Former UK basketball players set for charity game at Lexington high school this weekend

Before they return to the Rupp Arena court for The Basketball Tournament next week, a group of former Kentucky stars will play together at a Lexington high school this weekend.

Members of La Familia — the team of ex-UK basketball stars competing together in the TBT this summer — will be at Tates Creek High School for the “Champions Charity Game” at 6 p.m. Saturday. Tickets cost $20 and are available either at the door or online at betterlifestyleevents.com/events. The doors will open to fans at 5 p.m.

The La Familia roster features Eric Bledsoe, Willie Cauley-Stein, Kellan Grady, Aaron Harrison, Andrew Harrison, Doron Lamb, Daniel Orton, Nate Sestina, Marquis Teague, Reid Travis and James Young, all former Kentucky players during the John Calipari era. It was announced Wednesday that Kerem Kanter — the young brother of Enes Kanter Freedom — would also be joining the team. The younger Kanter has been a standout professional player in Europe.

Tyler Ulis will be the head coach of the La Familia squad, and former UK player Twany Beckham is the general manager. Several of the La Familia players are expected to participate in the game at Tates Creek, and they’ll be joined on the court by a few other former Wildcats, including Darius Miller and Jon Hood, who will be assistant coaches for the TBT squad.

The UK-themed team will host the Lexington Regional of the TBT, with its first game set for July 19 at 8 p.m. in Rupp Arena against the 305 Ballers, a Miami-based program featuring overseas pros. If La Familia advances, it would have additional games July 21 and July 23 in Rupp.

Tickets for the Lexington Regional are also available online, though Ticketmaster.com. The 64-team, single-elimination tournament will conclude Aug. 4 in Philadelphia. The champions will receive a $1 million, winner-take-all prize.

The game at Tates Creek on Saturday evening is one of several TBT-related events taking place during what Beckham is calling “Champions Weekend” in Lexington.

In addition to other community-oriented events, there will be a youth basketball camp at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at The Sports Center in the Fayette Mall area. The camp is open to boys and girls ages 6-12 and will feature former UK basketball players. Registration is available online at betterlifestyleevents.com/event/champions-weekend.

There will also be a golf scramble featuring Cauley-Stein at The University Club on Sunday. Registration for that event is online.

Tyler Ulis is following John Calipari to Arkansas. He has unfinished business at UK first.

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