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Before he plays in Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game, Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton will be hitting the virtual hardwood at the Indiana Convention Center.
Haliburton, and a number of other pro basketball players, social media influencers and NBA 2K League players will take part in a basketball video gaming tournament called the NBA 2K League Indy Showdown on Friday afternoon.
The esports competition includes a series of matches that begin at 3:30 p.m., when Haliburton, the social media influencer Cash and NBA 2K player DayFri will square off against a team that includes Philadelphia 76ers player Tyrese Maxey, NFL player Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys and NBA 2K player BearDaBeast.
Another three matches with different teams will follow.
The 4:30 p.m. matchup includes teams led by NBA player Lauri Markkanen and retired NBA player (and current Pike High School coach) Jeff Teague. At 5:15 p.m., a team led by retired NBA player Danny Green will face off against a team led by WNBA player Rhyne Howard. The 5:45 p.m. match features teams led by WNBA player Chelsea Gray and Pacers player Obi Toppin.
The gaming is just one of the attractions at what’s being called NBA 2K League Alley, an 11,202-square-foot space that’s intended as a fun, immersive experience for gamers and non-gamers alike.
The space is open from noon to 8 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. It’s under the same roof as the NBA Crossover, a ticketed event, but NBA 2K League Alley is in a space of its own and admission to this space is free—no tickets required.
The Japanese-themed space includes everything from a cocktail bar to an art-making station to vintage arcade games.
“We wanted something that could create a fun experience for everyone, not just the hard-core gamers,” said Talmadge Canty Jr., the NBA 2K League’s director of events and broadcast operations.
When they enter the space, participants can play NBA 2K with league players. But they can also buy a cocktail, discover a secret speakeasy that serves boba tea, decorate T-shirts or sneakers alongside an artist, or play a game of Donkey Kong, Mario Brothers or Pac-Man on a vintage arcade machine. Except for the cocktails, all other activities in this space are free of charge.
The NBA 2K League was co-founded by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. in 2018. The league’s first two seasons were played in New York City, its 2022 season took place in Indianapolis, and Washington, D.C., is the host for the league’s 2023 and upcoming 2024 seasons. (The league’s third and fourth seasons took place virtually during the pandemic.)
This weekend’s event is the first immersive, live fan event that the NBA 2K League has hosted.
The goal of these events, Canty said, is to begin extending the league’s reach beyond just the gaming community. “When you think of a fun experience, we want to be at the forefront of that thought.”
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