The 2021 NBA 2K League starts on May 19 and wraps up on September 4, featuring all 23 teams playing 28 regular season games. The playoffs have been expanded to 12 teams, scheduled to begin on August 26.
Starting this year, the league will feature an Eastern and Western Conference. Each team will play matchups both within its conference and against teams in the other conference.
- Eastern Conference
- 76ers GC, Celtics Crossover Gaming, Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, Grizz Gaming, Hawks Talon GC, Heat Check Gaming, Hornets Venom GT, Knicks Gaming, Magic Gaming, Nets GC, Raptors Uprising GC and Wizards District Gaming
- 76ers GC, Celtics Crossover Gaming, Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, Grizz Gaming, Hawks Talon GC, Heat Check Gaming, Hornets Venom GT, Knicks Gaming, Magic Gaming, Nets GC, Raptors Uprising GC and Wizards District Gaming
- Western Conference
- Bucks Gaming, Blazer5 Gaming, Cavs Legion GC, Jazz Gaming, Kings Guard Gaming, Lakers Gaming, Mavs Gaming, Pacers Gaming, Pistons GT, T-Wolves Gaming and Warriors Gaming Squad
For the first time, regular-season broadcasts will feature nightly themes:
- “NBA 2KL Block Party Wednesdays” will highlight voices around the NBA 2K League community, including influencer personalities.
- “NBA 2KL Bounce Pass Thursdays” will be the league’s most fast-paced nights of gameplay, packing all four matchups into a three-hour window. They will include as many as three games happening simultaneously, and the broadcasts will bounce around to highlight the most exciting action.
- “NBA 2KL Friday Night Fire” will spotlight the week’s marquee matchup with the Game of the Week and dive deep into the stories of the league’s 138 players with never-before-seen content and interviews.
- “NBA 2KL Saturday Night Showdown” will explore new broadcast elements and voices and focus on the hardcore 2K fans by showcasing the game and players through the lens of the league’s most compelling storylines, including rivalries between individual players and teams.
Each NBA 2K League team will begin the 2021 season playing remotely from its local market. Games will be simulcast live on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels, and will be available on Dash Radio, ESRevolution, Loco in India and Sport1 in Europe. Regular-season games will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with four distinct matchups each night. Matchups will be played in a two‑game format.
The 2021 season will once again include three in-season tournaments (THE TIPOFF, THE TURN and THE TICKET) as part of THE BANNER CHAIN powered by AT&T. All 23 teams will compete in THE TIPOFF and THE TURN. The top five teams in each conference at the end of the regular season will automatically qualify for the NBA 2K League Playoffs. The 13 remaining teams will compete in THE TICKET, with the winning teams from each conference earning the 11 and 12 spots in the playoffs. The NBA 2K League will award $1.5 million in prize money across the THE TIPOFF, THE TURN and the playoffs. Additional information is available here.
2021 NBA 2K League Schedule
- May 19 – 22 THE TIPOFF Powered by AT&T
- May 26 – 29 Regular Season – Week 1
- June 2 – 5 Regular Season – Week 2
- June 9 – 12 Regular Season – Week 3
- June 16 – 19 Regular Season – Week 4
- June 23 – 26 Regular Season – Week 5
- June 30 – July 3 Bye Week
- July 7 – 10 Regular Season – Week 6
- July 14 – 17 THE TURN Powered by AT&T
- July 21 – 24 Regular Season – Week 7
- July 28 – 31 Regular Season – Week 8
- August 4 – 7 Regular Season – Week 9
- August 11 – 14 Regular Season – Week 10
- August 19 – 21 THE TICKET Powered by AT&T
- August 26 – 28 NBA 2K League Playoffs Delivered by DoorDash
- September 4 NBA 2K League Finals Delivered by DoorDash
