Magic Gaming Well Prepared For Start of 2019 NBA 2K League Season

ORLANDO – Magic Gaming enters their 2019 NBA 2K League campaign with the slogan “Believe in Magic.”

But at the core of the team’s identity is a belief that their hard work, toughness, and grittiness will be unmatched in the upcoming season.

As Magic Gaming stepped foot into Amway Center for media day on Wednesday, it put on display a squad that is clearly taking on the diligent personality of Head Coach Jonah Edwards and buying into the culture set forth by Magic Gaming Director Ryan DeVos.

“He has a lot of passion and he has a lot of fire, which he’s instilled in us and that comes out of us,” said Magic Gaming big man Tucker “TuckerLocksUp” Henry of their coach. “He works just as hard as we do and he loves the game of 2K, he’s played it previously just like us so he knows it inside and out, which also helps us elevate our game.”

With the start of the NBA 2K League season less than a week away, Magic Gaming has kicked its preparation into overdrive. Players have undergone grueling 12-hour training sessions since arriving in town on March 13 and will continue to practice each day from now until the THE TIPOFF on April 2.

“We have a good group of guys, just good people, which is always so important,” Edwards explained. “On top of that, we’ve been pretty successful so far in practice. We know we’ve improved every day and these guys come in with a certain hunger and willingness to work, and that’s all I can ask for as the coach is guys that want to work hard and be here.”

Retained players Emmanuel “UCMANNY” Cruz and Cameron “KingCamRoyalty” Ford have been tasked with being team leaders and have helped set their coach’s vision in motion.

“He’s instilled a work ethic and we’ve been practicing a lot to make sure that we’re going to be ready for the Tip-Off Tournament,” UCMANNY said. “I’m just letting them know it’s going to be a long season with up and downs.”

The organization’s commitment to its 2K League squad starts from top down. From their state-of-the-art practice studio to interweaving their gaming squad into a number of facets of the franchise, the players of Magic Gaming get a first-class experience.

“It’s definitely like a family here and everyone seems so bought into Magic Gaming,” Edwards said. “It goes a long way with me, because I’ve been in an organization that maybe wasn’t as willing to accept us, so we are definitely taking the right steps as an organization to be prepared and to be one of the better teams in the NBA 2K League.”

In his role as Magic Gaming Director, DeVos is heavily focused on building a strong team culture. He’s brought the squad out to Orlando Magic games to assist in team bonding and to organization-wide community service events to implement the franchise’s commitment to improving Central Florida on its gamers.

“I love Orlando and I love being here and I want them to love it just as much,” said DeVos. “We want to treat them as professional athletes because that’s how we view them. So giving them everything that they need to make sure they’re performing day in and day out is a huge focus of mine. I want them to enjoy their time and feel like they have the resources that they need to go out there and win.”

The unity among the group has already started to form.

“I love all the guys, we get along really well,” said Magic Gaming’s first-round selection, Brendan “Reizey” Hill. “Not everybody in the league is fortunate enough to have six guys and a coach and an organization that they get along with all the time. We enjoy being around each other and enjoy working hard together, so I think we’re going to have a great season.”

With the THE TIPOFF right around the corner, Magic Gaming is literally counting the days until they can showcase the product of their relentless practice efforts.

“I’m very excited,” said Mykel “KelMav” Wilson, Magic Gaming’s third-round pick. “I’m counting off every day on this little calendar I have in my room ready for tip-off. I’m just ready, I’m ready, I know our team is well prepared for this moment.”

“I’m counting down the days at this point,” said Daniel “DT” Tlais, Magic Gaming’s second-round selection. “I just want to get on that stage and experience that whole environment.”

While it may be a new environment for some members of the squad, it’s a stage they’re well prepared to take.

“We’ve been practicing pretty much every day since we got here and Jonah has arranged scrimmages with other teams,” KingCamRoyalty said. “We’ve been playing non-stop to get ready for this first tournament, so we have no excuses.”

If their work ethic translates to the court, they won’t need any.