The NBA 2K League is taking its next big step toward expanding the pool of players eligible for the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft. Come January, there will be two separate qualifying events dedicated to the best players hailing from the Asia-Pacific and European regions.
The NBA 2K League already successfully staged the NBA 2K League 2020 Gen.G Shanghai Invitational tournament last December 13-14, giving top NBA 2K players from China the stage to showcase their talents on the sticks.
To welcome the new year, the League will host a European Invitational on January 8-10 and an APAC invitational on January 15-17. Each invitational will follow this same schedule:
- Day 1: Open Qualifier Tournament
- Day 2: Invitational Combine
- Day 3: Invitational Tournament
These upcoming events will be the NBA 2K League’s third draft qualifiers for the APAC region and the second for Europe. Both events will be played using NBA 2K21 Next Gen on the Sony PlayStation 5 and will require aspiring players to sign up in teams, rather than individually.
- Lakers Gaming will have the first pick in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft
- Kevin Durant has signed a lifetime deal with NBA 2K
Players who have earned eligibility for the 2020 NBA 2K League Draft — courtesy of the previous year’s series of international qualifiers — are still eligible for the 2021 Draft. However, these draft hopefuls can still sign up and compete again in the upcoming invitationals if they believe they can improve their stock.
Earlier, the NBA 2K League also launched its new Draft Prospect Series, which was designed to ramp up the League’s draft scouting process for its upcoming fourth season. Through this campaign, the League is staging more than 35 Pro-Am tournaments hosted by NBA 2K League teams.
Lakers Gaming will pick first in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft, followed by Pacers Gaming and Shanghai’s Gen.G Tigers. The official date of the Draft has yet to be announced, however.
Thinking about going pro in NBA 2K in 2021? Bookmark this page to learn more about the regional tournament details and signup requirements as they are announced.
READ MORE: NBA 2K League expands the draft tryout process for Season 4
