Mario Chalmers Returns to Kansas Spotlight as TBT Adds Jayhawk Legend to Alumni Roster

Kansas basketball fans will get another chance to watch one of the most iconic players in program history after Mario Chalmers was officially added to the JHX Hoops roster for The Basketball Tournament.

Tournament organizers announced that Chalmers will suit up alongside fellow former Jayhawks Frank Mason III and several other Kansas alumni when JHX Hoops opens its TBT run against the Kansas State alumni team next week. The addition immediately gives the rivalry series even more star power, with former Kansas State standout Michael Beasley also expected to participate. For Jayhawk fans, Chalmers is pretty easy to remember. 

He cemented his place in Kansas history with arguably the biggest shot the program has ever seen, knocking down the game-tying three-pointer against Memphis in the closing seconds of the 2008 national championship game before the Jayhawks captured the NCAA title in overtime. The play, forever known as “Mario’s Miracle,” helped deliver Bill Self his first national championship and earned Chalmers Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four.

His return to Kansas basketball comes during an eventful year personally. Earlier this year, Chalmers announced he was returning to the University of Kansas to complete the degree he left behind when he declared for the 2008 NBA Draft.

“I finally did something that I have been putting off since ’08,” Chalmers wrote on social media. “Momma ain’t raise no quitter so let me run it back and get my degree.”

He jokingly added, “NCAA can I get my senior year back at KU to hoop too lol.”

While another season in Allen Fieldhouse isn’t possible, TBT offers the next best opportunity.

The Kansas alumni squad will now feature one of the most decorated backcourts imaginable with Chalmers and Frank Mason leading the way against their in-state rivals. Beyond the basketball itself, Chalmers’ participation serves as another reminder of the connection many former Jayhawks maintain with the program long after their playing careers…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mario-chalmers-returns-kansas-spotlight-140037674.html

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Publish date : 2026-07-16 14:00:00

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