NBA's Virtual Virtuosos Holding Court

CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, April 1, 2020 | 19 SPORTS

E-SPORTS NBA’s virtual virtuosos holding court With gaming enjoying the spotlight amid the real­life sports shutdown, here’s the lowdown on one of its biggest leagues

E­sports is passionately fol­ organized teams competing with lowed by millions of fans around top NBA 2K female players and the world, with games encompass­ social influencers for a chance to ing a wide range of formats, com­ play NBA 2K League teams for a petition types and schedules. Field piece of a $25,000 prize pool. Level Media has produced a series of overviews that explain the most T-Wolves reign popular titles, teams and person­ The defending NBA 2K League alities. Today, we take a look at champions are T­Wolves Gaming, NBA 2K. having topped 76ers GC 3­2 in a Billed as a next­generation bas­ best­of­five Finals. The win capped ketball simulation, the NBA 2K an amazing run in which the series began in 1999, allowing gam­ T­Wolves — an expansion team in ers to use actual NBA team and play­ 2019 — had to win seven consecu­ er names thanks to its license deal tive games following a 3­6 start to with the real­life league. the season just to make the playoffs. The game’s current version — Michael “BearDaBeast” Key was NBA 2K20 — includes single­game, named Finals MVP after posting 23 single­season and career modes, so points and six assists in the decid­ gamers can compete as a player or a ing Game 5, helping the T­Wolves to team general manager. NBA 2K20 a 52­35 win and the $360,000 first also includes 65 squads from past prize. NBA seasons, and for the first time “Last year, I didn’t make it (into in the NBA 2K series, all 12 WNBA the inaugural NBA 2K League sea­ franchises. son), and then giving hope to peo­ Available only on Dreamcast in its ple out there that pursue e­sports inaugural release, NBA 2K is now that if you don’t make it one year, available on all major formats. just come back and keep fighting Like regular basketball, NBA 2K and never quit,” BearDaBeast, a games are five­on­five in most 2019 first­round pick, told Cheddar modes, and like real­life hoops, the Esports of his emotions in the days name of the game is winning. following the championship. Timothy Anselimo, aka OLarry, of the Cavs Legion Gaming Crew reacts during an NBA 2K League match against T­Wolves Gaming in Long “The next year may be your year. Uniquely different Island City, New York, on May 31 last year. Every one of the NBA’s 23 franchises operates a team in the league, with Shanghai­based expan­ ... I felt like I was carrying that The NBA 2K League revolution­ sion franchise Gen.G Tigers joining them this term. NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES weight for not just everybody in the ized the way professional sports league but everybody outside the organizations partner with their NBA franchises operate their cor­ 2019 season, NBA 2K League teams franchises in their home markets, The Ticket gets the final playoff league as well.” corresponding professional e­sports responding NBA 2K League team, retained 70 players, leaving 68 comprised the rest of the draft spot. It was a different story for the leagues. and not only pay their players’ sala­ spots open for this year’s campaign. pool. This season, the NBA 2K League inaugural champion Knicks Gam­ It was the first official e­sports ries but also pay for housing in their The 2020 draft process began The 2020 NBA 2K League Draft also added a series of round­robin ing. A season after going 5­9, the league operated by an American host cities and travel to tourna­ with the 2K League qualifier — a took place Feb 22 in New York, and events, each carrying a $20,000 Knicks went 4­12 in 2019. But professional sports league. Thus, ments. process by which prospective play­ Wizards District Gaming selected purse and counting toward the regu­ unlike 2018 — when they gained an the league’s operational structure is In 2020, e­sports organization ers applied online, then competed John “JBM” Mascone of Irvington, lar­season standings. These six automatic playoff berth by winning similar to that of the NBA, including Gen.G will operate the Gen.G Tigers in the NBA 2K20’s Pro­Am mode or New York, with the No 1 overall events are scheduled to be played in The Ticket tournament and par­ a tryout process and scouting com­ — an expansion franchise head­ at The Rec. pick. Hu “Lucky_Yi_Wesley” Yi was Orlando, Minneapolis, Toronto, Dal­ layed that into an unlikely champi­ bine for prospective players and a quartered in Shanghai (though the Players who won at least 50 per­ taken 55 picks later, becoming the las, San Francisco and Washington. onship — the 2019 squad failed to draft involving all 23 NBA 2K fran­ team will train at Gen.G’s Los Ange­ cent of their games during the Oct first Chinese player ever drafted by The 2020 season — the third in make the playoffs. chises. les HQ this season). 22­Nov 10 qualifying period then the NBA 2K League. the history of the NBA 2K League — The other teams sure to have With six players on each roster, a A majority of NBA 2K games take competed in the NBA 2K League In 2020, teams will compete for a was scheduled to tip off March 24. extra eyes on them are the league’s total of 138 players compete in the place at the 13,600­square­foot NBA Combine (Nov 18­Dec 9). $1.4 million prize pool across all That date was postponed, however, two expansion franchises for 2020: NBA 2K20 season. Unlike the stan­ 2K League Studio in Manhattan in Following interviews with NBA tournaments. The NBA 2K League due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hornets Venom GT, affiliated with dard at­home game play, however, front of 200 fans, though the 2020 2K League representatives, the top regular season is 16 weeks, with a To help fill the void left by the the Charlotte Hornets, and Gen.G five gamers play at one time for each season is scheduled to see the NBA 150 players were invited to be in the trio of tournaments mixed in — The postponement, the NBA 2K League Tigers, the first NBA 2K League NBA 2K League team, with gamers 2K League take its show on the road. draft pool. The top finishers in invi­ Tipoff, The Turn and The Ticket. is hosting its first “Three for All franchise headquartered outside of competing as their own unique tational tournaments in Europe Nine teams qualify for the playoffs, Showdown”, which began on March North America. players rather than real­life NBA Draft decisions and Asia, as well as 11 pro­am tour­ with the remaining teams compet­ 27 and ends on April 3. The online stars. Following the completion of the naments hosted by NBA 2K League ing in The Ticket. The winner of three­on­three event features fan­ REUTERS

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