NBA Take-Two Media has announced the relaunch of the NBA 2K League with a renewed focus on entertainment and online content.
The league will spotlight creators and NBA players competing throughout the season, as well as introducing an open-ladder competition for fans.
Changes Coming to NBA 2K League
The league has shared that it has entered a multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Players Association, allowing NBA Take-Two Media to work directly with NBA players.
Moreover, NBA Take Two Media, the brand behind the new 2K League, is an entertainment company formed by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive earlier this year, focusing on esports and ‘social-first’ content.
The league will work with various creators, including its honorary commissioner Jess ‘Jesser‘ Riedel, a popular sports YouTube creator with over 35m subscribers.
Six teams will be featured in the new season: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards. Each team will be represented by a duo of creators and NBA players, who will partake in various challenges throughout the year.
The NBA 2K League first teased the revamp last July. However, according to Dexerto, it also resulted in a significant number of staff being laid off following low viewership in the 2024 season.
“With the new 2K League, we’re building an entirely new type of entertainment universe that blends competition with content,” said Andrew Perlmutter, CEO of NBA Take-Two Media.
“Filled with wild, wacky, unpredictable and emotionally resonant moments, we’re extending the immensely popular world of NBA2K beyond competitive gaming and will show fans who their favourite athletes and creators are off the court.”
2K League Events
The season kicks off with MyPlayer Mayhem, a 2K reality series bringing a mix of competitiveness and entertainment.
The first episode will air on November 5th through the 2K League YouTube channel, with new episodes published every week. MyPlayer Mayhem will end with two live tournaments on Twitch from November 8th to 9th and November 15th to 16th, 2025.
An open ladder 2K League tournament called Next Fan Up will begin on November 16th, offering the chance for any player to compete with creators and NBA players. Participants are able to represent a chosen NBA team and climb the online ranks through gameplay and social media challenges.
