A Day in the Life of a Professional NBA 2K Esports Player

Being a professional NBA 2K player is one thing, but having the same name as arguably the best NBA player of all time is a whole different thing. This is the reality of the first-round draft pick of the Wizard District Gaming, Alexander Lebron. He is a professional esports player, and his daily life is centered around NBA 2K!

Professional esports players put time and dedication to be great at their craft, and NBA 2K League player xoLebron is no different.

Alexander Lebron, also known as xoLebron, was the number 23 overall pick in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft by the Wizards District Gaming, an affiliate team of the Washington Wizards. The Wizards DG were coming off of a championship-winning season when they decided to use their first pick to grab the power forward. Alexander is a versatile player that will immediately help the team on the defensive end as they try to win back-to-back championships. 

But being the defending champions number one pick has to be stressful, right?

Well not for xoLebron. He knows exactly what he's capable of.

”I feel no pressure really. I know what I can bring to the table and I'm going to buy into their system."

It's easy to see why he's so confident in what he can bring to the Wizards DG as he dominated the Pro-Am scene on his way to the draft. While beating some of the best players in the world on Pro-Am, he quickly began to make a name for himself in the 2K community. His run in the Pro-Am is when he really started to realize that he was 2K League material. 

"2K18/2K19 is when I realized that I was talented enough to play professionally. I started making a  name for myself in the competitive scene and winning against top players/teams."

Now that he is at the pinnacle of where thousands of gamers one day hope to be one day, his day-to-day routine has changed. He, like any other professional athlete, has a strict practice and game day schedule. 

Throughout the day, Lebron can spend hours on end playing and practicing the game. 

"I usually practice and play from 4 pm to 10 pm on a daily basis. In order to prepare for the game, I also study film on our opponents, gameplan, and listen to music to get me in my zone."

Unlike other sports, esports has a different effect on the body and mind. While other sports risk physical injuries such as sprained ankles and wrists, torn ligaments, or other injuries, professional esports players face problems more closely related to burnout. 

"Of course it happens to me, playing multiple hours a day can mentally drain people out. "

We also cannot forget that gamers are required to sit in the same position for hours on end while playing. Players must find a way to avoid cramps and other things that can arise while being stagnant for hours a day. 

As for Lebron, stretching on a regular basis is his way to avoid cramping while in practice or games.

When he isn't practicing or studying film on opponents, Lebron has to find a way to balance his personal life with his work life. He sets out a weekly schedule that helps him stay on track to balance his life with his work duties.

"I create a certain schedule for the week to balance work, responsibilities I have to care for, and 2K."

His daily life when not playing NBA 2K revolves around his other pastimes. He is an avid sports card collector and is even learning how to play the piano. The ongoing pandemic has allowed him to work on a lot of these hobbies since the country has been on lockdown and quarantine.

While many professional sports have taken a hit during the pandemic, esports and the 2K League have continued to grow. Actually, the stay-at-home orders and lockdowns have given athletes more time to work on their craft.

Lebron said that the pandemic allowed him to focus more on his gaming to become a better player and improve on his skills. 

All of the hours behind the screen paid off for Lebron when he heard his name called on draft day. An accomplishment like this is something that one can only dream of, and he knows this. He is grateful for his opportunity to be a professional player and understands that many can only wish to be in his position.

"I feel very grateful and excited for what I achieved and thankful to be where I am now. All the hard work I put in, didn’t go unnoticed. When I heard my name called it was overwhelming but yet exciting. I was super thrilled that WizDG picked me."

Anyone would be excited if they were drafted to play video games professionally, especially if you're drafted by the defending 2K League champions.

As he is now a first-round draft pick, he can give advice to the ones that want to follow in his footsteps.

"I would say build your name and get with a group of guys with the same drive and goal as you. Stream your games and win tournaments in the ProAm scene so you can get recognition in the community."

Lebron is a hardworking, dedicated 2K player that will surely make noise in his first season with the Wizards DG as they try to become back-to-back champions.

While his daily life revolves around practice and studying film, he still finds the time to have a regular life and learn new things. Be on the lookout for him and his team as the 2K League season kicks off this month!