Source: Chesnot / Getty
E-sports is the new wave and the world is starting to see just how profitable competitive gaming truly can be. The NBA is light years ahead of the three other North American sports leagues and decided to go even further when they teamed up with Take-Two Interactive, the studio behind the popular basketball video game NBA2K, to form a league.
Adam Silver will make a professional gamers’ dreams come true when he announces the first pick of the NBA2K League today.
Remember when they said playing video games was a complete waste of time?
The move will make Silver the first commissioner of any of the four sports league in North America to be involved in e-sports. 17 teams will choose from a pool consisting of the best 102 players who stood out after a January qualifier followed a by a February combine. The pool was further broken down by one-on-one interviews and a final decision handed down by a selection committee. First rounders will receive a six-month salary of $35,000, anyone selected after gets $32,000. The league will also supply the selected athletes with housing, meals, travel expenses, and medical benefits.
Starting with the Mavs, each team will choose up to six players to fill each required position. The 6th and final pick can be used to select a player of any position. The draft itself will be held in NYC at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden 1 p.m. ET. You can watch the historic moment via NBA TV or Twitch.
So if you feel you’re really good in 2K now is the time to step your game up. Who know’s maybe next year it will be Adam Silver calling your name out at next years draft.
For more information on the league head over to the official Twitter account @NBA2KLeague.
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Photo: Chesnot / Getty
