Donovan Mitchell making a run at NBA 2K championship this weekend

On a normal day in April, we’d be talking about the NBA Playoff race and what the Jazz need to do to finish the season strong. This is not your normal April. But, we’re rolling with it. We’ve got no choice.

So we’re rolling with any NBA basketball that we can, which in this case is the VERY FIRST NBA 2K PLAYERS TOURNAMENT!!!!! (can you tell I’m trying to get hyped for this?)

Donovan Mitchell is representing the Jazz in the NBA’s 2K tournament, which is tipping off on Friday, April 3 at 5 PM MST on ESPN. You can read full details on NBA.com’s release, but here’s the skinny: a 16-player tournament, with $100,000 going to a charity of the winner’s choice. These 16 players are seeded based on their actual player rating in 2K (Donovan Mitchell being 87 is a 4 seed). Here’s the bracket:

NBA.com

Based on players’ seeding – which is determined first by NBA 2K rating, second by tenure – players will go head-to-head online in NBA 2K20. Prior to the tournament beginning, every player will choose eight of today’s NBA teams, each of which can only be used once. If a mirror match is set, the away team is awarded first choice of team. Rounds one and two will be single elimination, with the semifinals and finals running best of three.

So players will each pick eight NBA teams, and will select when to use them, as they can only use the team once. Single elimination through the first two rounds, with semis and championship being best of three. This is actually going to be pretty fun.

The only matchup that has a specific time announced is Kevin Durant and Derrick Jones, which will be the first one Friday night at 5:30 PM MST on ESPN. All other games will air from 6:30 to 9:30 Friday night on ESPN2 and Sunday, April 5th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

How to watch:

Every tournament game will debut on either ESPN or ESPN2, while also streaming on the ESPN App and running on NBA.com, the NBA App, and 2K and NBA social channels including Twitter (@NBA2K, @NBA), Twitch (@NBA2K, @NBA), YouTube (@NBA2K, @NBA) and Facebook (@NBA2K, @NBA). Fans can follow NBA 2K, NBA and NBPA for tune-in information, game commentary and game highlights, and they can join the conversation with #NBA2KTourney.

The Utah Jazz were one of the teams that Kevin Durant select as part of his eight, so it will be interesting to see when he uses them throughout the tournament. Donovan Mitchell will be playing his first-round game either Friday night or Sunday morning, so tune in to get a piece of this very unique action that we might never see again. It’s no NBA basketball, but at least it’s something.

BRING HOME THAT CHAMPIONSHIP, DONOVAN.