appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

liveArticle

appConfig

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sectionsV2

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

json

Associated Press

After over three hours of sitting, waiting and stressing, Chiquita Evans heard her name called. She stood, smiled and put on a Warriors cap, striding to the stage backed by the loudest applause of the night.
Someone put a microphone in front of her and asked her how it felt. That is when she finally choked up.
“It changes everything,” she said. “It means everything to me.”
Evans became the first woman ever drafted into the NBA 2K League on Tuesday night, going in the fourth round to Warriors Gaming, which is operated by the NBA’s Golden State Warriors. A former college and semi-pro basketball player, Evans is now the e-sports league’s first female pro, one of the 126 players who will make between US$33,000 to US$37,000 per season, plus benefits and team housing.
No more sessions as a trainer at Planet Fitness. The Chicago native is heading to the Bay Area.
“It feels surreal,” she said.

Chiquita Evans (@chiquitae126) becomes the first woman drafted into the #NBA2KLeague, pick No. 56 by @WarriorsGaming! pic.twitter.com/LiXnn7iHjH
— NBA2KLeague (@NBA2KLeague) 6 March 2019

Evans was one of two women who qualified for the 2K League draft this year through the league’s online combine. The other, Brianna Novin, was not selected but could still sign as a free agent.
The NBA runs the league in coordination with game publisher Take-Two Interactive, and it did not have any women for its inaugural season. Before last year’s draft, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called the lack of gender diversity “a disappointment for all of us so far.”
The league set out to solve that problem by holding focus groups with top women gamers to spot potential barriers. One key problem: Data showed that male players weren’t passing the ball to their female teammates – something that wasn’t accounted for when the league analysed players to build the 2018 draft pool.

"For the first time ever, I gave up something... People are saying I don't deserve to be here."
Go behind the scenes on Chiquita Evans' (@chiquitae126) journey to becoming the first woman ever selected in the #NBA2KLeague Draft. pic.twitter.com/hNL9mUMNLH
— NBA2KLeague (@NBA2KLeague) 6 March 2019

“It made us put more emphasis on how good a player was when they got the ball in their hands,” said 2K League managing director Brendan Donohue. “That is the only part of it they can control.”
The league also monitored communication between players more carefully at this year’s combine, removing several players for sexist remarks.
That kind of harassment isn’t new to Evans, or women in e-sports in general. One of the biggest challenges for women is finding teammates for games that rely so heavily on teamwork. Female gamers can try to ignore an offensive, trash-talking opponent – and there are plenty of those in the 2K community.

Hoping to get drafted by #WarriorsGaming next week? @B_SM00VE_JAY breaks down what kind of players we're looking for #NBA2KLeague pic.twitter.com/dM6oMUJXyT
— Warriors Gaming (@WarriorsGaming) 1 March 2019

But just like in real life, you cannot defend a pick-and-roll if your teammates aren’t willing to communicate.
Evans has done most of her competitive gaming with a coed team – right now, five of its 12 players are women – and that is helped her thrive as a shot-creating small forward.
Her experience when gaming outside that team with both teammates and opponents – has not always been as rosy.
“I’ve had sexual remarks put towards me,” she said. “I get told I should be back in the kitchen. ‘2K is not for women,’ I’ve had that. There’s no question about that.”

HISTORY MADE
Chiquita Evans became the first woman drafted into the @NBA2KLeague! pic.twitter.com/4ipXjB1ypJ
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) 6 March 2019

Evans also got loud pushback on social media when she announced last month – on her 30th birthday, no less – that she’d qualified for the draft.
“That is the only time that it’s been discouraging for me,” Evans said. “In that moment, because it was a great moment for me, and I felt like people ruined it.”
Other gamers at Tuesday’s draft were eager to welcome Evans and Novin.
“Male, female, dog, cat, frog, I don’t care,” said Alexander Bernstein, a returning player with 76ers Gaming. “If you’re the best in the world, I feel like you deserve to be able to play.”

That does not mean the women will not face extra scepticism. Kimanni Ingram, another draft-eligible player, has played with Evans and respects the way she has navigated blowback from male gamers.
But even his compliments Tuesday came with a qualifier.
“She has the basketball IQ for a girl,” Ingram said. “Most people would be like, ‘I’m playing with a girl. She’s not going to know what to do.’ She knows what she’s doing. You can tell.”
News of Evans’ selection travelled fast. Warriors coach Steve Kerr was asked about her before a game against Boston.
“I think that is really cool that she’s passionate and inspired and broke a barrier,” Kerr said. “That is awesome.”
“E-sports has become a huge thing now,” said Kevin Durant, Evans’ favourite player. “More people who enjoy the game might get an opportunity to be professionals and make some money for themselves and make some money. I think it’s cool.”
Female gamers have had difficulty breaking into pro e-sports. Among the most popular circuits, League of Legends Championship Series and the Overwatch League have each had just one female player.

The Orlando Magic’s first round pick tonight in the NBA2K League Draft had an amazing on-stage interview pic.twitter.com/eocs84r7Gy
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) 6 March 2019

Those women both received ample praise and criticism on social media.
The NBA wants to help Evans and Novin manage that. The 2K League has a transition program based on the NBA’s rookie symposium, and it added sessions specifically for Evans and Novin to help them navigate their potential barrier-breaking roles, including help with social media.
One item 2K hopes to change soon: The video game still does not include any female players. Unlike EA Sports’ NBA Live series – which includes WNBA rosters and the ability to create female players – NBA 2K is still male-only. Donohue says 2K is working to add women to future versions of the game.
That is not bumming out Evans right now. She’s already building out her to-do list for her new home in Oakland.
“I’m going to see if I can do a real-life shooting competition with (Stephen) Curry,” Evans said. “That is what I was known for. See if I can shoot with the best.”


Hong Kong school invited to compete in NBA Rising Stars Invitational for first time

Meet Olivier Rioux, the tallest basketball player in the world – who’s an NBA prospect

Meet Shaquille O’Neal’s youngest daughter Me’Arah, who just beat her father’s SEC record

NBA Europe attracts US$1 billion bids, with more than 120 investors showing keen interest

NBA (National Basketball Association)

First female NBA 2K pro drafted – Chiquita Evans joins Golden State Warriors e-sports team and hopes to play against Steph Curry

Chiquita Evans on stage after being selected as the 56th pick overall by the Warriors Gaming Squad at the NBA 2K League draft. Photo: AP

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr yells at the officials during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Chiquita Evans poses for photographs with Brendan Donohue after being selected as the 56th pick overall by the Warriors Gaming Squad at the NBA 2K League draft Tuesday, March 5, 2019, in New York. Evans is the first woman selected in the esports league. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NBA 2K: what it’s like to get paid playing e-sports for a living – trash talk, big money and a relentless work ethic

Dayne ‘OneWildWalnut’ Downey taking a break from doing commentary at the NBA2K League’s international qualifying invitational, which was held last weekend in Hong Kong. Photo: Edmond So

This handout image shows a video game " NBA 2K ". Photo / HANDOUT [16JANUARY2017 FEATURES DIGITAL]

Dayne Downey, a professional esports player from the United States, poses for a picture in Mong Kok. 03FEB19 SCMP / Edmond So

CGA eSports Hall at Macpherson Place in Mong Kok, the biggest eSports Hall in Asia opening on Monday. 25JAN19 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Sport

Basketball

The 56th overall pick will be paid between US$33,000 and US$37,000, plus benefits and team housing
Only other woman to qualify through online combine was not drafted but could yet join league as free agent


Evans will be paid between US$33,000 and US$37,000, plus benefits and team housing


Esports