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TJ Stukes, a retired basketball pro, gained recognition with the Harlem Wizards as “TJ ‘Tomahawk’ Stukes.”
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Now a basketball coach at Northern New Mexico College, Stukes mentors both men’s and women’s teams.
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Stukes explores the entertainment world, appearing in movies and TV shows, notably as a coach in Netflix’s “Hustle.”
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Currently famous as a contestant on “Squid Game: The Challenge,” Stukes competes in challenges inspired by the popular show for a significant cash prize.
Getting to know TJ in “Squid Game: The Challenge”
TJ ‘Tomahawk’ Stukes is one of the cool contestants in the Netflix show “Squid Game: The Challenge.” He has led the game or the team in each game until he got eliminated.
Sadly, he was the 1st one to fall during the 8th game ‘One Step Close.’
TJ’s Big Moments in the “Warships” Game
TJ Stukes became a big deal in episode three during a game called “Warships.” Unlike the original “Squid Game,” this one’s about placing ships strategically and knocking out the other team.
He takes charge as a team captain, guiding his teammates on where to put their ship and trying to find and sink the other team’s ship.
TJ Stukes Bio, Age
Stukes had a tough start. He was born in the Bronx, New York, in 1984. He had to go through foster care in the Bronx and Mount Vernon.
Later on, a 6 feet 18 inches tall man ended up in Kansas and started playing basketball at a place called Independence Community College.
After that, he went to Pittsburg State University in Kansas, as he shared in an interview with Beatrice magazine.
From Playing to Coaching Basketball
After finishing college, TJ moved from playing basketball to coaching it. He played for a team called the Harlem Wizards in 2009, where they called him TJ “Tomahawk” Stukes.
But after many years of playing, he retired in March. Now, he’s a coach for the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Northern New Mexico College.
Family and Business Life
Now, let’s peek into TJ’s personal life. He is married to his girlfriend Samantha. He met his wife, Samantha, in Kansas while they were both into basketball.
Now, they work together at Northern New Mexico College, where Samantha is the head coach of the women’s basketball team.
They also have two kids named Amare and Alana. Also, they run a gym together in Northeast El Paso, Texas.
TJ Stukes: More Than “Squid Game”
Did you know that “Squid Game: The Challenge” isn’t TJ’s first time in the spotlight? Nope! He’s been in movies, TV shows, and commercials. One movie he was in is “Hustle,” on Netflix. In that movie, he played a coach.
Also, he was featured in a reality show broadcasted by MTV2, Nike Battlegrounds and hosted by LeBron James.
Funny Story with Adam Sandler
Here’s a fun story from TJ’s life. He made a TikTok video in March, and guess what? He shared that while filming “Hustle” with Adam Sandler, he won a $100 Olive Garden gift card. Why?
Because Sandler was super impressed with TJ’s basketball tricks. Imagine winning free food for being awesome!
To sum it up, TJ Stukes isn’t just a “Squid Game: The Challenge” player. He’s had a journey from a tough childhood to playing pro basketball and now coaching.
And hey, he’s not just about sports – he’s also a family guy, a gym owner, and a movie star. TJ Stukes is like a real-life MVP, showing us that you can be good at many things in this game called life.