Between broadcasting countless college basketball games in the winter and continuing his three-on-three career during the summer, free time doesn't come easy for Robbie Hummel.
For the second consecutive summer, however, he will lace up the shoes with some of his former Purdue teammates to play for Men of Mackey in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), which opens up Sunday. They take on Mid American Unity at 7 PM.
Though there are only three former Purdue players on the Men of Mackey roster this year, two played alongside Hummel in West Lafayette (Lewis Jackson, Kelsey Barlow), as did head coach Ryne Smith. All four return to Men of Mackey after advancing to the second round a year ago in the 2021 TBT.
"It was like riding a bike," Hummel said of reuniting with his former teammates on the court last year. "There's a real comfort there with Lewis and Kelsey."
For Hummel, the best part of playing for Men of Mackey and in the TBT environment is the time spent with some of his former teammates and the renewal it brings.
"You cherish the time you spend with some of those guys. We ate, practiced, went on the road together, and then college ends, and it all stops," said Hummel.
Another aspect of TBT that sticks out as special to Hummel is the national exposure of the event on ESPN. Playing in front of a large audience, both in-person and on television, is nothing new to Hummel. Still, it is an aspect he did not experience in his overseas professional career.
"It's enjoyable to feel the adrenaline rush of playing on national TV when it feels important, said Hummel, who experienced playing some of the best teams in Europe, where the only broadcast would be on Galician television. "It's different from Purdue when you're playing Michigan State on CBS and if you win, it'll lead SportsCenter."
But Hummel also cherished the opportunity to connect with fans, especially Purdue fans in a game environment. He enjoyed playing in front of a large contingency of Purdue faithful in last year's Columbus regional of TBT, something he got very used to during his time in Mackey Arena.
In the second game, Men of Mackey lost to Carmin's Crew, a team with several Ohio State alumni. That led to a fun, energetic environment in Columbus that Hummel enjoyed, making his decision to return for a second TBT a "no-brainer," in his words.
But, it is self-imposed double duty for Hummel.
Not only does Hummel play in TBT for Men of Mackey, but he also broadcasts part of the event for ESPN. His immersion in TBT has allowed him to see the nuances of the event several times, particularly the Elam Ending and how it impacts the game.
For those unaware or in need of reminding here is how the Elam ending works. The clock turns off at the first dead ball with less than four minutes to go. Eight points are added to the leading team's point total, creating a "target score." Once either team reaches the target point total, the game ends. For example, if Men of Mackey leads 70-65 when the Elam Ending begins, the first team to reach 78 points is the winner.
A year ago, Men of Mackey had a substantial lead over Ballinteers in their first-round matchup, but that lead dwindled to single digits during the Elam Ending. It's that type of excitement and pressure on the players that make the novel format a fun addition to the TBT format. And Hummel, concurs.
"It makes it more like a tennis match. You don't see anyone in tennis running the clock out; you have to win the last point," said Hummel. "Even though I love the game of basketball, the endings can be anti-climatic. The Elam Ending guarantees that you get a game-winner."
Hummel noted that the NBA All-Star Game uses the Elam Ending. While he believes it's improved that event, he isn't sold on implementing the Elam Ending in collegiate or professional basketball.
"It's a really cool part of TBT, but you'd be making a huge change. It probably won't happen [at the college or pro levels], but for this event, it's awesome."
Hummel constantly stays connected to basketball through broadcasting (including his Goodman and Hummel Basketball Podcast) and continuing his three-on-three career. He broadcasted up to five games per week this past college basketball season and almost immediately jumped back into playing basketball once the season ended in early April.
Since April, he's played three-on-three events in Japan, Serbia, Germany and France. He plans to play in a few more events before college basketball re-starts, noting events in Taiwan and Puerto Rico that have piqued his interest. It's a last hoorah for Hummel in three-on-three basketball.
"This is definitely my last year of playing three-on-three, however. I've exhausted that," Hummel said." It's been a cool thing, but the travel aspect of it is hard. Flying internationally for (only) a guarantee of 20 minutes of basketball is a lot.".
TBT, however, with the traditional five-on-five format, makes Hummel extra eager to get on the floor with his teammates,. He hopes this year's version can get past the second round of the event, the stopping point for the Men of Mackey in its two appearances.
"A good goal for us is to advance further than last year and keep building," Hummel said. "There are some really good teams out there. I like our roster."
As far as personal goals go? Hummel is practical and realistic.
“Make some shots. Make some threes; that’s a good goal."
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