NBA 2K League to adopt new tryout format in 4th season

MANILA, Philippines — The NBA 2K League will be rolling out a new process for its tryouts for its fourth season, providing more opportunities for interested draftees.

Called the "NBA 2K League Draft Prospect" series, the new process will involve more than 35 Pro-Am tournaments hosted by 2K League teams both on current and next-generation consoles aiming to cast a wider net for prospects.

Tournaments on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will take place starting this October until early December while contests on next-generation consoles (XBOX X Series and PlayStation 5) will be held in January.

Winners of the current-generation console competitions will automatically be draft-eligible and will advance to a winners' event in December.

Apart from the winners, a 2K League team hosting a tournament may also award any player from a losing team a "Prospect Badge" that will also give the awarded player draft eligibility.

Eligible players from the draft will then compete in a draft combine in February 2021, giving 2K League teams immense information ahead of the draft.

"A winners' event in December and Combine in February will give our teams the opportunity to evaluate Draft-eligible players as they compete against ony each other, enabling them to make even more precise determinations about the best NBA 2K players in the world ahead of draft day," said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue.

All players must be 18 years or older by Oct. 1, 2020 in order to participate in the Season 4 tryout process, and must satisfy the NBA 2K League's requirements to be eligible for the NBA 2K League Draft.

After becoming draft eligible players will go through background checks and sign the Pledge, committing them to fair and inclusive gameplay.

Empowering women in esports

Aside from giving more opportunities to vie for a spot in the league's draft, the 2K League is also aiming for more participation from women esports players in NBA 2K.

The league is collaborating with top 2K all-women teams to host non-NBA 2K League-sponsored Pro-Am tournaments later this year.

Then the top-performing players from the aforementioned tournment, as well as other top-performing female players in the 2K community will be invited to compete in the 2K League's second Women in Gaming Development Camp also in February of next year.

The Development Camp will feature skills of the top female players as they compete alongside and against current NBA 2K League players.

Participants from this camp, along with select players from outside of the US, and other high-performing players in the 2K community, will also be awarded draft eligibility, as determined by league and team officials.