Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks to participate in new NBA gaming league

Published May. 4, 2017 10:42 a.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- How about Cleveland against Golden State again -- this time for the video game championship?

The Cavaliers and Warriors are among 17 teams who will participate in the NBA 2K eSports league that will debut in 2018.

Along with the Cavs and Warriors, who won the last two NBA titles, eight other teams that made the postseason were chosen Thursday to compete in the first eSports league operated by one of the four major pro sports leagues in the U.S.

Plans for the league, in which gamers will compete while representing actual NBA teams, were announced in February by the NBA and Take-Two Interactive Software. Each NBA franchise will select five gamers to represent its team.

Also participating in the inaugural season are: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Indiana, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, Toronto, Utah and Washington.

Commissioner Adam Silver has said that eventually all 30 teams will participate.