with time. From Jimmer Fredette to Jamario Moon, here are the players to watch at TBT 2022.
The best players of the basketball tournament
Jimmer Fredette, The Money Team (TMT)
Fredette really needs no introduction. The 2011 consensus national college player of the year is applying to Floyd Mayweather’s TMT, where he will show off his sharpshooting skills just like he did in his four years at BYU.
Jamario Moon, Georgia Kingz
In 2007, as a 27-year-old rookie with the Raptors, Moon made his mark by flaunting his otherworldly athleticism. Aged 42, Jamario Moon will star alongside his nephew Xavier Moon as the Kingz pursue the grand prize.
Dominique Rodgers Cromartie, Team DRC
Yes, the Dominique Rodgers Cromartie. The 11-year NFL veteran is the namesake of Team DRC and will take the hardwood along with the rest of his team. We’ll see what kind of basketball skills the former first-rounder has.
Robbie Hummel, Men of Mackey (Purdue Alumni)
It’s been 10 years since Bumblebee rocked Mackey Arena as Purdue Boilermaker, and while the 6ft-8 sniper is only 33, he’s retired to launch his broadcasting career. Don’t let the transmission fool you though, the Jumper is as pure as ever.
Peter Kiss, Air Raiders (Texas Tech Alumni)
Months after guiding Bryant to his first-ever NCAA tournament spot, Kiss is back in another 64-team tournament. We’ll see if he brings the same kind of flair he brought with the Bulldogs during his senior season.
The nation’s top scorer is hooooping rn.
Peter Kiss is like that. pic.twitter.com/HKohfqCmVi
— SLAM University (@slam_university) March 9, 2022
Tyrese Rice, Gutter Cat Gang
Last year’s TBT MVP deserves some love. Rice, who excelled during his career at Boston College, is still cooking at age 35. After winning alongside the Syracuse grads in 2021, Rice is speaking out with a new roster in 2022.
Julian Newman, Team Challenge ALS
A source of many viral YouTube highlights, Newman recently announced that TBT would be his next step after completing his prep career.
Julian Newman is making a lot of noise this summer 😈 @The competition pic.twitter.com/JGYdV2sL6y
— overtime (@overtime) June 10, 2022
He’s an undersized guard with a lot of pizzazz and the cameras will likely follow his movements.
Zhaire Smith, Air Raiders (Texas Tech Alumni)
It’s been just four years since Smith was drafted 18th overall in the NBA draft, and while he’s only played in 13 games to date, he’s still only 23 years old. A dominant TBT performance could boost Smith’s return to the league.
Ryan Boatright, Team HEARTFIRE
The 5-foot-11 Boatright was a major attraction at UConn, where he played a key role as a starter on the Huskies’ 2014 National Championship team. After failing to be called up in 2015, Boatright had stints in the G League but has found a lane playing overseas.
Marcus Keene, Sideline Cancer
Put simply, Marcus Keene is a bucket. As a redshirt junior in Central Michigan, Keene led all of Division I with 30.0 points per game. After Keene skipped his senior year to turn pro in 2017, Keene will make it shine in the tournament.
Fletcher Magee, WoCo Showtime (Wofford Alumni)
If you’re unfamiliar with the name, familiarize yourself. Magee is a pure shooter. No player in men’s college basketball history has sunk as many 3s as Magee, who finished his career at Wofford with 509 triples.
Tyler Ennis, Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse Alumni)
Ennis had a strong freshman season at Syracuse and was drafted 18th overall in the 2014 NBA draft. It’s been four years since Ennis has played in an NBA game, but he continues to thrive abroad, spending each of the last two seasons in Turkey.
CJ Miles, Sideline Cancer
From his draft right out of high school in 2005, to his stint as a veteran in the NBA G League’s Ignite Pathway program, to his difficult 10-day commitment with the Celtics, Miles has accomplished it all. You can add The Basketball Tournament to this list.
Omari Spellman, Eberlein Drive
Spellman, who found success at Villanova, won a national title as a freshman before being selected in the first round by the Hawks in 2018. Four years later, after a season in Korean basketball, Spellman returns to the United States for TBT action.
Kwe Parker, team overtime
Do you remember Parker? If not, allow me to share a video from 2014 titled “Kwe Parker is the BEST dunker in high school!”
Eight years later he will bring his elite leap to The Basketball Tournament.
Janis Timma, Eberlein Drive
You might not recognize the name, but you might recognize Timma, who went viral during the 2021 NBA Summer League.
I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe pic.twitter.com/zLRTyoj5LT
— Antonio McDyess Clay (@thom_not_tom) August 10, 2021
The Latvian forward spent last season with G League’s Lakeland Magic and will be in contention for a TBT title alongside Spellman and the rest of Eberlein Drive.
How to watch the basketball tournament
- When: July 16th to August 2nd
- Where: Several different regions
- TV channel: ESPN Networks
- Stream: ESPN App | Sling TV
The basketball tournament will be broadcast across the ESPN family of networks: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU and the ESPN app. You can also stream The Basketball Tournament on Sling TV, TBT’s official streaming partner.
Viewers who sign up for Sling TV get half of the first month with no long-term contracts. Watch The Basketball Tournament live on ESPN and enjoy access to sports programming across the ESPN family of networks.
