Back in March, Tracy McGrady told me he was going to build something special with his Ones Basketball League.
It wasn’t going to be just another former player-centered or celebrity-driven league.
“We’re sticking to the essence of what basketball is,” McGrady told me in our March interview. “Individual talent and skills.”
But in a generation that is more enamored with Steph Curry range and step-back threes, starting this type of league sounded like a daunting task.
The concept made sense, and the goal of focusing on true skills and the community made it appealing. But could it carve out a place for itself without hype outside of McGrady’s Hall of Fame name?
After attending the League’s stop in Brooklyn over Memorial Day weekend, the answer was yes.
Not only had the OBL partnered with brands like Showtime Basketball and Slam Magazine, it had also found a way to keep fans and players engaged.
As the games progressed, the intensity picked up. Players began to tire after the games piled up, and the fans in attendance turned up the volume in their cheers of support.
And the players responded as the rounds continued.
That’s when I knew the league was something different and that McGrady had found something special.
Now, after six regional events in Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, the DMV and LA, the Ones Basketball League is set for its championship event in Las Vegas.
Earlier this week, the OBL announced that The Dollar Loan Center in Henderson, Nevada, will host the first-ever OBL Finals on Friday, July 15th and Saturday, July 16th.
The 22 competitors at the Finals consist of the six regional champions, the top two runner-ups from each region and four wildcard selections.
Each regional champion won $10,000.
But in Vegas, it’s winner-take-all where the champion of the head-to-head, single elimination OBL Finals will receive $250,000 and be crowned “Ruler of the Court.”
Two weeks before the Finals, McGrady recognizes the significance of what the OBL has accomplished so far.
“Our proof-of-concept season for the OBL has played out better than we had planned, and The Dollar Loan Center is the perfect stage for us to crown our king,” said McGrady in a statement “OBL talent is top notch, the competition is intense, and the atmosphere for our first-ever finals will be second to none with $250,000 cash on the OBL throne waiting for the winner.”
And the city is just as eager and excited to host the event as McGrady.
“There are few basketball legends and entrepreneurs more astute than Tracy McGrady, and we are proud to welcome his team to our new state-of-the-art arena in Henderson for the OBL’s inaugural championship,” said Kerry Bubolz, CEO of the Foley Entertainment Group, which operates The Dollar Loan Center. “In a city all about action, this promises to be the summer’s most intense event.”
McGrady’s decision to focus on the local players and local community has provided dividends for the new league, and it established a different type of connection, engagement and excitement than say a Big3 or EBC.
And that’s just one reason for its success.
“It’s not a gimmick,” McGrady told me back in March.
For the 22 competitors seeking to win the $250,000 grand prize, it’s far from a gimmick.
It’s life changing.
A limited number of tickets for the OBL Finals are available. Click here for information.
