# Overtime Elite

Overtime Elite is a basketball league for 16–20-year-olds, based in Atlanta, Georgia. The league is owned and operated by Overtime and was founded by Dan Porter and Zack Weiner.

## History

Overtime launched the Overtime Elite basketball league in 2021 for American and international basketball players between the ages of 16–20. Players receive a minimum salary of $100,000 annually, a signing bonus, and shares in Overtime's larger business. Players can also choose a scholarship option and maintain college eligibility. According to the New York Times, Overtime "provides health and disability insurance and sets aside $100,000 in college scholarship money for each player if they decide not to pursue professional basketball afterwards".
Athletes participate in an academic program featuring a 4:1 student-teacher ratio and a curriculum offering traditional high school subjects alongside life skill-related subjects in financial literacy, social media and other media training, and mental health and wellness.
In April 2021, Overtime Elite hired former NBA player and University of Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie as its first head coach and head of player development. In May that year, the company announced the signings of Matt and Ryan Bewley, the first prep underclassmen to sign contracts with an American professional basketball league. The league also signed Dominican guard Jean Montero in June as its first international player and 16-year-old Jalen Lewis, the youngest American professional basketball player in history, in July. In September, Overtime Elite announced an exclusive partnership with Topps to create basketball trading cards on Overtime Elite athletes. In October, the company announced Gatorade and State Farm as brand partners.
In January 2022, Overtime Elite announced a partnership with Meta to develop virtual reality content for the league. In April 2022, they announced the signing of Naasir Cunningham, the number one basketball prospect in ESPN's Class of 2024. Cunningham became the first Overtime Elite player to forgo being paid a salary, preserving college basketball eligibility after graduating from high school. In July that year, Pau Gasol joined Carmelo Anthony and Jay Williams on the Overtime Elite board of directors. In September, Damien Wilkins was named general manager and Head of Basketball. In October, Overtime Elite announced a partnership with GMC. In November, Overtime Elite and Amazon Prime Video agreed to a multi-year global distribution partnership to stream 20 live Overtime Elite games per season for the league's next three seasons alongside the launch of a series on Overtime Elite in 2023.
In October 2023, Overtime Elite agreed to a multi-year partnership for Adidas to become the league’s exclusive apparel and footwear sponsor. In February 2024, Adidas basketball announced they expanded their NIL roster by signing Overtime Elite players in Ian Jackson, Karter Knox, Mikel Brown Jr., and Adam Oumiddoch.

## Overtime Elite Arena

Overtime Elite built a 103,000 square-foot facility in the Atlantic Station section of Atlanta where players train, study, and compete. The building has three NBA regulation-sized courts that can seat up to 1,300 spectators. The building also has a 7,000-square-foot fitness center, a hydrotherapy room, classroom spaces, a dining hall, and locker rooms.
In June and July 2022, the Professional Fighters League held three regular season events at Overtime Elite Arena.

## Seasons
### Season 1 (2021–2022)

Overtime Elite's inaugural season consisted of three teams – Team Elite, Team OTE, and Team Overtime – playing against each other and against prep schools and high schools. In May 2021, Overtime Elite announced the signing of Amen and Ausar Thompson, top-ranked guards in the 2022 class, and Matt and Ryan Bewley, top-ranked power forward prospects in the 2023 class.
In the league's first season, Team Elite defeated Team OTE 52–45 in Game 3 of the Overtime Elite Finals to become the first league champion. Ausar Thompson was named MVP of the Finals.
After the season, Overtime Elite's Dominick Barlow signed a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs, later becoming the first Overtime Elite prospect to play in the NBA on November 2, 2022. Jean Montero also signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the New York Knicks. Emmanuel Maldonado was also drafted by Mets de Guaynabo in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional League in Puerto Rico.
In the summer of 2022, a group of Overtime Elite players competed in The Basketball Tournament and traveled to Europe to compete against professional clubs Basquet Girona, KK Mega Basket, and KK Studentski centar.

