Harlem's Rucker Park To Host Big, Televised Basketball Tournament

HARLEM, NY — Harlem's legendary Rucker Park will add a new chapter to its storied basketball history this summer, when it will host a few games of a nationwide tournament, organizers announced this week.

The Basketball Tournament, an open-invitation team competition, has been held since 2014, offering a $1 million prize to whatever squad triumphs. While the competitors won't be active professionals, ex-NBA stars have been known to participate in past years, including Mike Bibby, Matt Bonner and Brian Scalabrine.

Rucker Park will host one of the tournament's early "regional" rounds, between July 16-20, with all games open to the public. Winners will advance to the quarterfinals at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

The entire tournament will be televised live on ESPN, organizers say.

Famed for its street-basketball history, Rucker Park's court — on West 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard — recently underwent a major renovation that was funded in part by the NBA Players Association, replacing its cracked asphalt surface and building new bleachers, baskets, artwork and a scoreboard.

"We are very excited for this partnership and to support The Basketball Tournament coming to the newly renovated Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park," CJ McCollum, a New Orleans Pelicans guard and the Players Association's president, said in a statement.

This will be the first outdoor event in the nine-year history of The Basketball Tournament. Last year's competition featured 64 teams — the same number that will compete this year — and was ultimately won by Boeheim's Army, a team composed mostly of former Syracuse University players.

Eight teams will square off in July's Rucker Park Regional, organizers said. Registration is still open, and interested teams can apply online until June 15.

To show its "continued commitment to Rucker Park" and the surrounding community, the Players Association will also host youth basketball training clinics for local boys and girls during the tournament — with NBA players as guest instructors.

"We’re excited to bring TBT’s brand of high stakes, open-to-all basketball to the most storied court in the world," said Jon Mugar, the tournament's founder and CEO.

Other regional locations hosting the initial round of this year's Basketball Tournament include the City of Charleston, University of Dayton, University of New Mexico, City of Omaha, City of Syracuse, Wichita State University, and Xavier University.

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