The NBA 2k League can claim that they they brought home the first official esports award at the ESPYS as Cavs Legion player, Tim “oLarry” Anselimo, won “Best Esports Moment”.
Last August, oLarry was present the tragic Madden tournament in Jacksonville, FL last year where two people were killed and ten others were injured. oLarry was shot four times and had to have major surgery to keep his thumb attached to his hand. Today, he still has one of the bullets inside his body.
A thumb or wrist injury can be devastating, and in some cases, career-ending for esports athletes. So being able to come back the following season and still play at the highest level of NBA 2k is nothing short of amazing. Even his opponent in the category, Ninja, conceded that oLarry’s story is deserving of recognition.
The category was awarded in the ESPYS pre-show and was put to a fan vote over a number of weeks. The nominees included moments such as Team Liquids win over Invictus Gaming at MSI and the Shanghai Dragons ending their 40+ game losing streak in Overwatch League.
Take a listen to our breakdown of the NBA 2k League’s presentation style on Checkpoint XP Daily.