Two Former Louisville Cardinals Competing for $2 Million in TBT

Two former Louisville Cardinals, who have had successful overseas careers, are back in america competing in TBT (the basketball tournament) for the $2 million grand prize.

The last time we saw Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles the two former Louisville Cardinals, were both on the opposing end of first round NCAA tournament exits. Knowles, who suffered a torn achilles halfway through, lost to the “Manimal” Kenneth Faired and Morehead State. While Smith and the Cards lost in one of the worst performances I can remember from a Pitino led team in the tournament, against California. Now both players are competing in the same tournament looking to win a hefty prize.

For the last several years players from all over the world have come back to the United States, where the majority of them played college ball, to compete for one of (if not the biggest) cash grand prize in team sports, in “The Basketball Tournament” (original, I know).

Most of the guys competing on self-created teams are former big time college stars, who either played in the NBA for some time but  didn’t stay on a roster, or have been overseas stars since graduating or leaving their respective colleges. Names of the past participate, ranging from Greg Oden to Jimmer Fredette, all to lead their team’s to the $2 million prize. 72 teams are selected, 18 teams in each region, and they go head-to-head competing for the prize.

Here’s how TBT describes themselves:

"“The Basketball Tournament (TBT) is the most intense basketball competition in the world: a winner-take-all/$2 million/ ESPN. Anyone can enter a team. Fans determine who plays and share in the prize. 2018 will be our fifth summer.”"

Jerry Smith, who’s squad “Team Challenge ALS” has been on deep runs each of the last two years of the TBT, and are one of the 16 squads remaining. Preston Knowles, playing with “Armored Athlete” alongside of familar names such as Terrico White, Stefan Moody (Ole Miss), Hassan Martin (Rhode Island), and Kevin Jones (West Virginia) is also part of the remaining 16 teams.

The quarterfinals get underway tomorrow and run through Saturday, and games can be seen live on the ESPN family of networks. If you’re questioning whether this is something worth watch, let me speak to you for a sec. I hate baseball, I’ll be quite honest, so anything basketball or football during the summer I’m in. At first when I turned on The Basketball Tournament I was skeptical, but within minutes I was hooked.

There were notable names, that had either recently played in the NBA or college basketball or where legends of the past. Though I’m no fan, an elite ESPN broadcast crew on the call, including Dan Dickich, and the players were actually playing. This was no summer league, this was no all-star game, this was a full-on, street ball, no holds barred type of basketball.

There’s no doubt I’ll be tuning in when I can to watch two former Cardinal greats in Preston Knowles and Jerry Smith, hoping that either can walk away with a chunk of the $2 million prize.