NBA 2K League history

Jan 2

The league hired Matt Arden as its head of content and media.

Jan 10

The league announced an Asia-Pacific Invitational in Hong Kong for Feb. 2 and 3, on the modified season-one game build, with selected players joining the draft pool.

Feb 2

Jazz Gaming brought in Pro-Am figure Jelani "2kCompGames" Mitchell as head coach.

Feb 11

Kings Guard Gaming hired DJ "TTPLOADING" Layton as head coach. He had been the varsity head coach at Faith West Academy in Houston.

Feb 12

The league announced Champion Athleticwear as a partner ahead of the March 5 draft.

Feb 14

The league announced a $1.2 million prize pool for 2019, up $200,000, and the return of the three-tournament banner chain: THE TIPOFF, THE TURN and THE TICKET.

Feb 25

The league changed its playoff format for 2019 to best-of-three quarterfinals and semifinals and a best-of-five Finals. In 2018 the quarterfinals had been one game, and No. 8 seed Knicks Gaming had beaten No. 1 seed Blazer5 Gaming in one on its way to the title. Watch the Finals

Feb 27

Mavs Gaming hired Lance Sessions as an assistant coach. He was named Coach of the Year in 2022.

Mar 4

Cavs Legion GC hired Austin Peterson, the video coordinator for the Canton Charge, as head coach.

Mar 5

The 2019 draft was held at Barclays Center, Brooklyn. Ria (Jazz Gaming) went first, and 21 teams made 75 picks from a pool of 198.

Mar 19

AT&T became the presenting partner of the league's banner chain tournament series, its first activation with the league.

Mar 28

Heading into the second season, the head coaches were Jeff Terrell (76ers GC), Andrew Buck (Bucks Gaming), Austin Peterson (Cavs Legion GC), Ricco Phinisee (Celtics Crossover Gaming), Lang Whitaker (Grizz Gaming), Wes Acuff (Hawks Talon GC), Derric Franklin (Heat Check Gaming), Jelani Mitchell (Jazz Gaming), DJ Layton (Kings Guard Gaming), Kyle Rudy (Knicks Gaming), Mathew Makovec (Lakers Gaming), Jonah Edwards (Magic Gaming), LT Fairley (Mavs Gaming), Cody Parrent (NetsGC), Duane Burton (Pistons GT), Ognjen Micic (Raptors Uprising GC), Shawn Vilvens (T-Wolves Gaming), Tommy Abdenour (Warriors Gaming Squad) and Patrick Crossan (Wizards District Gaming). Blazer5 Gaming and Pacers Gaming had no designated head coach.

Mar 31

The league announced its second-season broadcast team of Scott Cole, DirK, Alex Giaimo, who joined as a full-time sideline reporter, and EE.

Apr 2

Knicks Gaming received its 2018 championship rings, and Baron Rings was named the league's official ring supplier.

Apr 3

The Charlotte Hornets announced they would join the league in 2020 as an expansion team. Eight NBA teams still had no franchise: the Nuggets, Pelicans, Rockets, Spurs, Clippers, Bulls, Suns and Thunder.

Apr 6

76ers GC won THE TIPOFF and $52,500 from a $120,000 pool, ahead of Celtics Crossover Gaming ($37,500). Third and fourth: Heat Check Gaming and Magic Gaming. Watch the Tipoff final

Apr 7

Bucks Gaming hired Wady "MLGTactuk" Tactuk as head coach after he first called a game on the headset in THE TIPOFF, a 71-56 upset of Blazer5 Gaming.

Apr 11

Bucks Gaming beat Blazer5 Gaming 68-67 in Week 1. It was Blazer5's regular-season opener, and they won their next four games.

Apr 16

Radiant of 76ers GC won the Intel Player of the Week award for Week 1 of 2019.

Apr 17

The league announced THE TURN would be played May 9 to 11 at the HyperX Esports Arena in Las Vegas, its first event outside New York, with a $180,000 prize pool.

Apr 22

The league set its first in-season trade window for April 28 to June 16, 2019. Teams could trade players only, not draft picks, and each trade had to send out and take back the same number of players.

Apr 23

OneWildWalnut of Blazer5 Gaming won Intel Player of the Week for Week 2, after back-to-back double-doubles.

Apr 30

Goofy 757 won Intel Player of the Week for Week 3 after averaging almost a triple-double.

May

May

May

May 1

Mavs Gaming moved to 7-0 in 2019 with a 57-55 win over Hawks Talon GC, taking the lead in the fourth quarter.

May 11

Warriors Gaming Squad won THE TURN and $90,720 from a $180,000 pool, ahead of 76ers GC ($29,760). The winning roster: Bsmoove, CB13, Gradient, Jin, Type. Third and fourth: Bucks Gaming and Jazz Gaming.

May 13

May 20

Magic Gaming announced it had acquired ToXsiK from Grizz Gaming in exchange for KelMav, head coach Jonah Edwards said.

May 28

Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin were named Official Health Care Partner of Bucks Gaming.

May 30

Magic Gaming beat 76ers GC 68-50 for its second straight win, with Reizey scoring a game-high 20 points.

