Official Recap: Chi-League 2023

Learn why the 2023 Chi-League Pro-Am Basketball Tournament was the best one yet.

The walls of Whitney Young High School thrummed with excitement this summer, and a gym that normally sits empty this time of year filled up as basketball players and fans from Chicagoland and beyond flocked to the West Loop for the 2023 Wilson Chi-League Pro-Am Basketball Tournament.

Revived by Wilson in 2021, Chi-League is a beloved tradition that celebrates the essence of Chicago basketball. The event spans four weekends in the summer and brings together local legends and current and former professionals to compete in a single-elimination, NBA, WNBA and NCAA-sanctioned pro-am tournament. By all accounts, 2023 was the tourney’s best year yet.

Chi-League 2023 featured eight teams in the men’s and women’s brackets. While every weekend of the event saw strong crowd attendance, championship weekend was packed wall-to-wall; the venue at full capacity. The feeling of camaraderie was palpable as everyone in the gym‒players and fans alike‒ were #bondedbyball. Players, including NBA and WNBA stars, told jokes, posed for pictures and warmed up just a few feet away from the growing crowd on the high school’s court.

In the spirit of making ball accessible for all, Chi-League is always free to attend. Giving the community‒specifically kids‒ an opportunity to see high-level basketball without paying to attend an NBA or college game is one of the most meaningful aspects of pro-ams. Many Chi-League players cite pro-ams as being a major source of inspiration during their come-ups and are happy to pay it forward.

“It always feels like a homecoming that gets better every year,” said Kevin Murphy, General Manager of Team Sports at Wilson. “When I walked up and saw the Chi-League sign outside and all the people coming in, it was fun to see.”

Wilson’s hometown of Chicago is a proud city, always looking for ways to distinguish itself, and basketball plays an important role. The nature of the game and the culture of the fans is unique to the city, described by players in the tournament as relentless, impactful, and spicy.

Royce Parran, Chicago State alum and Chi-Leauge’s Week 1 Player of the Week said, “The culture of Chicago basketball is electric. We have a ton of players in the stands and on the floor, and we have young and up-and-coming talent in Chicago. Everything about it makes it a great time for summertime basketball.”

Since its revival, Wilson has hosted Chi-League at different locations throughout the city, including the Chicago State and UIC campuses. But this year, organizers aimed for a more personal setting.

“What made this year different was the intimacy of the site,” said Chicago basketball stalwart and Chi-League Tournament Director, Jobba Maxey. “It started the first year at Chicago State. It was beautiful…It was just too big. And then we tried at UIC last year. Beautiful establishment, but at the end of the day, [it was] super big. Whitney Young, it’s intimate, it’s right here in the heart of Chicago, and it was unbelievable.”

In the smaller space, big players continued to make big plays over the course of Chi-League’s four-weekend run. NBA stars, including Dalen Terry, Wendell Carter and Talen Horton-Tucker returned home and fell back into the rhythm of Chicago basketball alongside local legends. Team Cornbread claimed victory in the men’s bracket and Deshawndre Washington was named MVP of the final game.

Bringing some welcome attention to the women’s division, Chicago native, LSU alum and MVP Timia Ware, led Team THK to a 3-peat championship victory in the final round with the help of former Chicago Sky player, Khaalia Hillsman.

“It is an honor for women’s basketball to be recognized on the same stage and capacity as men’s basketball,” said Lashonda Sanderford, a player for Elite. “It is long overdue, but it is much appreciated for people to see it and so we can continue to expand it.”

Along with securing a more intimate venue, Wilson partnered with the YMCA of Metro Chicago to offer events for the community outside of the tournament itself, including youth basketball clinics, a park beautification project and a youth health and wellness activity. A 25-thousand dollar donation to the YMCA was the cherry on top of Chi-League 2023’s impact.

“It’s bigger than basketball,” said Maxey. “Even though we’re bonded by this game, it’s bigger than the game. The relationships, they’re so important…and the partnership is so beautiful. I’m just really appreciative about everything Wilson has done to help the city of Chicago get to where it’s at when it comes to basketball.”

For info on Chi-League 2024, stay locked on @wilsonbasketball on IG and check back here often.