Michael Beasley’s Purple Reign and Frank Mason III’s JHX Hoops Will go Head-To Head in a Best-of-Three Series July 21-24
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) unveiled a new format and winner-take-all $2 million prize, headlined by a first-round best-of-three series between Purple Reign (Kansas State) and JHX Hoops (Kansas).
TBT 2026 will feature 16 teams, with eight alumni teams and eight non-alumni teams competing on two separate sides of the bracket. TBT’s first round will now be a best-of-three series before returning to the single-elimination format for future rounds. Just five wins are needed to capture TBT’s $2 million prize.
Michael Beasley’s Purple Reign will take on Frank Mason III’s JHX Hoops July 21-24.
“I’m excited about getting out there and being in Manhattan for the first time in a while,” said Michael Beasley. “I haven’t dribbled a ball there in a while. It’ll be great to get out there and feel some of that nostalgia.”
“Playing for Kansas is a privilege, and facing off against Kansas State always adds an edge,” said Frank Mason III. “I didn’t lose often to them during my time in college, and I have no plans to let that happen this summer. Fans can expect a high-energy series, and we’re ready to compete for that $2 million prize. JHX Hoops is here to show that Kansas basketball reigns supreme.”
“We have wanted to see Frank Mason III and Mike Beasley face off for a number of years,” said TBT founder and CEO Jon Mugar. “This $2,000,000 matchup is going to be electrifying, and exactly what fans will want to see out of summer basketball. We can’t wait to play in Bramlage.”
As part of the best-of-three series, both teams will have a chance to host at least one home game. The first game of the series will take place at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan Tuesday, July 21, at 8 pm CT, and will be televised live on FS1. Game two will be played at Lee Arena in Topeka (JHX Hoops designated home gym) Wednesday, July 22, at 7 pm CT and will be televised live on FS2.
Game three (if necessary) will be played back at Bramlage on Friday, July 24, at 8 pm CT and will be streamed live on YouTube.
Tickets for games at Bramlage Coliseum and Lee Arena will be available starting Tuesday at 5 pm CT on TBTHoops.com.
The winner of the Kansas-Kansas State series will face the winner of the Wichita State-New Mexico series in a single-game second round Monday, July 27 at 8 pm CT on FS1.
The other Alumni Bracket matchups include Kentucky-Louisville and Syracuse-Seton Hall. The Alumni Bracket Championship will be played Wednesday, July 29 at 7 pm ET on FS1.
TBT’s eight non-alumni teams will compete in the Las Vegas Bracket, a single-location event to be played entirely at the M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas from July 22-30. Team slots in the Las Vegas Bracket are available to the public at a variable entry fee ranging from $125,000-250,000.
The winner of the Las Vegas Bracket will play the winner of the Alumni Bracket on Sunday, Aug. 2 on FOX at the Alumni Bracket champion’s home court.
TBT’s new format for 2026 comes after a record-setting tournament in 2025. Over 500,000 viewers tuned into FOX as the AfterShocks (Wichita State) defeated Eberlein Drive, in a raucous championship held on Wichita State’s campus. TBT 2025 also set a championship game attendance record, as 9,029 fans packed Koch Arena. Despite students not being in session, it was Wichita State’s biggest crowd for a basketball game in over three years.
TBT drew 85,395 fans in attendance last summer, surpassing its own record in 2024. Since 2022, TBT has grown its annual attendance by over 136%.
For more information on the Kansas-Kansas State series or TBT’s new format, visit TBTHoops.com.
