UK Happenings

Gen.G, UK to host 'Hoops at Home' NBA 2K Tournament April 8

Mark Cornelison | UK Photo.

Lexington, Ky. (March 30, 2023) — Global esports organization Gen.G and the University of Kentucky announced details for the return of its popular Hoops at Home NBA 2K tournament, which will take place Saturday, April 8, 2023.

The tournament will provide the opportunity for players to take part in an online NBA 2K basketball experience on twitch.tv/universityofky that is meant to connect and unify the community through esports. 

“We’re thrilled and honored to be hosting our fourth Hoops at Home with Gen.G Esports,” said Erik Jarvis, FIS administrator senior. “To have pros like the Gen.G Tigers here to participate in this year’s event elevates the whole experience for us. The excitement around basketball this time of year is always palpable, but even if we can’t all be out on the court, this event gives us the opportunity to compete and share in the fun together.”

This year’s tournament will take place virtually and in person. For virtual participation, this tournament requires that competitors have a PlayStation 4 or 5 or Xbox Series X/S and a copy of the NBA 2K23 game. You will also need the ability to stream your gameplay with a stable internet connection.

For in-person participation, this tournament requires that competitors arrive at The Cornerstone on UK's campus with their own controller and wire to connect the controller to a PC or console.

Those who wish to participate must go to https://esports.uky.edu/hoops-at-home and register by April 5, 2023.

"It's been exciting to have our Tigers team become a part of the Big Blue Nation with our return to Lexington," says Jordan "Len" Ross, the head coach of the Gen.G 2K team playing out of the UKFCU Esports Lounge. "We're excited to participate in the Hoops at Home show match against the tournament victors again this year and build closer relationships to the UK community."

Please note that filling out the form does NOT automatically qualify you for entrance into the tournament. Tournament organizers will reach out once competitor selections have been made.   

The 2K tournament is bracket style, starting with a field of 64 players. Rounds of 32, 16, and 8 of the tournament will be best-of-one and single elimination. Round of 4 and championship will be best of three and single elimination. 

Gen.G and the University of Kentucky continue to bring best-in-class esports activations to the community and remain committed to building the next generation of esports leaders around the country. The two have partnered together since 2019 bringing together engaging virtual events, activations, and initiatives over the last few years.

About Gen.G

Established in 2017, Gen.G is the leading esports organization connecting the United States and Asia. Ranked No. 6 in the Forbes list of the “World's Most Valuable Esports Companies,” Gen.G is the only major organization that owns and operates top teams in the world's leading esports markets — China, South Korea and the United States. Its unique portfolio of teams, winners of seven global championships to date, includes the Seoul Dynasty franchise of the Overwatch League; 2014 and 2017 League of Legends world champion team in South Korea; the world's top all-female Fortnite team, based in Los Angeles; and the NBA 2K League's historic expansion franchise in Shanghai.

United under #TigerNation, Gen.G's core mission is to help fans and athletes use the power of gaming and esports to get ahead in and beyond the competition. The company has quickly become a commercial and thought leader, building a global, inclusive and cross-cultural future for sports entertainment. Its widely acclaimed initiatives include: #TeamBumble, the leading team platform for the empowerment of women in gaming; and Gen.G Elite Esports Academy, the world's first fully-integrated academic esports program. Gen.G's teams, content creators and corporate staff work out of their offices in Los Angeles, Seoul and Shanghai.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.