A traveler realized there would be a pro basketball game just a few minute walk from his Airbnb in Uruguay. As he watched the players, he noticed a familiar face on the home team and realized he’s an ex-NBA player. But why is he playing in Uruguay now?
In his video, Tyler Nelson (@tylernelson1318) walks to the stadium because he couldn’t buy tickets online. He immediately notices a bunch of the basketball team’s fans pre-gaming outside.
“There’s like 100 or so people in the street just grilling mean like all wasted,” he says in the video with over 318,000 views. “Keep in mind this team’s record is one win, 14 losses. Pretty cool little cult fanbase.”
A few hours later he returns to the game and sits on a home team-side bleacher. The indoor basketball court is small, with only a few rows of seats. Only around 200 people show up to the game, but Nelson immediately notices how energetic the crowd is.
Then, he shockingly notices former National Basketball Association (NBA) first-round pick Terrance Ferguson on the home team.
Why Does Terrance Ferguson Play Basketball In Uruguay Now?
Ferguson played for Oklahoma City Thunder from 2017 to 2020. However, the team traded him to the 76ers after three years of unremarkable performance, according to Sports Illustrated. He remained with the NBA for just one year after he was traded and subsequently pivoted to playing overseas.
Since transitioning to overseas basketball, Ferguson has played in Poland, Greece, Mexico, Uruguay, and more.
However, he seems to struggle to keep his foothold on international teams as well. According to Telegrafi, Ferguson was terminated from a Kosovo basketball team after just one game for “disciplinary reasons.”
Ferguson currently plays for Club Atletico Welcome Montevideo in Uruguay, per Latin Basketball.
How Did Viewers React To The Ex-NBA Player?
As Nelson shared that the home team continued their losing streak, viewers poked fun at Ferguson’s performance in the comments.
“Terrence Ferguson was one of the worst basketball players I’ve ever seen play on an nba court so this is unsurprising,” one remarked.
A second wrote, “I had a Terrance Ferguson t shirt back in the day, woulda never guessed he’s out in Uruguay playing for a 1-14 team now.”
“Hell of a side quest for TFerg lol 1-15 in that kind of league is something,” another commented.
However, some viewers said the atmosphere of the smaller crowd is an upgrade from a huge NBA stadium.
A commenter said, “Bro energy is better than NBA games and there’s like 200 people there??? What a cool game bro.”
“Crowd’s energy is better than nba games,” another viewer insisted.
Nelson said at the end of the clip that fans were so passionate at the end of the game that they tried to “fight the opposing team.”
@tylernelson1318 what an Uruguayan professional basketball game is really like (Cordón at Club Atlético Welcome) 🏀🇺🇾 #basketball #basquetbol #uruguay #montevideo #internationalbasketball
BroBible reached out to Nelson via Instagram and TikTok direct message and to Club Atlético Welcome via Instagram direct message for further comment. We will update the story when they respond.