NBA2K League players paid more than G-League players

Believe it or not, we live in a world where people get paid more money to play video games than professional basketball.

The inaugural NBA2k League draft was held this afternoon in New York and those drafted will earn more than most players in the NBA’s G-League. Salaries in the NBA2K League will range from $32,000 to $35,000 over six months, plus earnings from a $1,000,000 prize pool; salaries in the G-League currently range from $19,500 to $26,000 (although players with two-way contracts earn $50,000 to $75,000). I understand eSports are a very real thing now, but my goodness.

What does being a professional NBA2K player entail? Not only do you get to play video games for a living, housing and relocation are covered AND you get health insurance and a retirement plan. The fact that the NBA held an actual draft for the league — conducted by commissioner Adam Silver — shows you how serious they are about it.

Seventeen teams of six gamers each will play against each other for six months in what Silver called the NBA’s “fourth league.” There will be a 12-week regular season during which teams will be flown across the country to play each other, in-season tournaments, and, of course, a postseason. Today’s draft was aired on NBA TV and Twitch, and there are apparently plans to stream the games as well. Adrian Wojnarowski even dropped one of his “Woj Bombs,” breaking the news of the first pick — Artreyo Body, aka “Dimez” — before it happened.

Mavs Gaming will select Artreyo Boyd, aka Dimez, as the No. 1 overall pick in the inaugural NBA2K Draft, league source tells ESPN. Draft starts soon, with Commissioner Adam Silver at the podium.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 4, 2018

The historic 1st pick of the #NBA2KLeagueDraft!

Watch @NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announce Dimez (Artreyo Boyd) as the first pick to @MavsGG pic.twitter.com/Hy1mBtDRdQ

— NBA2KLeague (@NBA2KLeague) April 4, 2018

What a time to be alive.

[Washington Post]

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