### Season 2 (2022–2023)

In April 2022, Overtime Elite announced the signing of top-ranked 2024 recruit Naasir Cunningham, the first Overtime Elite player to accept a scholarship instead of a salary. In July, Overtime Elite announced the signing of 8 new players for the 2022 season.
Overtime Elite announced their expansion to 6 teams for that season. Team Elite, Team OTE, and Team Overtime were rebranded as the City Reapers, YNG Dreamerz, and Cold Hearts, respectively. High school teams Hillcrest Prep Bruins, Our Saviour Lutheran Falcons, and the Word of God Holy Rams joined Overtime Elite for the second season. In the same month, Overtime Elite announced a 90-game schedule with non-league games against Bryce and Bronny James, Cameron and Cayden Boozer, and Jared McCain.
In November 2022, Overtime Elite announced the signing of top-ranked 2023 recruit Rob Dillingham after he announced his departure from Donda Academy, Kanye West's school, due to the many controversies surrounding its founder during that time.
Ausar Thompson was named regular season MVP. The City Reapers swept the YNG Dreamerz 3-0 in the Overtime Elite Finals. Ausar Thompson was also named MVP of the Finals.
After the end of the season, Amen and Ausar Thompson from the City Reapers went on to become top-5 picks in the 2023 NBA draft, with Amen drafted 4th overall by the Houston Rockets and Ausar drafted 5th overall by the Detroit Pistons. In addition to them, YNG Dreamerz players Jaylen Martin and Jazian Gortman signed deals to join NBA teams after the draft, with Martin getting a two-way contract with the New York Knicks and Gortman signing a deal as an undrafted free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks.

### Season 3 (2023–2024)

Overtime Elite announced that season three will have eight teams: City Reapers, YNG Dreamerz, Rolling Loud, RWE, JellyFam, Blue Checks, Diamond Doves, and Cold Hearts.
YNG Dreamerz guard Eli Ellis was named Overtime Elite MVP after leading the league in scoring, averaging 33.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. Eli scored 40 points in five games and 50 points twice.
The City Reapers would win back-to-back Overtime Elite championships, this time defeating RWE in a deciding game 5, 71-68.
After the end of the season, former Overtime Elite prospects Alex Sarr, Rob Dillingham, Tyler Smith, and Bryson Warren would all enter the 2024 NBA draft alongside the City Reapers' Jalen Lewis, with Sarr and Dillingham both being drafted in the top 10 and Smith drafted in the second round of the draft.

## One Shot: Overtime Elite

On September 5, 2023, Amazon Prime Video released One Shot: Overtime Elite, a six-episode, half-hour docuseries. The series follows seven of the top basketball players from around the country, including Amen and Ausar Thompson, as they navigate various challenges and grueling training in pursuit of a professional career in the sport.

## Notable alumni

The following players have gone from Overtime Elite to either a successful college program or have been successful enough to play professionally either in the NBA, the NBA G League (including the formerly rivaling NBA G League Ignite team), or overseas elsewhere.
* Izan Almansa – Signed with the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League in 2023; currently playing for Perth Wildcats in Australia in 2024
* Dominick Barlow – Signed as an undrafted free agent through a two-way contract with the San Antonio Spurs in 2022
* Malik Bowman – Played professionally for Kouvot in Finland; currently playing for S.C. Lusitânia EXPERT in Portugal
* Kanon Catchings – Playing collegiately for Brigham Young University in 2024
* Somto Cyril – Playing collegiately for the University of Georgia in 2024
* Rob Dillingham – Played collegiately for the University of Kentucky in 2023; drafted 8th overall by the San Antonio Spurs and immediately traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 NBA draft
* Lewis Duarte – Drafted by the Mexico City Capitanes in the 2024 NBA G League draft
* Jazian Gortman – Signed as an undrafted free agent with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2023; played for the Dallas Mavericks
* Bryce Griggs – Drafted by the Texas Legends in the 2024 NBA G League draft
* Ian Jackson – Playing collegiately for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2024
* Karter Knox – Playing collegiately for the University of Arkansas in 2024
* Jalen Lewis – Signed with the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League in 2024
* Emmanuel Maldonado – Played professionally for the Mets de Guaynabo in Puerto Rico
* Jaylen Martin – Signed a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent with the New York Knicks in 2023; plays for the Washington Wizards
* Jean Montero – Played professionally for the Real Betis Baloncesto in Spain
* Alex Sarr – Signed with the Perth Wildcats in Australia in 2023; drafted 2nd overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2024 NBA draft
* Jai Smith – Drafted by the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the 2022 NBA G League draft
* Tyler Smith – Signed with the NBA G League Ignite of the NBA G League in 2023; drafted 33rd overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2024 NBA draft
* Amen Thompson – Drafted 4th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2023 NBA draft
* Ausar Thompson – Drafted 5th overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2023 NBA draft
* Johned Walker – Playing professionally for the Indios de Mayagüez in Puerto Rico
* Bryson Warren – Drafted by the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the 2023 NBA G League draft
* Kok Yat – Drafted by the Iowa Wolves in the 2023 NBA G League draft