Pistons GT Boasts Two First-Round Draft Picks For 2019 NBA 2K League Draft
March 4, 2019
Team Holds the No. 4, No. 16, No. 58 and No. 80 Selections
DETROIT, Mich. – The Pistons Gaming Team (Pistons GT) is set to build on a playoff berth in its inaugural season with four upcoming draft picks for the 2019 NBA 2K League Draft. Pistons GT has two first-round selections (No. 4 and No. 16) to go along with a pick in the third round (No. 58) and fourth round (No. 80). The roster is rounded out with two players returning from the 2018 squad in Joseph “JosephTheTruth” Marrero and Kristopher “iiNsaniTTy” Dellarciprete.
The second-ever NBA 2K League Draft will take place at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 5 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. This year’s Draft features four additional expansion teams, bringing the league total up to 21 participating franchises. The Draft consists of four rounds, and all 21 teams will draft players to complete their six-person roster. The 2019 Draft will be livestreamed on the league’s Twitch channel.
Pistons GT made a trade to acquire the fourth overall pick in the upcoming draft after making a deal with Pacers Gaming this offseason. The club is one of four teams with multiple first-round picks this year. New additions to the Draft include a Red Carpet session during the pre-Draft festivities, a media circuit similar to the NBA Draft which will take place at the conclusion of the event and 30-40 invitations to players to attend the Draft.
With the addition of the four expansion teams, 126 players will compete in the NBA 2K League’s second season, and for the first time this year, more players will be draft-eligible than spots available in the league. During the offseason, 52 players from the inaugural season were retained, leaving 74 roster spots available. The draft-eligible player pool will consist of new players were who selected by the league following an extensive tryout process, players from the league’s APAC Invitational in Hong Kong, as well as unretained players from season one who successfully completed Combine requirements.
Pistons GT finished the inaugural season of NBA 2K League with the third-best record, 9-5, to clinch its first-ever playoff berth and is one of 21 franchises participating in the league in 2019. The NBA 2K League is the first official esports league operated by a U.S. professional sports league. According to Newzoo, the esports industry is expected to grow to more than $900 million in revenue this year and $1.4 billion by 2020, while the audience for esports is expected to reach 557 million by 2021, including 250 million dedicated enthusiasts and 307 million occasional viewers.