NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas hosting annual “Zeke-End” tournament in Tacoma

“Zeke-End” is returning to the City of Destiny.

Two-time NBA All-Star and hometown Washington Huskies point guard Isaiah Thomas is set to host the ninth annual Zeke-End Basketball Tournament at Tacoma Community College, a showcase featuring 16 teams from the Pacific Northwest.

And yes – Thomas will be lacing up his sneakers. He’s the captain of a celebrity team set to challenge the field, joined by NBA teammates and friends. Former participants of Zeke-End include 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose and local NBA standouts such as Paolo Banchero and Jamal Crawford.

Local vendors and businesses will attend, along with some 1,500 fans. A portion of proceeds benefit the Thomas Family Giving Fund, a non-profit “dedicated to making an impact in all the communities Isaiah and his family have lived in,” a release said.

Thomas, now 35, first took the state by storm as a quick, all-level scorer with Curtis High School in University Place. He was a three-time All-Pac-10 honoree in three seasons at the University of Washington (2008-11) before the Sacramento Kings selected Thomas with the 60th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

The nifty jump-shooter standing at 5-foot-9 rose to stardom in 2016-17 when Thomas finished fifth in NBA MVP voting with the Boston Celtics, averaging 28.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 2.7 rebounds across 76 games.

This weekend’s two-day tournament tips off at 9 a.m. Saturday morning and runs through Sunday’s championship game.

Thomas and his celebrity team will play twice Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets cost $15 per day.