Cory Bradford Announces He's Out Of Illini’s ‘House Of Paign’ TBT Team
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Cory Bradford will not be able to represent Illinois on a basketball floor for the first time in 18 years.
The former Illini sharpshooter, who set the NCAA record with 88 consecutive games with a three-point field goal, announced on Twitter Monday morning that he’ll be unable to participate in The Basketball Tournament 2020 as a part of the ‘House Of Paign’ Illinois alumni team due to the birth of his first child.
“I regret to inform everyone that I will not be able to join THE HOUSE OF PAIGN in the TBT 2020,” Bradford wrote on Twitter. “As most of you know, my wife and I are expecting our first child. We are in our third trimester. I feel that it is more important to be with my wife during this time to experience this moment and ensure our safety during this unprecedented time.”
Bradford just concluded a near 20-year pro career spanning 12 foreign countries including Bosnia & Herzegovina, China, Colombia, Cyprus, France, Hungary, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. The pregnancy of his wife and the ongoing uncertainty involving the coronavirus led the 41-year-old Bradford to retire from basketball but one of the first players to agree to play on the ‘House Of Paign’ team being compiled by former Illini guard Mike LaTulip.
“I want to thank my man @LaTulip_Mike For wanting me to be a part of this tough group Of MEN. I can’t wait to watch you guys compete next month,” Bradford tweeted. “I love you Illini nation. I’m forever grateful for your support. My heart bleeds ORANGE AND BLUE. GO ILLINI.”
Bradford was part of the 2000-01 and 2001-02 back-to-back Big Ten championship teams coached by then-head coach Bill Self. Bradford scored 1,735 career points with 275 assists, 108 steals while having a .389 field goal percentage for the Illini. After the Memphis native selected the Illini, Bradford was honored at the end of the season by being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year as well as being selected to the third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and the Basketball News All-Freshman second team. In his junior season, Bradford was on the 2000-01 team that made it to the elite eight of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
The TBT announced its 24-team, single-elimination bracket last week for the tournament that will begin on July 4-5 in Columbus, Ohio and the ‘House Of Paign’ team, which is also expected to have Malcolm Hill, Nnanna Egwu, Michael Finke, Andres Feliz and Leron Black, is the 16-seed in the field and they drew the 17-seed ‘War Tampa’, which will have Auburn alums Bryce Brown, DeSean Murray and Horace Spencer along with Wofford alum Fletcher McGee. The winner of that game will play the top-seed and defending champion ‘Carmen’s Crew’ primarily of Ohio State alumni.
All TBT 2020 games air live across ESPN Networks from July 4-14.