TJ ‘Timothy’ Stukes enters Squid Game: The Challenge as a contestant number no. 182. The former pro basketball player was a member of the Harlem Wizards, an entertaining basketball team, for 12 years. After having a successful career of 2 decades, he retired in March 2023 and currently serves as an assistant coach for the Northern New Mexico College, where his wife Samantha is the head coach of the female team. However, he never made it to the NBA. Also, he has an estimated net worth of $1 million.

We still have a long wait for the highly anticipated second season of Squid Game, but in the meanwhile, Netflix has created a Squid Game-themed reality competition unlike anything the streaming service has ever created. Squid Game: The Challenge is suited for both newbies and die-hard fans of the game, with sets carefully designed to resemble those seen on the original show.

People in Squid Game: The Challenge obviously do not die like they do in the South Korean version, but they are definitely eliminated. Only one of the 456 players will take home the massive multi-million dollar cash prize. The show’s first five episodes were released on Wednesday, November 22, and a further 5 episodes will be released in the coming weeks.

Of course, we understand that it’s not possible to know about all 456 participants but a few participants have really impressed us. We also can see some popular faces. One of them is TJ Stukes, former professional basketball player. Well, let’s know about him in detail.

Previously, we touched on Spencer Hawkins, Bryton Constantin, and TJ Ford.

TJ “Timothy” Stukes From Squid Game The Challenge: NBA Team & Career of the Former Pro Basketball Player!

TJ Stukes (@tjstukes68) enters Squid Game: The Challenge as a contestant number no. 182. Since he is pretty popular in the basketball world, it took no time for basketball enthusiasts to recognize him. And we’ve found that everyone’s interested to know about his basketball career now.

To start with, his first name is Timothy Stukes. TJ played professional basketball for two decades, the majority of which he spent with the Harlem Wizards. In case you’re unaware, the Harlem Wizards is a professional basketball team focused on entertaining the crowd using a variety of basketball tricks and alley-oops rather than winning. They keep on touring the United States.

According to him, TJ started getting serious about basketball when he was 17 years old, the same year he grew 9″ in a single summer. As a result, he enrolled at Independence Community College in Kansas before moving to Pittsburg State University, where he was able to develop his skills as a natural leader as well.

TJ officially retired in March 2023. Despite being involved in basketball since his teenage years, he never made it to the NBA, not sure if he really tried though. However, people do recognize and adore him for his skills while he was with the Harlem Wizards.

TJ Stukes never played basketball in the NBA.
Image Source: Netflix

Despite his retirement, TJ Stukes is still connected to the basketball world through coaching. He is currently the Northern New Mexico College Men’s and Women’s Assistant Basketball Coach, right beside his wife Samantha, who is the Women’s Team Head Coach.

Furthermore, he is the proud Basketball Operations Chief Advisor of the Southwest Desert Hoops organization, which his loving wife founded in 2019, as well as an aspiring actress.

Know About TJ Stukes’ Wife & Net Worth!

TJ Stukes is married to his wife, Samantha “Sam” Stukes (@aofstukes22). TJ apparently met Samantha (originally from El Paso, Texas) for the first time in Kansas in the mid to late 2000s, only to fall completely head over heels in love.

TJ Stukes and his wife, Samantha.
Image Source: Instagram

The Squid Game: The Challenge star and Samantha married soon after, apparently about the same time he won a pro place with the Harlem Wizards, where he remained for the next 12 years. They are also the parents of two gorgeous children: Amare, born in 2010, and Alana Aofia-Stukes, born in August 2013. It’s true that the couple doesn’t reveal much about their children in order for them to learn about relatively everyday lives, but they can’t help but show them off on special occasions.

They’re both currently coaching at Northern New Mexico College with the aim of positively impacting young people, with the former serving as the head coach of the female basketball team.

As for his net worth, it is estimated that he has a fortune of around $1 million. With his increasing popularity and participation in the Netflix reality show, there’s a high chance the numbers will increase sooner.

Anup Pandey is the Founder and CTO of Selectiveyes Group Private Limited, leveraging his expertise in SEO, WordPress, and Python to drive innovation. An entrepreneur at heart, he thrives on solving challenges and seizing opportunities. In his spare time, Anup explores his passion for cinema, sharing insights on the latest trends and developments. Follow his journey for expert commentary and captivating storytelling.

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