Booker favored to win NBA2k Players Tournament

April 3rd has finally arrived. The tournament we have been waiting for shall finally commence. No, not I am not referring to the NCAA Tournament. Although April 3rd was originally the date in which the Final Four national semi-finals were to occur in Atlanta, the world has changed a tad bit. Sports has shut down and the world has come to a halt.

But not Esports!

The time has come for the NBA2k Players Tournament.

The tournament begins this evening at 4:30 p.m. MST and can be viewed on ESPN and ESPN2. It will feature 16 NBA players going head-to-head on the XBox One console in a single elimination format. The winner receives $100,000 from NBA2k, money which will be donated to the charity of the players choosing.

Here is how the seeding looks for the tournament, with seeding based on the player’s NBA2k player rating:

It’s not the bracket we were expecting to follow this time of year, but it’s the bracket we have. And you know what? It’s actually going to be fun to watch.

For any of those who have tuned in to watch Devin Booker live stream his ‘Call of Duty’ exploits via Twitch, you know that it is actually an enjoyable experience. He gets on and plays with his friends, to include Karl Anthony-Towns, Kyle Kuzma, and Paul George, and you see the same intensity he has on the court translate to his gaming.

There is an intimacy that occurs while watching him play; you hear Booker speak and react to the virtual world around him, something you can see (but not always hear) while he is on the hardwood. He drops a couple of f-bombs along the way and you get to see a side of a player you don’t normally see.

His real-time reactions went viral when Booker found out the NBA season was cancelled while streaming via Twitch on March 11.

Now Booker can take his gaming skills and apply them to NBA2k20. His teammate DeAndre Ayton will be hitting the sticks as well. Only the Los Angeles Clippers feature two players represented in the tournament (Montrezl Harrell and Patrick Beverly). A Suns player has a 12.5% chance to win the tournament.

Going into the NBA2k Players Tournament, according to Legion Hoops, Devin Booker is the odds on favorite to win the tournament.

Why? It is probably due to Booker’s gaming reputation. He recently was interviewed by the Los Angeles Times about his passion for playing video games, and it was noted that he now spends 5-10 hours per day gaming. You do anything for 10 hours a day and you’re going to be viewed as the favorite to win.

Granted, Booker spends the majority of his time playing ‘Call of Duty: Warzone’, I’m sure he has been practicing NBA2k20 in preparation for tonight’s tourney.

As Booker stated to the Los Angeles Times, “If I’m being completely honest, I don’t think anyone is at my level.”

We shall see. Game on Book and best of luck!

Oh, and you too D.A.