HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS WELCOME 11 POTENTIAL NEW TALENTS TO THEIR 2025 TRYOUT CAMP IN ATLANTA

Including First-Ever Third Generation Player; Son of an NBA Legend; a Guinness World Record Holder; Athletes from THE BIG EAST; SEC, and West Coast Conference Amongst Initial List of Candidates for Wednesday, October 23

ATLANTA (September xx, 2024) – The Harlem Globetrotters today announced their initial list of tryout candidates for their 2025 World Tour. Tryouts will be held at Lakepoint Sports in suburban Atlanta on Wednesday October 23 and those selected from that day will be invited back to the official Globetrotters training camp in early December. The full roster for both the Harlem Globetrotters and the Washington Generals will be selected during that training camp period.

“We’ve had some of the world’s greatest players on our roster during our almost 100-year history.  It is in that tradition that we are committed to continuously elevating our talent year-after-year,” said Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios. “From WNBA draftees to NBA prospects to professional ballers overseas, the Harlem Globetrotters are once again one of the elite opportunities that players, men and women, can consider to further their professional careers in the sport and beyond.”

This year’s tryout group include; Mason Forbes, whose father Sterling Forbes Jr., and grandfather Sterling Forbes Sr. both played with the Harlem Globetrotters, making him the first third generation candidate in the 99 year history of the organization; Larry Johnson  Jr., the son of NBA All-Star Larry Johnson; and Darius Clark, the Guinness World Record holder for the highest vertical leap with a running start, who was a track standout at both Florida State and Texas A&M and spent summer 2023 starring in SlamBall. 

Two women will also look to join the record number of seven women players including guard Kayla Davis, a Canadian star who played collegiately at Xavier University of the BIG EAST, and Beyonce Collins, a guard from Norristown, PA.

The current tryout roster includes:

1. Darius Clark (5-10, 160/Blue Spring, MO. Florida State and Texas A & M-track athlete)
2. Beyonce Collins (5-3, 110/Norristown, Pa. Montgomery County Community College)
3. Kayla Davis (5-6, 120/Toronto, Ontario Xavier University)
4. Dre Dentmond (6-8, 230 /Lansing, Michigan Dillard University)
5. Mason Forbes (6-9, 230/Folsom, CA. St. Mary’s and Harvard)
6. Marlow Gilmore (6-6, 180/Norway, SC Francis Marion University)
7. Ethan Henderson (6-8, 205/Little Rock, ARK. Texas A & M and Arkansas)
8. Larry Johnson Jr. (6-4, 220/Oakland Park, MI Youngstown State University)
9. Jarius Key (6-5, 190/Bowling Green, KY Campbellsville University)
10. Andrew Whitsitt (7-1, 230/Hamilton City, CA Cal St- San Dominguez Hills)
11. John Okumadu (6-7, 195/Southfield, MI Macomb Community College)

The North American leg of the tour, sponsored by Jersey Mike’s Subs, begins Thursday, December 26, 2024, with the tour continuing throughout spring 2025.  International markets such as France, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Mexico and across Asia are just a few of the many locations the Harlem Globetrotters will be touring in, winter 2025 and running through the remainder of the year.  Spalding continues its role as the official global ball partner of the Harlem Globetrotters.

ABOUT THE WORLD-FAMOUS HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS™ / HERSCHEND ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS

The Harlem Globetrotters™ are THE originators of basketball style; captured by their dynamic athleticism, unique skill and historical influence on the modern game of basketball. Since 1926, the Globetrotters, proud members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, have used their legendary global tour to showcase their iconic brand of basketball to tens of millions in over 124 countries and territories across six continents.

They have expanded the brand by coming back to network television for the first time in 40 years with their Emmy nominated NBC series “Harlem Globetrotters: Play it Forward” which also airs on Telemundo as “Harlem Globetrotters: Ganando Con La Comunidad.” Content partners include Hidden Pictures, Atmosphere TV, and Hearts Media Production Group; consumer partnerships include, Sprayground, Undercrwn, Macys, Hybrid; and additional partnerships include our official tour partner Jersey Mikes, official ball partner, Spalding, Viral Nation, Hoopculture, and Citi.

Coined by the U.S. State Department in 1951 as Ambassadors of Goodwill, the team leverages their moniker to drive its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts around their strategic pillars of Health & Wellness, Education, and Community Empowerment. These efforts have yielded partnership with the likes of Microsoft, U.S. State Department Sports Diplomacy, The National Archives, ‘Great Assist’ in partnership with Jersey Mike’s Subs, Campus Multimedia Court of Creativity, and Comic Relief Red Nose Day.

For more information about the Harlem Globetrotters™ and the Tour, visit the Globetrotters' official website: www.harlemglobetrotters.com. The Harlem Globetrotters™ is a subsidiary of Herschend, the largest family-owned themed attractions company.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Mirian Arias Mirian.arias@harlemglobetrotters.com / 917-834-6293

Joe Favorito joefavorito2@gmail.com /917-566-8345