Harlem Globetrotters Unveil 2026 Rookie Class Welcoming 10 New Athletes Ahead of Centennial Season

ATLANTA - Dec. 3, 2025 - PRLog -- The world-famous, Harlem Globetrotters today announced one of their largest groups of new athletes in the organization's history, six men and four women, who will join the returning players as part of  The 100 Year Tour, the organization's 100th season. The group includes players from major Division 1 conferences including THE BIG EAST, the Northeast Conference, the Southland Conferences, a variety of HBCU schools and players with international experience, as well as freestyler Yoh Iwasaki, the Globetrotter's first athlete from Japan and third from Asia. The Globetrotters are currently beginning training camp at Lakepoint Sports in Cartersville, GA., before the official tip off with a special event at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, December 14.

"This year we bolstered our player recruitment efforts with help of a scouting consultant with deep roots across the basketball landscape which resulted in us having greater presence at important events like NBA Summer League, the NBA Draft Combine, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and other facets of the global basketball landscape," said Keith Dawkins President, Harlem Globetrotters & Herschend Entertainment Studios.

Included in the group is Iwasaki, a dynamic freestyle dribbler and trick shot artist whose short form videos have been seen by millions. He becomes the third member of The Globetrotters from Asia, which included "The Mongolian Shark" seven foot, Sharavjamts Tserenjanhor, who was the first Asian player in the early 2000s.

The rest of the Globetrotter and Washington Generals rookies include:

• Zanai Jones (Jersey City, NJ) – A 5'6" point guard from Villanova and SMU
• Mike Saunders Jr (Indianapolis, Ind.) – A 6'0" guard from Pepperdine at McNeese State
• Deangelique Waithe (Lehigh Acres, FL) – A 6'0" forward from Long Island University.
• Kaleb Wallace (Atlanta, GA) – A 6'5" forward, played at Carson-Newman and Catawba
• Ty'Ohn Trimble (Alton, IL) – A 5'7" guard, at Dillard University after starring at Parkland College
• Tyrus Crawford (New Orleans, LA) – A 6'7" forward played for the Dillard Blue Devils

-Tauris Watson (Lexington, SC) – A 6'3" guard, from West Georgia and Wofford

• Gabrielle Bunch (Laurel, MS) – A 5'9" guard who played at Mississippi Valley State
• Marissa Mandeldove (Lilburn, GA) – A 5'5" guard from Clark University

http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com