Former national Player of the 12 months Jimmer Fredette and potential top-10 NBA draft picks Ausar and Amen Thompson headline the 2022 field for The Basketball Tournament.
The 64-team TBT bracket, which was released Wednesday, contains a record 71 players with NBA experience in addition to 29 college alumni teams.
For the primary time within the event’s history, the TBT could have games played outdoors, as considered one of its regionals is being hosted at historic Rucker Park in Latest York City. The opposite seven regional cities are Omaha, Nebraska; Albuquerque, Latest Mexico; Wichita, Kansas; Syracuse, Latest York; Charleston, West Virginia; Cincinnati; and Dayton, Ohio.
“This 12 months’s field is electrifying,” TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar said. “Nine years ago, we got down to be the house for high-stakes, open-to-all basketball pitting people against each other from all walks of life. This 12 months’s field demonstrates how far we have come. It’s exceptionally diverse and talented. I am unable to wait to see what team wins six straight games.”
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The teams will compete for the $1 million, winner-take-all championship prize.
Fredette, the previous BYU guard who led the country in scoring in 2011 and won consensus national Player of the 12 months honors before being chosen tenth within the NBA draft, is headlining The Money Team.
“I’ll get out and play again and rejoice,” Fredette told ESPN. “My brother [general manager TJ Fredette] is an element of getting the team together. It ought to be plenty of fun to get back out on the court again and play competitive basketball.”
After playing for the Shanghai Sharks in China in 2021, Fredette opted to remain home this winter and spring as he and his wife welcomed their third child. He’s joining a team that reached the quarterfinals last season and features the likes of Trevor Booker, Jeremy Evans, Charles Jenkins and Jordon Crawford.
“I feel pretty good,” Fredette said. “I stayed figuring out the complete time. I’ll all the time work out, keep working on my game. I will be excited to play in front of some fans, twiddling with some guys I actually like.”
Fredette played within the TBT in 2018, leading the tournament in scoring — including a 41-point effort to assist Team Fredette advance.
“It is often great,” he said. “At this point, it’s nearly attempting to win. Just doing whatever it takes to advance. I used to be fortunate last time to have a very great tournament, be the leading scorer. That is cool, nevertheless it’s about surviving and advancing. It’s about attempting to win these games and move forward. Get toward that 1 million.”
Fredette’s The Money Team is the 1-seed within the Dayton region. The opposite 1-seeds are YGC (Rucker Park), Gutter Cats (Omaha), Heartfire (Latest Mexico), Florida TNT (Xavier), Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse), AfterShocks (Wichita State) and Best Virginia (West Virginia).
The TBT began in 2014, when Notre Dame Fighting Alumni won the primary championship. Overseas Elite won the subsequent 4 titles before their streak led to 2019 by the hands of Carmen’s Crew, a team of Ohio State alumni. Marquette-centric Golden Eagles Alumni won in 2020, with Syracuse-focused Boeheim’s Army taking the title last season.
Boeheim’s Army will defend their title this summer by adding first-time TBT players Tyler Ennis, Rakeem Christmas and Marek Dolezaj — all Syracuse alums — to a bunch that already included five-time TBT champion D.J. Kennedy and four-time champion DeAndre Kane.
As ESPN reported earlier this month, projected 2023 lottery picks Amen and Ausar Thompson are headlining Team Time beyond regulation, a squad put together by the sports media company Time beyond regulation. The Thompson twins suited up for Time beyond regulation Elite this past season, as did Jazian Gortman, one other projected draft pick who will play for Team Time beyond regulation within the TBT. It would mark the primary time NBA draft-eligible prospects will take part in the TBT, although the team also features several pro veterans, including former San Diego State star Malcolm Thomas. Time beyond regulation is the 6-seed within the Omaha region.
Sideline Cancer, the 2-seed within the Xavier region, are in search of their third consecutive quarterfinal appearance. They bring about back scorer Marcus Keene and add former South Dakota State star Mike Daum and longtime NBA veteran C.J. Miles.
Other players with NBA experience expected to play on this 12 months’s TBT include Zhaire Smith (Air Raiders), Omari Spellman (Eberlein Drive), Antonio Blakeney (Florida TNT), Semaj Christon (Zip ‘Em Up), Justin Patton (Omaha Blue Crew), Jacob Pullen (Purple & Black), Kosta Koufos (Red Scare), Xavier Munford (The Money Team), Jacob Evans (Nasty Nati) and Markel Brown (Stillwater Stars).
The championship team earns $1 million in a winner-take-all title game to be televised on ESPN. This summer’s championship game might be played at Dayton on Aug. 2.
