Sporting goods brand Wilson has been named as the official match ball of the NBA 2K League, an esports competition jointly organised by the game developer 2K Games and the NBA.
The new ball will make its debut during the first matches of the NBA 2K League on May 26th. According to the release, the ball is painted silver to amplify ‘the electronic feel of esports’.
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Wilson is a sporting goods brand famous for its match balls across a number of sports and is set to replace Spalding as the official ball provider for the upcoming NBA season. This is Wilson’s first activation with the NBA 2K League. The brand has previously partnered with the NFL for its Madden esports titles.
According to Wilson, the ball will only be available to NBA 2K League players. However, the next version of the NBA 2K will have the sporting goods brand integrated.
Kevin Murphy, General manager for Wilson Team Sports, commented: “Wilson is excited to partner with the NBA 2K League, and introducing the official game ball is just the start. Wilson is dedicated to growing our global basketball community – including players, coaches, trainers, fans and gamers.
“Esports is such a huge part of basketball culture. The NBA 2K League is a great way for us to build excitement ahead of our on-court debut this fall for the NBA’s 75th anniversary season.”
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The companies also announced that the virtual ball is only the first part of its multi-year partnership, with both entities looking to bring 2K products and experiences to life for gamers, both virtually and physically. NBA 2K League has already partnered with DoorDash as the official title sponsor for its finals, which is set to be played in September this year.
Esports Insider says: Considering that Wilson will become the official ball supplier for the next NBA season, cooperating with 2K games is a natural thing. We’ll surely see more activations for the two brands as both the 2K League, and the new NBA season start.