Leaders in breaking barriers and making history, the world-famous, Harlem Globetrotters™ today formally announced they will be hosting their first-ever open tryouts to help select athletes for the organization’s Centennial season in 2026. In addition to recruitment efforts of elite talent being made through relationships with the global college and professional basketball community, the Globetrotters have created a portal where anyone can apply for a tryout spot. That portal, found HERE is open today for sign-up.

Official Harlem Globetrotters tryouts will take place in the early fall with the final team being assembled and announced in November. Exact dates and location will be announced later this summer. The Globetrotters have taken significant steps in the past few months to recruit and raise awareness around the basketball community, with representatives taking part in talent showcases like the Portsmouth Invitational and the NBA Pre-Draft Camp as well as adding former SIACC Commissioner Gregory Moore as a talent recruitment consultant.

The organization’s goal is to expand, and elevate, the talent in its ranks and to act as competitive offering for men and women hoopers around the globe for both 2026 and beyond. The Globetrotters continue to add a high-quality level of athlete, which has been reflected in recent years in the signing of former LSU captain Alexis Morris and this past year with the addition of 6-5 rookie forward Asanti “Cash” Price (Columbia, SC), who signed a contract with the NBA G League’s Texas Legends, the affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. Price was one of six rookies signed to the Globetrotters this past November and had the option to return to the club when his G League time ended, which he did.

“We are creating one of the most unique, once in a lifetime opportunities for talented high-level athletes and entertainers, the ability to be part of the Centennial of the most iconic global sports and entertainment property. We wanted to make sure we were not limiting ourselves in our talent search,” said Keith Dawkins, President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios. “While the tryout will be open, and we welcome athletes from all walks of life to join us, this is a serious competition that will combine high-level athleticism, opportunities for fair compensation, player revenue opportunities via sales royalties, content opportunities via our distribution partners, community impact through our CSR efforts, and a rare opportunity to take advantage of all the creative assets we have built to literally expand one’s career beyond the game. The right athletes will have that special element of ‘showpersonship’ that the Globetrotters have been known for. It should make for a fun and exciting way to uncover our next group of stars.”

This past year Globetrotter athletes again set a new bar for excellence on and off the court, bringing their talents to 50 markets around the world and an additional 46 cities in North America. Athletes set 18 new Guinness World Records, the second-most in one season in their history.

The Globetrotters anticipate bringing in approximately 30 athletes to the tryout. It will be the first step of a months-long process in selecting the athletes for the Centennial team.

The Globetrotters legacy has seen athletes ranging from Wilt Chamberlain to Connie Hawkins to Oliver Miller to Lynette Woodward throughout its history, and the goal is to make sure that talent and legacy go hand in hand into this next stage of growth.