Denny Hamlin has his share of interests outside the track. Unlike Jimmie Johnson, the veteran won’t jump on a bicycle and ride 50 miles, or lace up his running shoes and compete in a marathon like Jamie McMurray. But if you give him a basketball and a hoop, the Florida native will keep himself occupied for hours, which may go on to explain his long but successful partnership with NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, as the two met when Jordan was part owner of the Charlotte Hornets and Denny was a passionate fan cheering them on.

This might also shed light on Denny Hamlin’s famous ‘hoop group’, which Truck Series racer and Bubba Wallace’s mentee, Rajah Caruth, attempted to join recently. However, the 22-year-old narrowly fell short of the ‘requirements’ despite putting on a good show.

Denny Hamlin outlines reasons for Caruth’s rejection

It all started decades ago. Back in the mid-2000s, Denny Hamlin had just moved to Charlotte to become a full-time racing driver. Back then, he spent his free time playing basketball in a local league, home to many in the NASCAR circles. That love interest eventually led to the start of a five-team basketball league in 2016, which was held at North Carolina’s Sun Energy Arena and was called the ‘Hoop Group.’

Rajah Caruth recently attempted to join the ‘league,’ but narrowly fell short of the expectations. Sharing the reasons why on the Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin said, “He came here and did a little Hoop Group tryout… He brought his dad. I think his dad was a hooper at some point. But Rajah [Caruth] fit right in. He was just not good enough to be perfect for the league… He had all the intangibles and skill set that we were looking for. But the list was long, we just wanted to get our eye on him, make sure if we put him on the sub list.”

Hamlin listed the ‘intangibles’ that they were looking for, and most of them did not even involve being good at basketball. “In our league, we’re not looking for great talent. We’re looking for solid people who bring something to the table, and hey, are you gonna have a beer with us after?… A good vibes guy is what we’re looking for.” 

Hamlin emphasized that Hoop Group is less about actual basketball skill, which Caruth has a lot of, but rather the personality you bring off the court. And sometimes, being too good at your Hoop Group tryouts might see you get cut. A chuckling Hamlin added, “If you come in and dunk, it’s over. Your tryouts are over… It would be no fun watching them play… It’s wildly entertaining because when someone goes for the game-winning layup, you just don’t know whether it’s going to go in or not.”

While this league might not sound serious from the outside, trust us, it’s way more competitive than you would think. We’re not just talking about friends hanging out and playing a game of basketball. The ‘Hoop Group’ meets at Denny Hamlin’s indoor court, and there are uniforms, referees, and even a trophy for the championship winner. Back in the day, games were held Monday after the Cup Series race, summer from March to June, and the likes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, as well as Rick Allen and Michael Waltrip used to participate.

Rajah Caruth hoped to be a part of the ‘gang’ but didn’t make the cut. However, Denny Hamlin had nothing but praise for the 22-year-old, for his basketball skills as well as stellar driving. On Friday, Caruth won his second-ever Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, locking himself into the playoffs after a hard-fought run while battling Corey Heim.

Hamlin added, “But he [Rajah Caruth] was fun. Loved playing with him. He’s a great kid, very inquisitive on how he can get better. Great to see that he’s getting success in the Trucks that he’s hoping to get.” Who knows, perhaps the Georgia native will break into the league later on and compete alongside his fellow NASCAR stars on a stage other than the racetrack.

The ‘Hoop Groupers’ use their league to get some exercise and indulge in their competitive spirit. It’s not just their shared interest in the sport, but bragging rights are also on the line, and on rare occasions, on-track rivalries spill over on the basketball court. Back in 2018, Denny Hamlin and Bubba Wallace were involved in a crash at the Daytona 500, and the Alabama native didn’t play in the league until they reconciled.

Trending

1

Teresa Earnhardt Labeled “Wicked Witch” by NASCAR Fans After $2.23 Trillion Earnhardt Partner’s Exposè

2

$2.4 Billion Giant Acquires NASCAR Speedway for 7 Years in Multimillion Dollar Deal

3

“There Aren’t Enough Curse Words”: Teresa Earnhardt’s Name Dragged Through the Mud by Fans Months After Earning Goodwill

4

AI Strikes the Earnhardt Family As Dale Jr. and Sister Kelley Shocked to Their Cores

5

Dale Earnhardt Jr Criticizes France Family’s “Leaked” NASCAR Information

Hamlin’s deep connection with basketball

Denny Hamlin’s love for basketball goes back years. The 44-year-old had courtside season tickets to the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets for over 10 years, and his fiancée Jordan Fish, who is currently expecting their third child, used to be a former cheerleader for the team. That’s how the racer and Michael Jordan became friends in the first place.

The veteran recalled the interaction in 2019, saying, “I was walking out at halftime. He stopped me and asked me about a race that happened a couple of weeks ago. I said, ‘Wow, you watch NASCAR? He said, ‘Yeah, take my number, we’ll get up and go to a race or something sometime.’ I remember him texting me for the whole second half. I was wondering, ‘What the heck is going on?’ I didn’t realize he was as big of a racing fan as he was.”

After their chance encounter, Hamlin and Jordan were often pictured playing golf together. And back in 2014, the NBA Hall of Famer, along with his family, even flew into Florida to show their support towards the No. 11 driver, who was in the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami. The racer also knows LeBron James, and in 2018, the basketball star wore shoes with purple suede that had been cut out of Hamlin’s racing shoes for the NBA finals. Now that’s something to brag about, right?