For the first time since 2019, the official esports team of the Utah Jazz is playing inside a studio at the Delta Center.
The team competes in the NBA 2K League. Launched in 2018, it’s the first esports league operated by an American professional sports league.“There is a combine that we go through,” said Jelani Mitchell, head coach of Jazz Gaming, “Season one -- 72,000 people participated in that combine. We had advanced analytics and data that was pulled.”“It’s a lot of time, a lot of practice,” said Spencer Wyman. His avatar comes to life as a player named “Ria.
Every statistic is tracked from shooting percentage to which side of the court a player is most likely to take a shot.“I couldn’t even imagine it,” said TJ Paturzo, whose avatar comes to life as"Kaze."They know they are role models to the millions of kids who pick up a gaming controller everyday.“You can’t give up everything,” Wyman said. “You have to have a good family life. You’ve got to be social and make sure you are going to school.
Wyman and his teammates still have the youthful skills needed to succeed in the 2K League. As the 2024 season begins, they are enjoying the ride as professional gamers, living out their childhood dream and taking their shot at a prize pool that can top $2,000,000. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” Paturzo said. “You’ve got to have a life still, go do your own thing, play sports, hang out with friends. At the same time, if you have a dream, do it.”