Esports seems to have exploded upon the scene recently, yet that’s far from the truth as it has existed for many years. Any gamer can tell you that. But today things got real for Esports fans and players as 17 NBA teams have agreed to be a part of the inaugural season for the 2K Esports league.
This is the first step in what promises to be an extraordinary league, bringing together the worlds best gamers and showcasing elite competition on an international stage, newly-named NBA 2K esports league Managing Director Brendan Donohue said in a statement. Our teams have expressed tremendous enthusiasm for esports, and we are looking forward to forming something truly unique for basketball and gaming fans around the globe.
More announcements will be coming over the next few months, including player announcements, structure of the league and other updates. But for now, the league has taken a huge step in the right direction by signing up the 17 NBA teams below:
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 Trailblazers
Sacramento Kings
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Exercising their mantra of “trust the process,” the Philadelphia 76ers were the first professional team in the U.S. to purchase an esports franchise last fall, and many others in the basketball community, including the Washington Wizards’ Ted Leonsis, Magic Johnson and the Memphis Grizzlies co-owner Steve Kaplan, followed suit and invested in esports franchises, products and businesses.
