TORONTO — Six Canadian gamers are eligible for the NBA 2K league draft Tuesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
There are 198 players eligible for the four-round draft featuring 21 teams. They include 22 international players from Canada, Australia, China, France, Germany, New Zealand, the Philippines, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Jazz Gaming, by virtue of winning the NBA 2K League draft lottery, has the first overall pick. Raptors Uprising GC will pick 15th.
With the addition of four expansion teams (Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves), 126 players will compete in the NBA 2K League's second season.
During the off-season, 52 players from the inaugural season were retained or selected in the expansion draft, leaving 74 roster spots available. The 198 draft-eligible pool consist of 144 new players selected by the league following an extensive tryout process, six players from the league’s first-ever APAC Invitational that took place in Hong Kong in early February and 48 unretained players from the inaugural season.
Canadians available in the draft are Yusuf (Yusuf_Scarbz) Abdulla of Toronto, Ryan (Devillon) De Villon of Toronto, Thomas (Speedbrook) Genay of Calgary, Dawnell (FreshNation514) Marc-Lerouge of Montreal, Joshua (Jsoooch) Suchall of Toronto, and Daniel (DT) Tlais of Windsor, Ont.
Abdulla was part of Toronto's Raptors Uprising GC last season.
Knicks Gaming defeated Heat Check Gaming 2-0 in the NBA 2K League finals last August to become the inaugural NBA 2K League champions.
FIRST ROUND DRAFT ORDER
1. Jazz Gaming
2. Warriors Gaming Squad
3. Kings Guard Gaming
4. Pistons GT (from Pacers Gaming)
5. Mavs Gaming
6. Bucks Gaming
7. Grizz Gaming
8. Celtics Crossover Gaming
9. Magic Gaming
10. Warriors Gaming Squad (from Lakers Gaming)
11.T-Wolves Gaming
12. Nets GC
13. Hawks Talon GC
14. Mavs Gaming (from Wizards District Gaming)
15. Raptors Uprising GC
16. Pistons GT
17. Bucks Gaming (from Blazer 5 Gaming)
18. Cavs Legion GC
19. 76ers GC
20. Heat Check Gaming
21. Knicks Gaming
The Canadian Press
