Earlier this year, the NBA announced that it was launching the first ever NBA 2K League season in 2018.
For those unfamiliar, per the NBA, the 2K League is:
“The first eSports league operated by one of the four major pro sports leagues in the United States.Video gamers now have a chance to compete for an NBA title, in an actual NBA arena and get paid by the some of the same people who pay LeBron James and Steph Curry.”
The inaugural season will feature the following 17 NBA teams:
Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
Since the initial announcement, however, there has been little news regarding the league, making many gamers anxious to find out more. Finally, last week NBA 2K League managing director Brendan Donohue hosted a Reddit 'ask me anything' session and answered many questions gamers had about the league.
Key facts about the NBA 2k League
Donohue was hounded for all the key details throughout the Q and A session, and came up with the following:
- All participants must be at least 18 years of age
- Anyone who has a copy of NBA 2K18 on PS4 or Xbox is eligible to try out for the league
- League qualifiers begin on January 1, 2018
- Participants must win 50 games in 'pro-am' mode throughout January to qualify for further tryouts
- Players who qualify will be invited to the official league tryouts in February, during which a scouting process will take place
- Once the top 85 players have been identified, they will enter a draft pool
- The official draft takes place in March
- The inaugural season begins in May and finishes in August
- Players will live and train in the market of the team that drafted them and will travel to locations for league games
To see the complete list of all the questions Donohue was asked at the Q and A session, check out
Unprecedented opportunity for gamers
This is obviously a huge step forward for the NBA, which is bringing the worlds of gaming and professional sports together in a pioneering way.
Whether an NBA fan or lover of esports, or both, this initiative provides an exciting opportunity for gamers and basketball fans alike. It is also a great way to grow the sport, which has been at the forefront of NBA commissioner Adam Silver's agenda.
Be sure to stay with RealSport for more news on the NBA 2K League, including an impending post on all the team logos from the inaugural edition of the competition. In the meantime, check out our
for advice on how to sharpen your NBA 2K skills ahead of a potential shot at the big time.
What are your thoughts on the NBA 2K League? Comment below!
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