Meet TJ Stukes, a former pro athlete from New York competing on Squid Game: The Challenge. How old is he? Who is his wife? How much is his net worth?
Read all about him in this article.
TJ Stukes On Squid Game: The Challenge
Former basketball player TJ Stukes is one of the contestants on Squid Game: The Challenge. Squid Game: The Challenge, a reality program on Netflix based on Squid Game that would match 456 contestants against one another for $4.56 million, premiered on November 22, 2023.
When competitors on the reality show spoke out anonymously about the bitterly cold weather and other issues that led to several people needing medical assistance during the first task, Red Light Green Light, the show made news in January 2023.
Nevertheless, EW is informed by executive producers John Hay, Toni Ireland, and Stephen Yemoh that certain statements were “not accurate.”
“It was a big, complicated shoot, and it was quite cold and it took quite a long time for all these adjudication reasons,” John said, referring to how they judged whether any of the 456 players moved when they were supposed to be “frozen” in the game. “But it’s incredibly important to us to do these things safely and with due care for the welfare of our players. We did absolutely everything appropriate, and it was a very small number of people who were treated for medical issues, but some of the reports that were given anonymously by those who were eliminated were not accurate.”
The participants’ physical and mental health were given first attention during the demanding production, the producers explain, and they maintained a large staff of mental health specialists on-site the entire time.
“Before everybody is picked to be on the show, they talk to a psychiatrist and they go through an evaluation to see if they’re mentally fit enough to be on the show,” Stephen said. “And then once they’re on the show, they’ve always got an opportunity to speak to psych at any point if they feel like they’re struggling. We have a big welfare team, bigger than any other reality show we’ve worked on, who are always watching — they’re separate from the editorial team and they’re watching for any triggers if they feel like somebody might be struggling or not being honest to the producers about what’s going on with them. Any little triggers, we’re always trying to pick up on that.”
“We filmed in London, and I was cut off from the world, literally. No phone, no watch, no internet, no TV, no anything. It was just me and 456 other people from 35 countries around the world. And we were literally locked in a set,” TJ shared his own story adding that it was the most challenging event he has faced.
TJ Stukes Age
Born in 1984, TJ Stukes is 39 years old (as of 2023).
TJ Stukes Job
TJ Stukes is working as a Northern New Mexico College Men’s and Women’s Assistant Basketball Coach. He is a retired pro basketball player who played for 20 years until he retired in March 2023. His greatest achievement on the court has been “being a part of a record-setting team with 31 consecutive wins (which is a record that is still active).”
Fame is nothing new to TJ. In addition, he participated in “The Cube,” made appearances in “Hustle,” “Valentine’s Date,” “Chicago PD,” and advertisements for Verizon, Adidas, and Lowe’s.
“I’ve been on multiple Netflix movies and TV shows. I’ve been on game shows, I’ve been in web series. And this is by far the biggest thing I’ve ever done, head-over-heals, 110 percent,” TJ said in an interview with Northern New Mexico College.
But, he is also pursuing a career in acting. “I was part of a reality show on MTV as a teen called Nike Battlegrounds. I was exposed to a world that I was completely enamored by! The lights, so many great people, and obviously the finished product. My time with the Harlem Wizards aided me with my growth as an actor because every single game was a show! I realized quickly that the show had to feel brand new to me because it was a new audience every night,” shared about his aspirations.
On the side, he is also doing modeling and is signed with Inferno Agency.
TJ attended Independence CC and Pittsburg State University in Kansas. For high school, he went to Mount Vernon High School and Bronx Regional High School.
How Much Is TJ Stukes Net Worth?
As of 2023, TJ Stukes’s alleged net worth is above $500 thousand.
TJ Stukes Wife
TJ Stukes is married to his wife Samantha Stukes whom he first met while attending PSU. The married couple said their vows on 21 June 2012. On their 11-year anniversary, TJ posted on Facebook, “WE SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT…. We were out in the city for our special day!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MY LOVE!!! Samantha Stukes #anniversary #truelove #11years #grownandsexy.”
Samantha has been working as a Head Coach at Northern New Mexico College Women’s Basketball since 2023. She is also the owner of Southwest Desert Hoops. Furthermore, Samantha is a graduate of Allen County Community College and the University of Phoenix.
They share two children Amare and Alana Aofia-Stukes. Alana the oldest reached 10 in August 2023.
TJ wished his daughter, “Oh Alana you are 10 years old today!! How the time flies! As I’m holding back my tears making this video, I just wanted to thank you! Thank you for being you! We love you baby girl happy bday! #girldad #fatherhood #fatherdaughter #happybirthday @kanebrown.”
TJ Stukes Height
Being a former athlete, TJ Stukes who stands tall at 6’8 and weighs 250 pounds, is someone to watch out for.
Related FAQs
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Where Is TJ Stukes From?
TJ Stukes is a New Yorker coming from the Bronx. Tj is one of four siblings; the other three are sisters, Ebony, Liz, and Shawntai. Timmy Stukes and Denise Brown are his parents. But, he reportedly did all of his growing up in foster homes.
He is now living in El Paso, Texas.
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When Is TJ Stukes Birthday?
TJ Stukes’s birthday is on 13 October.
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Is TJ Stukes On Instagram?
Yes, TJ Stukes is available on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
