SAN ANTONIO — If NBA players need help adjusting to life in the bubble, Marcus Keene is their guy.
"I feel like that's why I'm a lot more comfortable in this," the Warren High School product said. "I've already not played with fans. I've already played with nobody in the gym."
Before Keene was doing damage in "The Basketball Tournament" (also known as TBT), he finished up his professional season in Taiwan. It was one of the only leagues playing during the pandemic in April.
"Like I (tell) my friends: The only time I see sunlight is when we walk to the arena for the game," Keene said, laughing. "You have to bring your own energy, and that's coming from the last guy on your bench to your starter and your coaches and your training staff."
With Keene back in the United States, he is helping his Sideline Cancer team compete for the $1 million grand prize. Out of 24 squads in the bubble, this group ranks No. 22 and they are just three wins away from taking home a sizable check.
"Everyone out here is a professional basketball player somewhere," Keene said. "I know some are at higher levels than others, but that gives us that motivation. That's what our team has—we get (overlooked) and I've been overlooked my whole life."
Keene showed us a long time ago he was always ready for the big moment.
While he is averaging roughly 23 points and 6 dimes in the tournament, he is pushing his career to new heights.
"I know I'm trying to get to the highest level I can," Keene said. "I have that as my mindset when I go into those games. It's just an audition. There's no basketball on right now so we're auditioning, not just for overseas, but maybe the NBA, G League, whatever the case may be. We're still auditioning."
And if the NBA doesn't work out, that's OK.
I promise you it is not going to burst his bubble.
"I just want to show other people who don't get to the NBA that you can still make a professional career somewhere else. You can make a lot of money in other places and that's what I'm trying to do."