Basketball Stars in the Gaming Arena
Besides obviously favoring the NBA 2K series as one of the games they usually play, a lot of other games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, Dota, FIFA, and Grand Theft Auto make to the top listing of preferred E-sport for NBA players.
E-sports is garnering a lot of traction around the world, and NBA players are not left behind. Some of the NBA stars are professionals in their favorite video games, while some play leisurely. The LA Clippers forward Paul George once mentioned that many guys prefer playing video games to watching sports on television. Well, who would blame them for making such an obvious choice? Due to the rigorous schedule, practice sessions, and preparations, players do not get enough personal time. However, some do manage to take time for their love for E-sports.
This ‘some’ is a massive number as the young generation begins on the basketball court with a passion for E-sports already into their resume. Looking at the new players’ inclination, the NBA even organized an NBA 2K tournament in 2020 – featuring pro athletes who are avid gamers.
Besides obviously favoring the NBA 2K series as one of the games they usually play, a lot of other games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, Dota, FIFA, and Grand Theft Auto make to the top listing of preferred E-sport for NBA players. Many players love bringing their A-Game to the virtual world when they're not on the court. Let us look at some of the NBA stars who take their E-sport keenness to the next level,
Jeremy Lin: He could be one of the hardcore E-sport enthusiasts on the list. He is one of the most vocal supporters of E-sports. The craftsman on the court takes his “strategies” to the MOBA game. He loves to play Dota 2 and even has won the WSOE 6: Dota 2 tournament with his team. ‘LinCity’ is, in reality, for the Taiwanese-American player.
Anthony Davis: Another Lakers star who could be seen using his basketball talent in the virtual world is Anthony Davis. AD plays NBA2K and boasts that he owns every version of the NBA 2K dating back to 2007. The forward is now shifting towards Grand Theft Auto. LeBron James, who shared the same passion and played video games with Davis, often called AD for GTA pointers.
De’Aaron Fox: The 2022-23 Clutch Player of the Season is a PC Gamer and was HyperX Ambassador before the NBA Draft. Yes, the youngster has a tight connection with Gaming Arena. His favorite games are NBA 2K, Call of Duty, Need for Speed, and Dragon Ball Z. He was featured with NZXT Noctis PC Build. He even used the big screen of the Golden One Arena while streaming his game.
Joel Embiid: The 2022-23 regular season MVP, Joel Embiid, also takes time to play FIFA and NBA2K. He even played with talk show host Trevor Noah in a friendly set of FIFA matches, where he lost 2-1.
Paul George: He is also a member of the ‘Basketball Stars in the Gaming Arena’ group. George went all out during the NBA's enforced break and started streaming on Twitch, majorly Call of Duty. He even partnered with Nike to produce a signature sneaker based on the original PlayStation console's grey color.
Gordon Hayward: He could be another professional E-sport player. The Oklahoma City Thunder star has featured several times in E-sports tournaments, including IGN's StarCraft 2 Pro League. But the list doesn’t end there; he is also into League of Legends, Fortnite, Overwatch, etc.
Ben Simmons: The Nets star is also an avid gamer. Simmons is popular on Twitch as he streams alongside famous streamers like Shaun Hutchinson and Los PollosTV.
Many other NBA stars have indulged in a fair bit of activities to keep up their connection with the gaming arena – like Karl Anthony Towns signed a deal with Luminosity Gaming. Devin Booker has a unique gaming room set up for himself with the help of pro gamers; Josh Hart sometimes uses E-sport celebrations in actual NBA games. With this there is an extensive roster of NBA players who are passionate about gaming, including Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jrue Holiday, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Drummond, Kyrie Irving, Goran Dragic, Jalen Green, Ben Simmons, Victor Oladipo, Jamal Murray, Jeremy Lin, Al Horford, Bradley Beal, Xavier Tillman, LeBron James, Damian Lillard, Steven Adams, DeAndre Ayton and the list is getting bigger.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 21, 2024 01:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).