Kings Guard Gaming have today announced that NBA icon and Sacramento Kings minority owner Shaquille O’Neal has been named the General Manager of Kings Guard Gaming.
In this role, he will ‘provide valuable basketball counsel’ as the team puts together its roster and evaluates the 102 players available in the upcoming draft. 
O’Neal said of the news: “I’m looking forward to my role with Kings Guard. Just like I dominated the hardwood, music industry, showbiz, nicknames and broadcasting, I plan to help build the most dominant 2K franchise in history.”
Sacramento Kings CTO and Head of Esports Ryan Montoya added: “We’re excited to have one of the biggest icons in basketball serve as a guiding voice for our first NBA 2K League team.
“Shaq’s global appeal combined with his knowledge and passion for the game will be invaluable as we work to build a team of elite gamers who are passionate and competitive team players.”
Kings Guard will tip off their first campaign in May 2018. The team has been enjoying support from Sacramento Kings VP of Strategy and Analytics Luke Bornn, and additional basketball council from both Shaq and gaming experts. There’ll be more announcements from the Kings Guard in the coming weeks too with news that they’ll announce performance and human optimisation staff who will support the team’s growth and development.
Ahead of the inaugural NBA 2K League campaign, the draft is very much underway. The team will select six players, who will then move to Sacramento in the coming weeks. Players will have access to the world’s first esports training facility and content studio housed inside of a pro sports venue, and the promise is that they’ll enjoy the same excellent care and treatment as the NBA athletes themselves.
Esports Insider says: Huge news! Shaq is already very much involved in the industry as an investor in the team NRG Esports, and as GM of the Sacramento Kings’ NBA 2K League team, Kings Guard Gaming, the team is strongly positioned to succeed in the inaugural season.