June 3

THE TICKET was set for "The Fortress," Full Sail University's esports arena in Orlando, the league's second event outside New York. The winner would get a playoff spot and more than $90,000 of the $180,000 pool.

June 6

Steez and BreadwinnerLA of 76ers GC each had nine steals in a 50-37 win over NetsGC, a single-game league record.

June 6

Magic Gaming beat Heat Check Gaming 65-52 for its third straight win, never trailing.

June 7

Bucks Gaming beat Magic Gaming 67-41, with Plondo scoring a game-high 36 points on 15-for-25 shooting.

June 11

Plondo of Bucks Gaming was named Intel Performance Player of the Week for Week 8.

June 14

Magic Gaming opened The Ticket in Orlando with a win over Grizz Gaming, and Pacers Gaming beat Hawks Talon GC.

June 15

76ers GC became the first franchise to win multiple tournaments (The Tipoff in 2018 and 2019). Warriors Gaming Squad won The Turn and then The Ticket on June 15, the first team to win back-to-back tournaments and the first to win two in a year. Watch the Tipoff final

June 15

Eighth-seeded Magic Gaming reached The Ticket semifinals at The Fortress at Full Sail University with wins over Grizz Gaming and Heat Check Gaming, then lost 58-56 to fifth-seeded Warriors Gaming Squad.

June 16

The first in-season trade window closed at 11:59 p.m. ET. Ten trades had been made across the two windows, five in each. Hood was the only player traded twice, Pistons GT, Heat Check Gaming, Cavs Legion GC and T-Wolves Gaming used both of their allowed trades, and 76ers GC, Celtics Crossover Gaming, Kings Guard Gaming, Knicks Gaming and NetsGC made none.

June 16

June 23

Scuf Gaming and the league launched team controllers for each of the 21 teams, with team colors and logos on the faceplates.

June 27

The Charlotte Hornets revealed the name and logo of their league team, Hornets Venom GT. Both were designed by RARE Design.

July 11

The league announced a second Showcase for Aug. 2, the night before the Finals, at its Long Island City studio, with Jeremy Maclin, FlightReacts and SGK7 among the guests.

July 17

Hornets Venom GT named Lawrence "Biggwest" West its first general manager and head coach. He had been a special adviser with Hawks Talon GC and was one of the original leaders of the MPBA.

July 23

Tencent became the league's first distribution partner in China, streaming condensed 2019 playoff games and every Finals game. The league had left its exclusive Twitch deal after 2018.

July 24

Five franchises made their first playoffs in 2019: Mavs Gaming, Kings Guard Gaming, Warriors Gaming Squad, Pacers Gaming and Celtics Crossover Gaming. Celtics Crossover won nine straight games to clinch their spot, and Warriors Gaming Squad got in by winning The Ticket.

July 24

No. 8 seed Warriors Gaming Squad swept No. 1 seed Blazer5 Gaming in the quarterfinals, winning game one 67-45 after jumping out to a 28-7 lead. Blazer5 had the best regular-season record in league history at that point.

July 24

The 2019 awards began rolling out: Fan Engagement went to ToXsiK BANGS of Magic Gaming and Play of the Year to Jomar12 PR of Blazer5 Gaming, plus the All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams. All-Defensive: Godddof2k, Gradient, Type, BreadwinnerLA, Yusuf Scarbz. All-Rookie: BP, Reizey, PeteBeBallin, BreadwinnerLA, Plondo.

July 25

The league announced the 2019 MVP (Mama Im Dat Man), Defensive Player of the Year (Godddof2k), Rookie of the Year (Reizey), Coach of the Year (Jeff Terrell of 76ers GC) and the All-NBA First and Second teams. First Team: Mama Im Dat Man, oFab, OneWildWalnut, Arooks, Ramo. Second Team: Radiant, Godddof2k, Hotshot, Plondo, BSmoove.

July 26

T-Wolves Gaming swept Warriors Gaming Squad to reach the Finals, its 10th and 11th straight wins. BearDaBeast had 24 points and 15 assists in a 71-53 game one. 76ers GC swept Celtics Crossover Gaming in the other semifinal to reach its first Finals. Watch the Finals

Aug 1

In the 2019 Finals, T-Wolves Gaming scored a record-low 23 points in one game after a home and away side issue caused a delay of about three hours. It remains the only five-game series in league history.

Aug 2

The second NBA 2K League Showcase was played at the league studio in Long Island City the night before the Finals.

Aug 3

T-Wolves Gaming started the season 3-6 and became the first expansion team to win the championship, beating 76ers GC 3-2. BearDaBeast had 23 points and 6 assists in the 52-35 clincher.

Aug 4

T-Wolves Gaming won the 2019 playoffs and $360,000 from a $720,000 pool, ahead of 76ers GC ($120,000). The winning roster: BearDaBeast, FEAST, JMoneyRep817, JoJo, TURNUPDEFENSE. Third and fourth: Warriors Gaming Squad and Celtics Crossover Gaming.

Aug 7

Tommy Abdenour left his job as head coach of Warriors Gaming Squad to become an assistant coach at Lindenwood University. He had taken over before week four of the first season.

