NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 04: A general view of the NBA 2K League Draft at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
The NBA remains on hiatus due to coronavirus, but some of the league’s top players will give basketball junkies something to watch as they go head-to-head in an NBA2K tournament starting on Friday.
Each game of the tournament, which plays out between Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 11, will be televised on either ESPN or ESPN2. But if you don’t have cable, you can stream the NBA 2K Player Tournament on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV Stick, or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
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How to Watch NBA 2K Players Tournament Online
Watch ESPN on Sling TV
Sling TV’s “Sling Orange” package comes with 32 channels, including ESPN and ESPN2. It costs $20 for the first month ($30 per month after that), which makes Sling the cheapest streaming service with the ESPN channels if you plan on keeping it long term:
Or, as part of a special deal that Sling is currently offering, you can get a free Amazon Fire TV Stick if you prepay for two months:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch the NBA 2K Players Tournament live on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the Sling TV app. You can also watch on the ESPN app if you sign in using your Sling credentials.
Watch ESPN on Hulu With Live TV
ESPN and ESPN2 are both included in Hulu With Live TV, which comes with 60-plus live TV channels and Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows and movies:
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch the NBA 2K Players Tournament live on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app. You can also watch on the ESPN app if you sign in using your Hulu credentials.
Watch ESPN on AT&T TV Now
AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) offers six different channel bundles. They range from 45 to 125 live TV channels, and they all include ESPN and ESPN2. The “Plus” and “Max” bundles come with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for AT&T TV Now, you can watch the NBA 2K Players Tournament live on your computer via the AT&T TV Now website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or other compatible streaming device via the AT&T TV app. You can also watch on the ESPN app if you sign in using your AT&T TV Now credentials.
NBA 2K Players Tournament Preview
If everything was going as planned, the NBA would be turning the corner on its final stretch of the regular season, with the playoffs on the horizon. However, with the suspension of games — which started on March 11 — players and fans are looking for new ways to feed their basketball hunger and fill the live sports void. Enter NBA2K.
“We’re thrilled to partner with the NBA and NBPA to bring basketball back to fans throughout the world and to help those in need during these uncertain times,” Jason Argent, 2K senior vice president, sports strategy and licensing said in a statement on Tuesday. “Entertainment, especially sports, has the ability to bring communities together — including athletes, fans, and families — and we hope that everyone will enjoy the tournament.”
Kevin Durant is the biggest star in the tournament and the top seed. Players were seeded by their rating in the game. The winner will receive $100,000 to give to a charity for coronavirus relief efforts.
Here’s a full list of that players “suiting up” for the tournament.
Participating players:
1. Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets (96 2K rating)
2. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks (90)
3. Hassan Whiteside, Portland Trail Blazers (87)
4. Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz (87)
5. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns (86)
6. Andre Drummond, Cleveland Cavaliers (85)
7. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls (85)
8. Montrezl Harrell, LA Clippers (85)
9. Domantas Sabonis, Indiana Pacers (85)
10. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns (85)
11. DeMarcus Cousins (81)
12. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets (81)
13. Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards (79)
14. Patrick Beverley, LA Clippers (78)
15. Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings (78)
16. Derrick Jones Jr., Miami Heat (78)
“This tournament offers a unique opportunity for our players to compete with one another while also supporting their philanthropic efforts and engaging with their fans,” Josh Goodstadt, a representative of the players union’s commercial arm, said in a statement. “We are excited to work with 2K and the NBA to bring this experience to life for the entire NBA community.”
The tournament will continue with more games on Sunday, with the quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday. The tournament will reconvene next Saturday for the semifinals and championship. Round 1 and 2 will be single-elimination, then shifting to best-of-3 series for the semifinals and finals.
Devin Booker is the No. 5 seed, but is the favorite to take home the title at 350. The Suns star is a Twitch streaming veteran, but he’ll have some stiff competition. Ayton (+500), Durant (+700) and Jones (+800) have the best odds of knocking off Booker. Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis has the worst odds to win the whole thing at +2800.