This could be the most controversial announcement made so far by the NBA 2k League. We knew that all players must be 18 years old in order to be considered as a prospect. However, we now know the exact date by which a prospect needs to 18 years old to qualify. The NBA 2k League age requirement is official: January 31st, 2018.
For players who didn’t make the cut, your frustration is understandable. Please know that this was not made without careful consideration. This decision was the result of thorough research. First, the league surveyed the player landscape and ensured that the absolute best players are not left out. Of course, there are so prospects who were unfortunately eliminated.
Second, you told them what the age requirement should be. Yes…you were the ones who gave them the data they needed to make this decision. Remember when you registered yourself as a player on nba2kleague.com? You had to give them your all of your relevant information including, your date of birth.
Third and finally, making the cutoff date January 31st is the most logical choice. Why would they pick an arbitrary date in the middle of January, when they could easily use the closing date for the qualification process. It just makes sense.
We were fortunate enough to receive comment from the Grant Paranjape, Director of Esports for Monumental Sports Entertainment about the decision.
“The January 31st date for requiring players to be 18 is a smart decision. By requiring players to turn 18 before the second stage of the tryout, it allows teams the ability to scout knowing that any player in the combine will be eligible to be drafted, as well allowing players an opportunity to correctly plan for their futures. Inevitably the 18 year old cut off date would cause some players to miss out on the league, but this is the best outcome to a difficult requirement.”
– Grant Paranjape
If you did not meet the cutoff date, I’m truly sorry. But, it’s not the end of the world. Of course, it’s hard to not be a part of the inaugural season of the NBA 2k League. Thankfully, it’s already been confirmed that more franchises will be joining the league next year. Meaning, you will still get a chance to compete in the league.
Also, these franchises have already started hiring for position in their organization. And trust me, they will announce more opportunities by January’s end. So, you can still be a part of the NBA 2k league this season, it just may not be as a player.
This doesn’t mean the journey is over. Think about it. They have just eliminated a segment of the players that they will be relying on to consume their content. Wouldn’t it make sense to eventually have a minor league system or development program, similar to League of Legends? They need you to still be interested in the league, and still feel like you have a legitimate chance of playing in it.
While this isn’t the greatest of news, it should fill fans and eventual players of the league with hope. The NBA 2k League age requirement was chosen after doing dedicated research, and with the best interest of the league and it’s players in mind. They could have easily raised the age requirement to 21.
Potential sponsors and partners of the league would feel more comfortable spending money on an older group of professional players. But, the league knew that would not lead to the best product and would not be in the best interest of you, the NBA 2k community.
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