Aug 16

The league announced the offseason structure for 2020. Teams had to protect at least two players before the expansion draft and, new that year, could protect a third at the cost of a third-round pick in the entry draft.

Aug 19

Teams could submit their protected players for the 2019 expansion draft from Aug. 19 to Sept. 2. Every team except Hornets Venom GT, which had the expansion draft, protected two or three players. A third protected player cost a third-round pick in the 2020 draft.

Aug 20

Wizards District Gaming was the first team to announce its protections, Dayfri and ReeseDaGod23, and Mavs Gaming followed with Dimez, PeteBeBallin and Sherm.

Aug 21

Hawks Talon GC protected Dat Boy Shotz and Rando.

Aug 21

Knicks Gaming point guard iamadamthe1st, a member of the first championship team, announced his retirement after two seasons.

Aug 22

Cavs Legion GC protected oLarry, All Hail Trey and Godddof2k, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Aug 26

NetsGC extended Ivan "OG King Curt" Curtiss as general manager and head coach through the 2020 season. His team went 7-9 in its first year.

Aug 28

NetsGC protected NateKahl, the second overall pick in the expansion draft who averaged 11.9 points and 2.6 steals, and Shuttles, who averaged 8.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals.

Aug 30

76ers GC protected Radiant, Steez and Breadwinner.

Sept 2

On the last day of the window: Blazer5 Gaming protected Mama Im Dat Man, OneWildWalnut and Lavish; Bucks Gaming protected ARooks and Plondo; Grizz Gaming protected AuthenticAfrican and Vandi; Jazz Gaming protected Yeah I Compete, Ria and Lottyy; Kings Guard Gaming protected BP, Yusuf Scarbz and BallLikeSeem; T-Wolves Gaming protected BearDaBeast, iFeast and JMoney; and Warriors Gaming Squad protected BSmoove, Gradient and CB13.

Sept 3

Warriors Gaming Squad protected Bsmoove, Gradient and CB13.

Sept 24

Cavs Legion GC partnered with Kent State.

Sept 26

Gen.G announced it would run a Shanghai-based team as the league's 23rd team in 2020, the first team that was not an NBA affiliate and the first outside North America. It would train at Gen.G's Los Angeles facility.

Sept 27

Celtics Crossover Gaming protected oFAB, Mel East and No Autographs.

Oct 3

The league gave out its first team business awards at the Fall Workshop in Indianapolis, honoring three teams. Magic Gaming won Partnership of the Year, for its work with Orlando Health, and Local Activation of the Year.

Oct 4

Hornets Venom GT won the lottery for the 2019 expansion draft and picked first on Oct. 18. In the entry draft lottery the same day, Wizards District Gaming won the No. 1 pick with just a 7 percent chance, and Knicks Gaming took second.

Oct 4

Wizards District Gaming won the 2020 draft lottery. Knicks Gaming and Hawks Talon GC picked next.

Oct 18

Oct 18

Oct 18

Oct 18

Oct 18

Oct 18

Oct 18

The 2020 expansion draft was held. Hornets Venom GT took Type, Hornets Venom GT took Strainer (from Cavs Legion GC), Hornets Venom GT took Mo (from Mavs Gaming), Gen.G Tigers took Turnupdefense (from T-Wolves Gaming), Gen.G Tigers took ZDS (from 76ers GC).

Oct 21

Four teams retained a player before the 2020 draft: NetsGC kept Wavy.zay, Pistons GT kept Joseph the Truth and Raptors Uprising GC kept Doza, each at the cost of a fourth-round pick, and Warriors Gaming Squad kept Jin for a second-round pick.

Oct 21

Oct 21

Oct 22

Wizards District Gaming retained Demon JT for a fourth-round pick, then traded him to Pistons GT.

Oct 22

Oct 22

Oct 22

Oct 24

Celtics Crossover Gaming retained Bully for a first-round pick, Heat Check Gaming retained MOAM and Knicks Gaming retained Hazzaa Hurst, the last two for fourth-round picks.

Oct 24

Oct 31

T-Wolves Gaming retained JoJo for a second-round pick.

Nov 6

Lakers Gaming retained Kev for a fourth-round pick.

Nov 7

Gen.G Esports posted an opening for a head coach for its NBA 2K League team in Shanghai.

Nov 13

Hawks Talon GC retained MrStylez for a fourth-round pick.

Nov 14

Nov 15

Grizz Gaming retained DDouble2K for a fourth-round pick.

Nov 25

Cavs Legion GC opened the Legion Lair, its gaming space in Cleveland.

Nov 28

Lakers Gaming named Kris "IiNsaniTTy" Dellarciprete its head coach on Thanksgiving. He had been drafted in the second round of the first draft by Pistons GT.

Dec 4

Jazz Gaming named Jonathan Rinehart its managing director. He had been with the organization for 15 years and also served as president of the Salt Lake City Stars.

Dec 18

The league added five European players from its EU Invitational in London to the 2020 draft pool, on top of five Europeans who had made the top 175 from the combine.