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Chiquita Evans is the first female player drafted into NBA 2K League

Chiquita Evans was drafted #56 overall by the Warriors Gaming Squad for the 2019 NBA 2K League season.

Charles Singletary Jr

March 6, 2019 8:00 AM

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Women's History Month isn't just for celebrating the trailblazers back in the day, its an opportunity to spotlight the women breaking ground right now. In the competitive gaming scene, Chiquita Evans is doing just that by becoming the first woman drafted in the NBA 2K League.

The NBA 2K League is a joint venture between the NBA and Take-Two Interactive, serving as the first official esports league operated by a US professional sports league. There are 21 NBA 2K League teams and the Warriors Gaming Squad had the honor of drafting Chiquita Evans.

Chiquita Evans (@chiquitae126) becomes the first woman drafted into the #NBA2KLeague, pick No. 56 by @WarriorsGaming! pic.twitter.com/LiXnn7iHjH

— NBA2KLeague (@NBA2KLeague) March 6, 2019

"We gotta make a name for ourselves," she said during the NBA 2K League showcase before being drafted. We're out here, a lot of us. We're really just trying to get the respect we deserve, and we're coming for 2K19." During that same showcase, she scored a game-high 33 points.

Eight months after that statement, Chiquita Evans was drafted #56 overall. She'll have an opportunity to show off her skills in a league that draws over 150 million views and potentially earn her squad some new marketing partnerships. She joins Gradient, Kina, and Jin as new members of the team. The second season of the NBA 2K League tips off in spring 2019. The inaugural season was a groundbreaking success and should see solid numbers in its second year.

Via the official 2K League website, the global audience for esports is expected to reach 557 million by 2021. With partnerships with existing professional leagues, many esports efforts and platforms should see significant gains in audience and participation. 2K League, for example, isn't just a partnership in name. Four NBA teams, the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota TImberwolves, all have esports counterparts in the league. Stay tuned to Shacknews for additional gaming and tech updates.

Charles Singletary Jr

News Editor

Charles Singletary Jr keeps the updates flowing as the News Editor, breaking stories while investigating the biggest topics in gaming and technology. He's pretty active on Twitter, so feel free to reach out to him @The_CSJR. Got a hot tip? Email him at Charles.Singletary@Shacknews.com.