SHAWNEE, OK – The Potawatomi Fire have re-signed Ricardo Artis II (6-6, F) for The Basketball League’s (TBL) upcoming 2026 season. Artis II has helped the Fire win the last three TBL championships and was named TBL’s Playoff MVP last season.
“I’m so happy Ricky is back this year,” said Fire general manager David Qualls. “He is not only a great basketball player, but he is a fan favorite that can work the crowd unlike anybody in TBL. Ricky is an entertainer who also knows how take over games when needed. I’m excited, and I’m sure all the Fire fans out there are excited, that Ricky will be entertaining us once again this season.”
Artis II has been a key factor for the Fire in all three of their championship seasons. In 2023, he joined the team late in the season to bolster the Fire’s depth for their first championship. In 2024, Artis II came off the bench, earning TBL’s 6th Man of the Year award, fortifying the Fire’s second unit in their run to their second championship. Last season, Artis II moved into the starting five and averaged over 16 points and 6 rebounds a game as the Fire won their third consecutive championship.
“I’m excited to have Ricky returning to the Fire this season,” said reigning three-time TBL Coach of the Year Mark Dannhoff. “He brings a different level of passion, and you can tell he truly loves the game of basketball. On the court, he may be the most versatile player on our roster. I know he will embrace, compete, and succeed at any challenge I present to him. Ricky is not only one of the best defenders in the TBL, but also an electrifying offensive player. His greatest quality is his unselfishness. He’s always willing to sacrifice his own numbers and do the dirty work that helps us win.”
In 2025, Artis II finished second on the team in scoring averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting 56.0% from the field. Artis II also set new career highs in three-point shooting (40.7%) and free throw shooting (78.6%) last season. He was also second on the team in rebounds at 6.2 rebounds per game.
This will be Artis II’s seventh TBL season. He previously played for the Dallas Skyline (2020 and 2021) and the Enid Outlaws (2022) before joining the Fire in the 2023 season. Outside of TBL, Artis II has also played professionally in Canada, Germany, and Iraq.
Originally from Austin, Texas, Artis II played his collegiately at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.
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.
