EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – For five weeks in London, a local basketball coach from the Borderland went against 455 other contestants in the Netflix reality tv show the ‘Squid Game Challenge’ telling KTSM his experience was something he has never done before.
“There were so many things that they didn’t show and I mean, understandably, for me, personally, it was very strenuous at that moment. You know mentally tacting, but you know I had to present calm and I was calm, and people were panicking. So when we see the first four people get eliminated in front of the line, we were like this is real,” said Squid Game Player 182, T.J. Stukes
While Stukes focuses on coaching basketball on a regular basis in New Mexico, Stukes tells KTSM when he applied he didn’t think he would have a shot since time was running out.
“I’m scrolling through twitter, and I see ‘Squid Game the Challenge.’ Nah sounds like season two, I’m good. I scrolled again, and it says this is the last chance to apply for the Squid Game Challenge. This is the last hour. This is the last day to apply.”
Little did he know that last-minute chance to apply would get him a phone call to become a Squid Game Challenge contestant.
While this isn’t Stukes first go around in reality tv show games, the former pro basketball player has appeared in several other shows such as Nike Battleground on MTV2, as well as The Cube on TBS, winning $50,000 dollars along with his wife Samantha.
Even though his wife did not join him this time around, his family’s support from the beginning helped Stukes be the leader in several games such as battleship on episode 3. Stukes breaks down and cries thanking his wife for taking leadership and saving every single contestant on his team.
“We’ve worked hard as a married couple. I praise her just as much because she’s stuck by me in my lowest, my highest and my middle and she’s given me the grace. To learn from my mistakes, to be that better person, not just for myself but for my family.”
Throughout the reality tv show, the majority of the games seen in the actual Korean show Squid Game were played, such as Red Light, Green Light, the glass bridge and the cookie game. However, other games caught players off guard, such as battleship and when player 198 answers the phone and becomes at risk of elimination.
“What the tv show didn’t show the audience is that the phone rang 4 times, so the first time it ranged, that’s when he got the food, the second one was pizza, the third one was a donut, so in South Korea a lot of people don’t know this, but the number four is a very unlucky number, like for us thirteen,” Stukes said.
Leading player 198 to get eliminated after failing to convince others to answer the phone. Stukes says during that game, other players kept taking the fast food player 198 kept receiving, since boiled eggs, chicken, rice, and oatmeal is all they ate.
“We were eating 1,000 calories a day. A normal person is supposed to eat like 3,035 a day. It was crazy because I went in at 255. I came out at 220.”
While losing weight was not the only thing Stukes lost, it was his turn to get eliminated at the glass bridge. Telling KTSM when Jackie (player 393) gave him the number one vest to go first, she was emotionally obliterated.
“When I got number one, you know I am still a human being. I still have a range of emotions. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I was very upset. I was. But that’s the thing I allowed myself to be that. I didn’t hide it.”
Making great connections along the way in the game, he expected that number one, 19 times, he said.
“Being in New York, we’re not expected to survive past 25. That already beat the odds. Having those odds consistently, beating those odds every day because when people say how are you doing and you say I woke up, I’m beating the odds already, I’m winning,”
However, if you watched the end of episode seven, Stukes is the first to fall, but that was not Stukes who fell through the glass. Instead, a stunt man who looked nothing like him.
“He had a long, long ponytail, and I was like that doesn’t look like me, and I’m pointing to his face and he was like, ‘That’s just the way it goes, man.'” Stukes said.
Although Stukes did not take home that 4.56-million-dollar prize, he did gain a supportive Borderland audience. He wouldn’t mind taking that challenge up once again since season two is official.
Filling in KTSM that during the filming of the game, no phones are allowed. However, they were able to step outside the building at least once a day, including access to showers, and three meals a day.
Therefore, if you are emotionally, physically and strong enough to sign up for the next challenge of Squid Game, take your shot here to be the next winner.
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