The Basketball Tournament does much more than just award $1 million to the championship team that emerges out of the field of 64. TBT, which comes to the FOX Sports family of networks beginning on July 19, provides a spotlight to players who still have something to prove in their basketball career and might be looking to showcase their skill set to get another opportunity at the pro level. For those who aren’t looking to go that route, it can offer a platform for others to wear their college colors and shine on national TV again.
On Tuesday, one late roster addition became official, and it’s a massive name out of Columbus, Ohio. Two-time consensus first-team All-American Jared Sullinger will be returning to the hardwood for Carmen’s Crew after serving as the head coach of the Ohio State alumni team throughout the last four years.
A vital player on the 2019 TBT championship team for Carmen’s Crew, the 6-foot-9 forward became a legend under Thad Matta in his two years at Ohio State. Sullinger was a two-time Mr. Ohio Basketball out of high school and powered OSU to the 2011 Big Ten Tournament title as the Most Outstanding Player of the event. He averaged 17.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in his two years in Columbus before a five-year stint in the NBA that led him to the international route, where he was the Chinese Basketball Association MVP this past year with the Shenzhen Leopards. You can catch Sullinger and Carmen’s Crew in their TBT opener on Saturday against Purple Hearts from the Dayton Regional at 7 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
But the marquee names don’t stop with Sullinger. There’s no shortage of other familiar faces and star talent at this year’s event. Here are 10 headliner names to watch at TBT.
[Check out the complete TBT schedule here]
Eric Bledsoe, La Familia
The one-and-done Kentucky Wildcat, who was a 2010 SEC All-Rookie Team member alongside John Wall, went on to play 12 years in the NBA and was a terrific defensive guard in The Association, garnering multiple All-Defensive Team selections. He will headline the Kentucky alumni TBT team, but he’s not the only former Wildcat who will reappear at Rupp Arena …
Willie Cauley-Stein, La Familia
The sixth overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Cauley-Stein was a consensus first-team All-American and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year nine years ago on one of the great teams of all…
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