The NBA 2K League returns for Season 2 in 2019 following a successful inaugural season. Here we have put together an ultimate and comprehensive list of details and info of the #NBA2KLEAGUE. This includes how to join NBA 2K LEAGUE, tryouts, draft, signups, salary, teams, tips, player requirements, key dates, and more! We will update and fill out all details as more info is made available.
How to Join NBA 2K League: Season 2 (2019)
2018 Season | 2019 Season | 2020 Season
Sections:
1. NBA 2K League Basics
2. Key Dates / Schedule
3. Qualifications
4. Player Info & Draft
5. NBA 2K League Specifications
6. Viewership
7. Misc.
8. Tips to Make NBA 2K League
- The NBA 2K League is a professional competitive gaming league co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. Bringing together the world’s best basketball gamers.
- It is the first official esports league operated by a U.S. professional sports league.
- Brendan Donohue, Managing Director of the NBA 2K League, oversees all league operations.
Inaugural Season
- The inaugural season of the NBA 2K League culminated with the first-ever NBA 2K League Finals on Saturday, August 25, 2018.
- Knicks Gaming defeated Heat Check Gaming 2-0 to become the first-ever NBA 2K League Champions.
- Playoff Teams (8): Blazer5 Gaming, 76ers GC, Pistons GT, Raptors Uprising GC, Cavs Legion GC, Heat Check Gaming, Wizards District Gaming, and the winner of THE TICKET tournament: Knicks Gaming.
- 17 NBA teams participated in the inaugural season, which tipped off on May 1, 2018.
- Teams compete in 5v5 gameplay using unique characters (not existing NBA players).
- The season ran for 17 weeks, from May – August: 12 weeks of weekly matchups, three weeks of in-season tournaments (May 1-5; June 8-9; July 12-14) and two weeks of playoffs.
- Teams played at least 1 game per week during the weekly matchups (14 total); games consist of four, six-minute quarters.
- Teams lived in their home markets during the season and competed in league play each week at the NBA 2K League Studio Powered by Intel in New York City.
- All NBA 2K League games and tournaments were streamed on Twitch
- 2018 NBA 2K League Season Awards
- November 2 at 12 p.m. ET – November 26 at 6 p.m. ET. (Qualifying Stage): Players need to win 100 games with a winning % above .500 in NBA 2K19’s Pro-Am (Team and/or Jordan Rec Center) to move on to the second stage.
- Nov. 26 – Deadline for participants to complete the Online Application
- Dec 2018 (Tryout Stage): NBA 2K League Combine
- TBD / unconfirmed (Draft)
- TBD / unconfirmed (Player Relocation)
- TBD / unconfirmed (Start of the Inaugural Season)
PARTICIPATION / QUALIFICATIONS / HOW TO JOIN / HOW TO GET DRAFTED
- To measure commitment and skill, each player will be required to win 100 games in NBA 2K19’s Pro-Am mode or at the Jordan Rec Center, and win at least 50 percent of their games, in order to advance in the process. For example:
- If a player competes in 300 games, they must win 150 of their games to achieve a 50% winning percentage in order to qualify.
- If a player wins 100 games, but competes in more than 200, they will not qualify.
- If a player does not complete a game or quits while a game is in-progress, that will count as a loss.
- Each participant must also complete the Online Application by Nov. 26.
- The NBA 2K League Qualifier is open to anyone around the world who has a copy of NBA 2K19 (PlayStation 4 or Xbox One), an internet connection, is in the High School class of 2018, and is 18 or older by the time Qualifier starts.
Performance Standards / Tryouts
- Tryouts details – TBD
- Players will not qualify based solely on social followers or marketability. Playing ability is paramount.
- What abilities, outside of 2K, will NBA teams look for in potential players?
Strong moral character, great competitor, well-rounded skill set, and a team player.
PLAYER INFO & DRAFT
- The 2018 NBA 2K League Draft took place on April 4, 2018 at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Each team selected six players from a set pool of 102 prospects. The draft order was determined by the NBA 2K League Draft Lottery on March 13.
- NBA 2K League 2018 Draft Results
- NBA 2K League Expansion Draft Results
- 2019 NBA 2K League Draft – TBD / unconfirmed
- All players will be paid a guaranteed, competitive salary, and they will have benefits as well as housing. Players will live in their respective team’s market during the season for training.
NBA 2K LEAGUE SPECIFICATIONS
Gameplay Environment
- Players compete as unique characters (not as existing NBA players) in 5-on-5 gameplay. No artificial intelligence will be used; playing ability is strictly determined by skill.
- League play takes place in the NBA 2K League Studio in NYC.
- Ticket requests can be made here.
- Twitch live streams all NBA 2K League games at twitch.tv/nba2kleague. After each live broadcast, games are available to view on demand.
Player Builds / Archetypes
- TBD
Season & Teams
- 4 Expansion Teams have joined the NBA 2K League for the 2019 season: affiliates of the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves (Hawks Talon GC, NetsGC, Lakers Gaming and T-Wolves Gaming, respectively).
- Teams (21) 76ers GC, Blazer5 Gaming, Bucks Gaming, Celtics Crossover Gaming, Cavs Legion GC, Grizz Gaming, Hawks Talon GC, Heat Check Gaming, Jazz Gaming, Kings Guard Gaming, Knicks Gaming, Lakers Gaming, Magic Gaming, Mavs Gaming, Nets GC, Pacers Gaming, Pistons GT, Raptors Uprising GC, T-Wolves Gaming, Warriors Gaming Squad, and Wizards District Gaming.
- The 15-week regular season will include 12 weeks of matchups and three weeks of tournaments. Tournament results will not count toward a team’s 14-game regular-season record, but will serve as a tiebreaker for the postseason. The playoffs will be two weeks.
- Playoff seeding will be determined by regular-season standings. Eight teams will make the playoffs: the seven teams with the best records and the winner of the final tournament. If the tournament winner has a top-eight record, the top eight teams will make the playoffs. The quarterfinals will be single-elimination play, followed by best-of-three series for the semifinals and NBA 2K League Finals.
- During the season, teams will compete for $1 million in prize money across the three tournaments and playoffs.
- Each team is composed of six players.
VIEWERSHIP / SPONSORS / BUSINESS / MEDIA
- The NBA 2K League and the 21 teams have more than 1.8 million combined followers on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
- NBA 2K League content has generated more than 152 million video views across all social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube).
- In season one, the 17 NBA 2K League teams formed more than 90 corporate and marketing partnerships.
MISC.
- Official website – nba2kleague.com
- Official NBA 2K League Logo
TIPS TO MAKE NBA 2K LEAGUE
- Draft “Stock” Tips For Upcoming NBA 2K League Prospects (Part 1)
- Draft “Stock” Tips For Upcoming NBA 2K League Prospects (Part 2)
- You Need to Know Basketball with Good BBALL IQ
- Gaming Managers Are Scouting Twitch and YouTube
- Clean Up Your Social Media Act
- Clean Up Your Gamertag/PSN IDs
- Consistency Across Your Social Media Accounts
- Notoriety Matters, But Skills Are Paramount
- Play a Ton of Pro-Am
- Be Able To Excel In Your Archetype / Role
- Be Able to Play Within a Team
- Communication is Important
via Managing Director of NBA 2K League, Brendan Donohue, NBA 2K Reddit, NBA 2K League, and various official NBA 2K League team managers.
Last Updated: 11/8/2018
