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Adam Silver, Brendan Donohue, Strauss Zelnick
 

The NBA 2K League opens its first-ever playoffs this Friday with eight of the league's 17 teams fighting for its grand prize of $300,000. These teams better try to seize their opportunity now. The field is expanding to 21 teams in 2019.

As first reported by ESPN Esports' Jacob Wolf, the NBA 2K League will add four teams for Season 2. These squads will be owned and operated by the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The league confirmed this report in a press release (and a GIF) late Wednesday morning.

"Welcoming these four world-class organizations and their passionate fanbases to the NBA 2K League is an exciting moment not only for the league, but for the entire 2K community," said NBA 2K League Managing Director Brendan Donohue in the press release. "From their innovative spirit to their global reach, we know each of these teams will be a tremendous addition, and we are thrilled that this growth offers the opportunity for new players, coaches and support staff to join the league."

According to Wolf, the expansion price for each of these teams is $750,000 for three years of participation, the same price the league's initial 17 teams paid in Season 1. Although, while that group of 17 had the right to use creative firm Rare Design at the expense of the league, the new four teams will be required to build their brands and logos with their own wallet.

For those looking to get a glimpse of the NBA 2K League, the playoff quarterfinals tip-off Friday night at 6 p.m. ET with four straight games airing on the NBA 2K League Twitch channel. Both best-of-three semifinal matchups will take place Saturday -- one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The inaugural NBA 2K League Finals are slotted for Saturday, Aug. 25, with a 4 p.m. ET start time.

NBA 2K League MVP OneWildWalnut and Blazer5 Gaming holds the No. 1 overall seed for the postseason, with 76ers GC, Pistons GT, Raptors Uprising GC, Cavs Legion GC, Heat Check Gaming, Wizards District Gaming and Knicks Gaming following. The $300,000 grand prize is part of a $600,000 playoff prize pot. NBA 2K League first-round picks make a base salary of $35,000 and second to sixth-round picks make a base salary of $32,000 for a sixth-month contract. The $600,000 figure is part of $1 million of bonus money spread around four tournaments, the playoffs being the being the last of those.

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