The NBA 2K League is continuing to grow internationally with a new expansion beyond the borders. On Wednesday, the league announced that it would be expanding into Mexico with DUX Gaming taking ownership of the launch. DUX Gaming is a sports organization with teams that compete in a variety of video game titles and Spanish football leagues. They will have the honor of being the first team in the 2K League to represent Latin America.
This new 2K League team will be the third organization to represent a team outside the United States. Raptors Uprising GC representing Toronto, Canada, and Gen. G Tigers representing Shanghai, China were the previous two. DUX Gaming’s team will be the 24th NBA 2K League organization. Rafael “RafaelTGR” Tobias Garcera Rodrigo, who is a former NBA 2K League Draft prospect and participant in the NBA 2K League European Invitational in 2019, will serve as DUX Gaming’s general manager.
“This is a historic day as we welcome another premier international organization to the NBA 2K League family,” said NBA 2K League President Brendan Donohue. “DUX Gaming has a demonstrated track record of growing its fan base in new and creative ways which makes it an ideal partner to help the NBA 2K League successfully expand to Latin America, where basketball and 2K are already incredibly popular. We’re thrilled that DUX Gaming will represent Mexico in the NBA 2K League for years to come.”
With the sport of basketball constantly growing internationally it only makes sense that the 2K League would look to do the same. The NBA has previously hosted regular season and exhibition games in Mexico and has shown an interest in growing its presence there. While the 2K League and NBA are two separate organizations, it does make us consider the possibility of the NBA expanding into Mexico in their future as well. It’s a country with a growing and passionate interest in basketball and it only makes sense for the NBA and 2K League to explore that interest.
Over the NBA 2K League’s first four seasons, the league has conducted in-person and remote international qualifying events in Hong Kong, London, Seoul and Shanghai for top players from the European and Asia-Pacific regions. Twenty international players have competed in the NBA 2K League.
DUX Gaming will participate in the third NBA 2K League Expansion Draft on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Additional details about DUX Gaming, including the team name, city and logo, will be announced at a later date.