*By Jacqueline Corba*
Denver Nuggets shooting guard Malik Beasley has already made it to the *real* NBA, and now the former first-round draft pick has his sights curiously set on the top tier of NBA2K, basketball's video-game analog.
"I think it's cool to see them compete, and it's different from actually being in the NBA," Beasley said Friday in an interview on Cheddar. "Even if they don't watch the NBA, if they are playing the games then they know a little something about us."
A real baller showing respect for the virtual ballers of the NBA's esports league is a telling sign of the times. Beasley said he enjoys playing video games like NBA2K with his teammates on the road, and said it's more than just a hobby.
"People always think that gaming is just bad if you are just sitting there and playing," he said. "If people get joy out of it, then enjoy that"
The NBA became the first professional sports league in the U.S. to launch an online league too. The NBA2K playoffs [tipped off Friday](https://cheddar.com/videos/e-trade-generation-trader-nba-2k-playoffs-kick-off) and were streaming on Twitch.
Building on the success of its inaugural season, the [NBA2K league announced] (https://2kleague.nba.com/news/nba-2k-league-announces-four-expansion-teams-for-2019-season/) recently it's adding four NBA teams ー the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves ー to the lineup in 2019.
Beasley wants to Nuggets to get in on the action.
"I'm going to help create that."
For more on this story, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nba-athlete-malik-beasley-dishes-on-esports).
PUBG announces their global league for 2019, Red Dead Redemption 2 releases, and Riot faces down a lawsuit for workplace discrimination. Featuring Guy Blaze, ESL brand partnerships SVP Paul Brewer, and CEO of Electronic Gaming Federation Tyler Schrodt.
Alex Garfield re-enters esports, Cloud9 pulls off a miracle, Rocket League executes a win, and Z-Event raises 1 million euros. Featuring ESL SVP Brand Partnerships Paul Brewer, VP Pro Gaming Michal "Carmac" Blicharz, and Former MLB Professional Pitcher Jim Hoey V of Logitech G
SonixFox wins IPS 2 and donates 10k, the Game Award Nominees, Pokemon Let's Go, and big changes to Overwatch and Fortnite. Featuring NYXL Head of Business Development and Events Ben "MrBitter" Nichol, ReKTGlobal Esports VP Kevin Knocke, Cameron Davis, and Astro Gaming's Thadeous Cooper.
League of Legends World Championship, the Overwatch World Cup, and Serral's incredible victory at Blizzcon. Featuring
Unikrn CEO Rahul Sood, Aziz "Hax$" Al-Yami, and Kelsey Moser.
Amazon is reportedly looking to expand its foothold in live programming, with an eye on the 22 regional sports networks that Disney must spin off as part of its acquisition of 21st Century Fox. For Amazon, it would be the extension of a grand strategy that has been both simple and consistent: drive more Prime subscriptions.
PlayVS, a start-up created to build an infrastructure for high school esports, has announced a new Series B funding round of $30.5 million, led by Elysian Park Ventures, a firm that operates on behalf of the Los Angeles Dodgers ownership group. The new funding will also bring in new investments from Adidas, Samsung NEXT, and Plexo Capital, and angel investors include Sean “Diddy” Combs.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, Nov. 19, 2018.
Mike Sepso is a gilded name in esports. His latest win? The senior VP of Activision Blizzard was recently appointed a strategic partner of Overwatch team league New York Excelsior. And he also happens to be the leader of Major League Gaming, which he founded with partner Sundance DiGiovanni in 2002. But before he assumed his throne, Sepso conceived MLG during a single lazy summer when he and his partner were basking in the glory of their previous company, Gotham Broadband.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Friday, Nov. 16, 2018.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know.
