fbpx

NBA & 2K Teams Up For COVID-19 Charity Tournament

With the uncertainty surrounding physical events everywhere due to the COVID-19/coronavirus situation, everyone is searching for a sense of normalcy. Sports fans have been some of the more affected groups. The National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) are looking to change that with the NBA 2K Players Tournament with 2K Games.

Taking place in the virtual arena of NBA 2K20, 16 current NBA stars will be competing for the prize of a $100,000 donation from 2K, the NBA, and the NBPA in support of ongoing coronavirus relief efforts to a charity beneficiary. 

Advertisement ▼

Based on players’ seeding – which is determined first by NBA 2K20 rating, second by tenure – players will go head-to-head. They can choose eight of today’s NBA teams, each of which can only be used once. 

If a mirror match is set, the away team is awarded the first choice of team. Rounds one and two will be single elimination, with the semifinals and finals running best of three.

Here are the seedings:

  1. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets (96)
  2. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks (90)
  3. Hassan Whiteside, Portland Trail Blazers (87)
  4. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz (87)
  5. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (86)
  6. Andre Drummond, Cleveland Cavaliers (85)
  7. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls (85)
  8. Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers (85)
  9. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers (85)
  10. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns (85)
  11. DeMarcus Cousins (81)
  12. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets (81)
  13. Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards (79)
  14. Patrick Beverley, LA Clippers (78)
  15. Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings (78)
  16. Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat (78)

Tournament coverage begins 4 April at 0700 SGT on ESPN, with a matchup between Jones Jr. (16) and Durant (1) tipping off at 0730 SGT. 

Jones Jr. and Durant will each play as one of their pre-selected teams, with Jones Jr. choosing from the Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, LA Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, and Durant choosing from the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz.

Additional matchups will air through April 12. Every tournament game will debut on either ESPN or ESPN2, with streaming available on the ESPN App and running on NBA.com, the NBA App, and 2K and NBA social channels including Twitter (@NBA2K, @NBA), Twitch (@NBA2K,@NBA), YouTube (@NBA2K, @NBA) and Facebook (@NBA2K, @NBA).