HAWKS TALON GC HOSTS PANEL, NBA 2K TOURNAMENT AT WADE WALKER PARK FAMILY YMCA ESPORTS SUMMER CAMP

Hawks Talon GC, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, hosted a panel and bracket style tournament on Wednesday at the Wade Walker Park Family YMCA as part of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta’s Esports summer camp.

Director of Marketing and Operations, Affiliate Leagues, Wesley Acuff, Hawks Talon GC Head Coach, Ismael ‘MAELO’ Diaz Tolentino, and Hawks Talon GC players Mark David “MDS” Smith, Ludlow “LOW” Samuels and Elijah “Underratedgoat” Spears spoke to 26 camp participants about their journey to the NBA 2K League, and the uniqueness and innerworkings of the League.

“Being able to work with the YMCA of Metro Atlanta and help with their Esports camp was extremely rewarding for our group to be a part of,” said Janice Koon, Vice President of G League, and NBA 2K League Operations for the Atlanta Hawks. “Our Hawks Talon Gaming Club always relish the opportunity to be able to interact with the young kids in our area, and it was a joy for them to talk to and play 2K with the campers this morning.”

After the panel, the group of campers split up into 13 teams to face off head-to-head in a NBA 2K 2v2, single elimination bracket tournament.

In addition to the tournament, the campers were able to utilize another PlayStation within the Wade Walker Family YMCA Esports lab and jump into a 2K game with the official NBA 2K League settings, while utilizing Hawks Talon GC player avatars. The campers were able to play by the official NBA 2K League rules and game settings to experience the authentic feel of being a professional NBA 2K player.

At the end of the tournament, the first, second, and third place teams received Hawks Talon Gaming Club t-shirts and sweatshirts, while all campers will be gifted an official Hawks Talon Gaming Club jersey with the YMCA patch.

“Our Y Esports summer camps help children build self-confidence, practice sportsmanship and gain news skills, while connecting with other gamers,” said Lorna Loh, executive director of the Wade Walker Park Family YMCA. “We greatly appreciate Hawks Talon GC’s partnership and commitment to providing our Y kids with an informative, fun panel about the league and interactive opportunities to improve their skills.”