NBA 2K League And Australian NBL Announce Agreement, Expansion Team

The NBA 2K League continues to grow. Thursday, the league and Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) announced an agreement that will see the NBL launch an NBA 2K League expansion team, NBL Oz Gaming.

The deal, worth around $25 million, makes NBL Oz Gaming the twenty-fifth team in the NBA 2K League. It also marks the first time an Australian team has permanently joined a global esports league.

“This is another historic day as we welcome Australia’s premier basketball league to the NBA 2K League family,” NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue said in a statement. “The NBL has a demonstrated track record of not only transforming their league, but also growing a fanbase in new and creative ways.

“The NBL is the ideal partner to help the NBA 2K League do the same in Australia, where basketball and 2K are incredibly popular and we’re thrilled that NBL Oz Gaming will represent Australia in the NBA 2K League for years to come.”

NBL Oz Gaming is the third expansion team from outside of North America. The Gen G Tigers of Shanghai and DUX Infinitos from Mexico City joined the NBA 2K League in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The other 22 teams are affiliated with NBA teams.

When the 2023 NBA 2K League season tips off next spring, NBL Oz Gaming will make its debut. However, the team will be based in the United States during its inaugural season. Its Australian location has not been announced yet.

“We have been intrigued by the esports sector now for some time, largely because there is a significant crossover between gaming fans and basketball fans—more so than any other sport,” NBL Commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said in a statement. “We always want to partner with the best and one of the best professional esports leagues in the world is operated by our long-standing friends and partners at the NBA.

“The global popularity of NBA 2K and the NBA 2K League continue to grow every year, and neither is showing any signs of slowing down. Our hopes and expectations are that NBL Oz Gaming will introduce the NBL to a legion of new fans around the world. But first, we have to turn our attention to building a strong and competitive roster and showing once again that the NBL can take on the best in the world. This time, it just happens to be a slightly different game!”

The NBA 2K League already has ties to Oceania. Jack “Jaacko” Stevenson from New Zealand was selected with the No. 50 overall in the 2019 NBA 2K League Draft, and Australian Meason “xMiLo—-” Camille was selected as the No. 62 overall in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft.

NBL Oz Gaming will participate in the NBA 2K League Expansion Draft next month in November. The 2023 NBA 2K League season will livestream in Australia on Twitch and YouTube.