Not Just A Phase: E-Sports Giant FaZe Clan Dips Into Club Basketball
Anwar Stetson
From Gamers to Hoopers
FaZe Clan pioneered competitive E-Sports when it launched in 2010, with its original team going viral for Call of Duty and Counter Strike gameplay. By combining online gaming with content creation and social media, the team skyrocketed as one of the first major online digital content brands to succeed worldwide.
Now, FaZe Clan is making its way into the youth sports world.
Last Tuesday, FaZe Clan officially joined the Overtime Elite (OTE) group of club basketball teams. Overtime Elite is a social media-dominant club basketball league currently rostering some of the best 16-20 year old hoopers in the country. It largely operates as an alternative to college basketball.
FaZe’s introduction into OTE is just another major sign of the proliferation of content creation in youth sports.
A Great Squad Needs a Big Leader: Marcus Spears Jr.
Marcus Spears Jr., a 6’9” forward out of Dynamic Prep (Texas) and the son of former NFL all-pro and media personality Marcus Spears and former WNBA player Aiysha Spears, will headline FaZe’s squad.
Spears Jr. is the number one prospect in the Class of 2027 according to ESPN and the number one at his position according to Prep Hoops. The 16-year-old played for the dominant Team USA U16 squad this summer, helping them win gold. Prep Network hoops scout Michael Roth saw Spears Jr. play at Team USA October minicamp earlier this month, and he says that Spears’ biggest strength is his incredible defense:
Prep Hoops’ Michael Roth on Marcus Spears Jr.
“One of the top defensive prospects in the country, Spears’ length, foot speed and defensive IQ gave opponents trouble all day. Spears Jr. does a nice job of giving space to quicker guards on switches because his length allows him to still contest or block jump shots even if he’s a little backed off the ball. The combination of rim protection, switch-ability and pick and roll coverage makes Spears Jr. a dominant defensive player. Once the offensive skills come around, Spears has the potential to be one of the top two-way prospects in the country.”
The Dallas native and defensive stalwart has high hopes for his OTE legacy.
“MVP is going to be one of my goals for sure, [but] it’s not the main goal,” Spears Jr. told Overtime in an interview posted over the weekend. “The main goal is for the team to win. But also, an MVP can come with winning.”
FaZe is also bringing top talent to the bench, hiring former NBA All-Star Jermaine O’Neal as its head coach.
Entering the Chat
FaZe is already helping Overtime dominate the youth basketball space — they’ve accrued 19,000 Instagram and 14,000 Tik-Tok followers in only two weeks.
FaZe Clan joins a number of other famous brands and celebrities that have attached their names to the OTE league. For example, social media star Cam Wilder founded Rod Wave Elite — named after his favorite rapper, Rod Wave. Street wear brand Fear of God also has its own OTE team, Fear of God Athletics.
OTE began as an NCAA alternative that paid its youth athletes a $100,000 salary. Now that N.I.L. is ubiquitous for young student-athletes across the nation, opportunities in the social media and content space have become another major draw for the league.
For example, Overtime Prep hooper and Kansas commit Taylen Kinney helped popularize the viral “six-seven” meme.
As one of the original content creating brands, FaZe’s partnership with OTE makes perfect sense in today’s content-driven landscape.
We’ll be on the lookout for viral crossovers and partnerships between the OG FaZe Clan and its new basketball squad this coming season.
FaZe Clan plays YNG Dreamerz Friday night at the Phhacility in Arizona to begin its season.