The Basketball Tournament 2025: Yogi Ferrell, DJ Burns Jr. Among Players to Watch

College Basketball: The Basketball Tournament 2025 – Players to Watch

The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is back! This highly-anticipated hoops tournament will feature twenty-six live games broadcast on FOX, FS1, and FS2, starting this Friday. Sixty-four teams will vie for the $1 million prize, with the championship game scheduled for August 3. TBT, an annual basketball tournament primarily featuring former college stars, showcases elite talent once again this year. jilibet registration The competition is divided into eight regions, featuring alumni teams from powerhouse programs such as Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Ohio State, Syracuse, UConn, and many more national id tracking website.

Here are 10 standout players to keep an eye on this year:

Montrezl Harrell, The Ville (Louisville alumni)

Montrezl Harrell, the former Louisville standout and NBA veteran, returns to The Ville this summer. He debuted in TBT in 2024, averaging 12.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, helping his team secure the Louisville Regional title and progress to the quarterfinals. During his time at Louisville from 2012 to 2015, Harrell played in 112 games and recorded 12 double-doubles, leading the American Athletic Conference in field goal percentage (.609). He was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, later becoming the NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2020 with the LA Clippers.

Willie Cauley-Stein, La Familia (Kentucky alumni)

Willie Cauley-Stein, a former 7-foot center at Kentucky, was drafted sixth overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2015 and played seven seasons in the NBA. He averaged 8.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game on 54.4% shooting. With La Familia in TBT 2024, Cauley-Stein played a crucial role in leading his team to the semifinals, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors with 14 blocks in that tournament.

Archie Goodwin, La Familia (Kentucky alumni)

Archie Goodwin, Cauley-Stein’s teammate at Kentucky, reunites with him in TBT this year. After declaring for the NBA Draft in 2013, Goodwin was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder but was quickly traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he played for three seasons before short stints with the New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets.

Melo Trimble, Shell Shock (Maryland alumni)

Melo Trimble ranks among the top scorers in Maryland basketball history. He is one of only four players in the program to achieve 1,600 points, 400 assists, and 150 steals. After being named first-team All-Big Ten in his sophomore and junior years, he declared for the draft in 2017 but went undrafted, later playing a brief stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves. This marks his first appearance in TBT; can he lead Shell Shock to victory and the million-dollar prize 365 jili login?

Jason Preston, Court Street Kings (Ohio alumni)

Jason Preston led Ohio University to a Mid-American Conference (MAC) title and upset in the NCAA Tournament in 2021. After being drafted by the Orlando Magic in the second round, he was traded to the LA Clippers, where he played 14 games in the 2022-2023 season before signing a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz, spending most of his time in the G-League.

DJ Burns Jr., Challenge ALS

DJ Burns Jr. phwin.vip login became popular during the 2024 NCAA Tournament, and he is back to play for Challenge ALS, having helped North Carolina State reach the Final Four in the 2023-24 season. Despite his outstanding March performances, he didn’t secure an NBA contract after the Summer League and opted to play overseas wild ace jili. This will be Burns’ first year in TBT.

Buddy Boeheim, Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse alumni)

Buddy Boeheim, son of legendary Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, was among the ACC’s leading scorers in 2022. He shot an impressive 38.3% from the 3-point line during the 2020-21 season and averaged 17.8 points per game in key NCAA Tournament games. This will be his debut in TBT, where he will also play alongside his brother, Jimmy Boeheim.

Yogi Ferrell, Assembly Ball (Indiana alumni)

Yogi Ferrell, a standout player for Indiana during his time there, averaged over 16 points per game in his final three seasons. He led Indiana to two Big Ten regular-season titles and Sweet 16 appearances. After a five-season stint bouncing around the NBA, Ferrell returns to lead Assembly Ball in TBT for the second consecutive year.

Zaire Wade, DuBois Dream

Zaire Wade is making his TBT debut with DuBois Dream, looking to make a name for himself professionally. As the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade, he initially attracted attention as a high-school recruit but opted to go pro after gaining experience with the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League.

Ryan Boatright, Stars of Storrs (UConn alumni)

Ryan Boatright, who helped UConn win the national championship in 2014, returns to lead Stars of Storrs. He played a pivotal role in the Huskies’ NCAA Tournament success, averaging 12.1 points and 3.4 assists during their championship-winning season.

As the competition heats up, which player are you most excited to watch in this year’s Basketball Tournament?