Kentucky lands first pro Esports team, the Gen.G Tigers in the NBA 2K League

Photo by Pete Comparoni | UK Photo

Lexington has a new pro sports team — esports, that is.

This morning, the Gen.G Tigers announced they are relocating to the University of Kentucky for their second season in the NBA 2K League. The Tigers are originally from Shanghai but have yet to play in their home city due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re one of 23 teams in the NBA 2K League, which kicks off its second season May 19. Currently, they’re the only team not affiliated with an NBA team. The move will put the Gen.G Tigers in the newly-formed 12-team Eastern Conference.

UK has partnered with Gen.G, an international esports organization, since 2019, building a state-of-the-art esports facility on campus, the University of Kentucky Federal Credit Union Esports Lounge at The Cornerstone. The team will also have access to UK campus services including dining and the recreational center facilities across campus.

“We’ve forged an incredible global relationship with the University of Kentucky, so it’s only natural for our 2K League team to train and compete on the campus of the nation’s winningest college basketball program,” said by Chris Park, CEO of Gen.G. “UK is a vibrant community with state-of-the-art facilities, and our players are honored to be the first pro esports team in-residence at a major university.”

The team will have opportunities to interact with UK esports players and students as the esports community continues to grow on campus. Gen.G hopes to be able to make tickets available to watch live games in the Theater, if the public health situation allows for live attendance during the season.

“We are proud of our basketball heritage, so we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Gen.G.’s NBA 2K League team to our campus,” said Heath Price, Associate CIO at UK. “The team will play at the Cornerstone which has the best internet connectivity east of the Mississippi. They will have our full support.”

Led by Coach Lennon Ross, the Tigers have reloaded after its inaugural 6-10 season with a mix of returning and new players following the NBA 2K League Draft on March 13. The 2021 roster includes:

• Chris “Turnupdefense” Anderson (@Turnupdefense) is in his 2nd season with the Tigers as a lockdown defender.  He won an NBA 2K League championship with T-Wolves Gaming in 2019. Originally from Los Angeles, he now resides in Las Vegas when he’s not competing. Turnup is the only returning player from Gen.G’s 2020 roster.
• Mihad “FEAST” Feratovic (@iFEAST__) joins the Tigers after spending last season with the 76ers GC and plays power forward.  He was also one of the first two players in T-Wolves Gaming history. FEAST is originally from Brooklyn and also won a championship in 2019 with T-Wolves Gaming. FEAST is a two-time NBA 2K League Sportsmanship Award winner.
• Alex “Bsmoove” Reese (@BsmooveJ) joins the team after the Tigers traded its #3 overall pick in the first round of the NBA 2K League Draft with his former team, the Warriors Gaming Squad.  The shooting point guard brings a wealth of competitive experience.  He is originally from Milwaukie, Oregon and enjoys playing and coaching basketball when he’s not competing in NBA 2K or Fortnite. Bsmoove is also a two-time tournament champion, winning both THE TURN and THE TICKET in 2019 with Warriors Gaming Squad. He was also named THE TICKET MVP in 2019.
• Jordan “JMoney” Martinez (@JMoneyRep817) makes his debut with the Tigers this season after he was acquired from T-Wolves Gaming. The small forward averaged 18.2 points per game last season.  JMoney is originally from Fort Worth, Texas. JMoney won a championship in 2019 with T-Wolves Gaming. A big difference this year will be he finally gets to play point guard, his natural position.
• Donald “BumpyDon” Newsome (@BxmpyDon) is the 44th overall pick in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft. BumpyDon was widely considered one of the more promising PF prospects in this year’s draft. Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, BumpyDon was the first rookie selected for the Gen.G Tigers this year.
• Kennedy “Sawc” Tauala, Jr. (@sawc4L) is the 47th overall pick in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft. Sawc is widely considered one of the better characters from this year’s draft pool. He is a hybrid player that can fill numerous roles on a team, which fits perfectly with the current setup of this year’s roster. Sawc is born and raised from Long Beach, CA and also has graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Psychology.

Let’s go Tigers. Watch them do their thing below.