National Basketball Association

Former NBA players fill $1 million basketball tournament

Published Jul. 8, 2015 6:43 p.m. ET

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NEW YORK (AP) Former NBA players Mike Bibby, Jason Williams and Jamaal Tinsley are among the competitors playing in The Basketball Tournament, with $1 million going to the winning team.

The 97-team tournament begins this weekend in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Bibby and Williams, both former Sacramento Kings point guards, will play for the ''Grantland'' team that will start in the West region.

There are at least 125 players with NBA or NBA Development League experience in the field, according to a tournament spokesman, and include familiar names such as Hakim Warrick, Michael Sweetney, Brian Scalabrine and Renaldo Balkman.

The winner-take-all, single-elimination tournament is open to players 18 years of age or older. It debuted last year with 32 teams and was won by the Notre Dame Fighting Alumni, featuring former Irish stars Tim Abromaitis, Luke Harangody, Ben Hansbrough and Torin Francis. They have a bye into the final 17 spots.

Play continues in Chicago and Philadelphia on July 17-19 before the Aug. 1-2 championship in New York, which will be televised live by ESPN.