Marques Warrick on Joining La Familia: ‘I’m Not Taking This for Granted'”

“Marques Warrick on Joining La Familia: ‘I’m Not Taking This for Granted'”

For Lexington native Marques Warrick, basketball has always been personal  rooted in family, loyalty, and faith. Now, as he prepares to suit up for La Familia in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), it’s all coming full circle.

Warrick didn’t hesitate when Twany Beckham, the general manager of La Familia, made the call to invite him to the team representing Kentucky in the high-stakes summer event.

“I definitely jumped on it in a heartbeat,” Warrick told KSR.

A proud product of Henry Clay High School, Warrick carved out his name in Bluegrass basketball history long before this summer. He graduated as the school’s all-time leading scorer and earned 11th Region Player of the Year honors before continuing his career at Northern Kentucky University. There, he became a star  a four-time All-Horizon League selection, a Horizon League Tournament MVP, and ultimately the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,246 career points.

Despite putting up 600+ points in back-to-back seasons, Warrick stayed at NKU all four years  a rarity in the NIL era. For him, it wasn’t just about basketball. It was about purpose.

“I know that God called me to NKU for sure to do what I did there and finish off four years there,” Warrick said. “Now in the NIL era, it’s unheard of, but I’m big on loyalty… I knew it was my duty to stay, honestly.”

After graduating, Warrick made the jump to the SEC, transferring to Missouri for a graduate year of big-time basketball under Dennis Gates. It was a major leap from the Horizon League to the deepest conference in the country, but one he embraced fully.

“Every day in practice, it was something else  just playing against those top athletic guys and quicker guards,” he said. “It was a war every night.”

Though his overall numbers dipped in the SEC (6.6 PPG, 45.6% from three), Warrick made his biggest mark in the season finale  against Kentucky, of course dropping 17 points off the bench and nailing four three-pointers in a tight game.

“That game meant a little bit more to me, for sure,” Warrick admitted. “I wish it were here [in Lexington] so I could have about 50 of my people there. It meant a lot.”

Now, he’ll finally get that moment in his hometown, suiting up with La Familia in front of family and friends at Memorial Coliseum. And while he’s honored by the chance to play alongside former Kentucky stars like Doron Lamb and Archie Goodwin, Warrick also sees this as a career opportunity  one he doesn’t plan to waste.

“I’m here on business, really,” he said. “Learning a lot from these guys, making friends, and building connections as well, but at the same time, I’m here on business. I need whatever I can get for a pro contract… I just want to showcase what I can do on the highest level.”

After going through the pre-draft process without the exposure he hoped for, Warrick is using TBT as his proving ground. With a $1 million prize on the line, the games are serious  but for Warrick, there’s more at stake than money.

“It’s more than that. It’s pride and playing in front of the hometown crowd like this, in Lexington, for Kentucky fans,” he said. “It’s going to be sold out, great environment. So, it’s more than money, really.”

He may not have played at Rupp Arena during his college career, but Friday night in Memorial Coliseum will be just as meaningful. To him, it’s about legacy, about representing his city and seizing a rare opportunity to be part of something bigger than himself.

“Just watching these former UK greats on TV every day, every night, and now being able to play with them and compete and learn and things like that… I’m not taking this for granted.”

For Marques Warrick, this is more than a tournament. It’s a homecoming  and a launching pad.