SHAWNEE, OK – The Potawatomi Fire are thrilled to announce the re-signing of Jevonlean “Jay” Hedgeman for the 2026 TBL season.
“I’m very excited to have Hedge back for another season,” said Fire head coach and three-time TBL Coach of the Year Mark Dannhoff. “He wears so many hats for us and can play a multitude of roles. He also loves doing the dirty work that doesn’t always show up in the box score. Beyond that, his unselfishness, attitude, and high basketball IQ make him a pleasure to coach, and I can’t wait to have him back this season.”
Hedgeman (6-7, F) is a versatile player that impacts the game on both offense and defense. In 2025, Hedgeman averaged 11.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. He was also second on the team in shooting at 57.9% from the field. Hedgeman is a durable as he was just one of four players to play in all 28 games for the Fire last season.
“From the start of the off-season, re-signing Hedge was a priority for us,” said Fire general manager David Qualls. “He brings so much to this team both on and off the court. His big personality and athletic plays on both ends of the floor quickly made him a fan favorite. Even though he’s only been here a year, Jay has become a foundational piece for the Fire and we are excited to have him back in 2026.”
Originally from Pearland, Texas, this will be Hedgeman’s fourth season in The Basketball League, previously playing for the Shreveport Mavericks in 2023 and the Houston Push in 2021. Outside of TBL, Hedgeman has played all over the world including in Argentina, Colombia, Kuwait, and Mexico. Hedgeman finished his college career at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
The Fire will begin their 2026 TBL season on March 7th. Individual game tickets and season tickets will be on sale soon.
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ABOUT THE POTAWATOMI FIRE
The Potawatomi Fire are the first professional basketball team owned by a Native American tribe (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) in Oklahoma. The Fire compete in the Central Conference of The Basketball League (TBL), a men’s professional basketball league, with roughly 40 teams across the U.S. and Canada. The Fire play their home games at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Through their first four years, the Fire have established themselves as the premier franchise in TBL. Along with winning the TBL championship in 2023, 2024 and 2025, the Fire organization was named the 2022 winner of the Jim Koch Award as TBL’s Best Ran Business. The dance team of the Fire, the Fire Girls, were named TBL’s Best Dance Team in 2022 and 2025. The Fire Girls were also named the Central Conference Best Dance Team in 2023 and 2024.
