Earl Clark Signs With Louisville Alumni TBT Team

The former forward for the Cardinals helped Louisville reach their first ever AP No. 1 overall ranking during the 2008-09 season.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville men's basketball program's alumni team that is taking part in the 2023 iteration of The Basketball Tournament had made one final addition to their roster.

Former Cardinal Earl Clark has officially signed to the playing roster for "The Ville," TBT announced Monday.

The 6-foot-10 forward is only the latest to join a roster that is full of names familiar to Louisville fans. Russ Smith, Peyton Siva, Kyle Kuric, Wayne Blackshear, Chane Behanan, Steven Enoch, Rakeem Buckles and Dillon Avare have also committed to the playing roster; while Luke Hancock, Mark Lieberman and Jordan Sucher are among those that will serve on the coaching staff for "The Ville."

Clark most recently spent time in the Big3, a three-on-three basketball league founded by rapper Ice Cube, averaging 13.0 points and 4.7 rebounds over three games for Trilogy. He also spent part of the 2022-23 season with Gigantes de Carolina of the Puerto Rican basketball league Baloncesto Superior Nacional. There, he averaged 14.7 points and 6.6 rebounds over 27 games.

The Plainfield, N.J. native played a key role in helping Louisville attain their first ever No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 poll during the 2008-09 season. That year as a junior, he was the Cardinals' top scorer and rebounder at 14.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, while also adding the second-most assists per game at 3.2.

Clark was later selected by the Phoenix Suns with the No. 14 overall pick in 2009 NBA Draft. He spent six years in the NBA with the Suns, Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, and has mostly played in overseas leagues since 2016.

TBT is a 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all tournament that has seen its popularity rise in recent years after it was first established in 2014. While anyone over 18 years old and not currently on an NBA roster can play, teams more often than not consist of former collegiate and professional basketball players.

It is also home to the Elam Ending, which is an alternate way to conclude basketball games without them turning into an intentional foul fest. At the first dead ball under four minutes in the fourth quarter, a target score for both teams is then established by adding eight points to the leading team’s score.

The Ville will host to one of TBT’s eight regional locations, with play taking place at legendary Freedom Hall. Eight teams will compete in the Louisville Regional, with the regional champion advancing to the quarterfinals. One of TBT’s Quarterfinals games will also take place at Freedom Hall, with the winner of the Louisville Regional taking on the champion of another regional.

The Louisville Regional lasts from Tuesday, July 25 to Saturday, July 29, with the Quarterfinal at Freedom Hall taking place on Monday, July 31. The Ville will kick off their run on the first day of the regional at 7:00 p.m. EST against the Auburn alumni team War Ready.

(Photo of Earl Clark: Brett Hansbauer - USA TODAY Sports)

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