text: World Wrestling Entertainment (2002–2007) With WWE impressed by his in-ring ability, Doug received numerous try-out matches in late 2002 and early 2003 against opponents such as Mark Jindrak, Charlie Haas, Lenny Lane, Val Venis, Nathan Jones, Redd Dogg, Nova, Johnny Jeter, Horshu, Shannon Moore, and Billy Kidman. He also teamed with the likes of Damaja, Sean O'Haire, and Bull Buchanan.
  Basham made his official debut on the May 29, 2003 episode of SmackDown! as one-half of the tag team, The Basham Brothers with his tag partner Danny Basham. The Basham Brothers debuted as a team on May 29 and defeated the team of Rikishi and Brian Kendrick. The Basham Brothers were later joined by Shaniqua. They were given a bondage-based S&M gimmick and won their first WWE Tag Team Championship from Los Guerreros on the October 23 edition of SmackDown!. The team would go on to lose the titles on the February 5, 2004 episode of SmackDown! to Rikishi and Scotty 2 Hotty.  On February 15 at No Way Out, The Basham Brothers and Shaniqua faced Scotty 2 Hotty and Rikishi in a handicap match and lost when Shaniqua was pinned by Rikishi. The Basham Brothers would go on to lose their manager Shaniqua when she was sent to OVW for training not long after No Way Out. For the next few months The Basham Brothers were regulars on Velocity and appeared on a few occasions on SmackDown! generally losing.