LaMelo Ball, the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year, is launching his own eSports brand – MB1 Gaming.
In a partnership with eSports platform One Up, Ball has also announced that his brand will be hosting a Puma-sponsored NBA 2K Tournament due to start on February 5. The competition is open for all gamers aged 18 and above, with a total prize pool of $25,000 where the winner receives $20,000 as the grand prize. Ball will also offer merchandise giveaways and exclusive content through the One Up app.
All finalists will receive a pair of Ball’s Puma MB.01 signature shoes, recently released by the shoe company in December 2021. Four finalists will be competing in Cleveland for the final rounds of the competition during the NBA All-Star festivities on February 18. Ball mentions in a recent press conference that he intends to start an eSports team in the future and is excited to take the first step towards his ambition by starting his own eSports venture together with budding eSports start-up One Up.
One Up is an eSports platform founded in 2018 that lets gamers compete for money and bet on themselves to win against other players. Through the platform, players are allowed to cash in and play to earn through head-to-head wagering. More than 250,000 users are currently signed up on their platform, and the company continues to grow since raising $3 million in its seed funding round. Initial investors include NBA players such as Terry Rozier and Victor Oladipo.
Apart from NBA 2K, the eSports platform also hosts tournaments for other popular video games such as FIFA, Call of Duty, Madden and Fortnite. Former college baller Brandon Pitts founded One Up from his college dorm and got started in eSports as a side hustle. He aims to give gamers the infrastructure to either play competitively or launch their own eSports ventures through the app.
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Melo is one of many NBA superstars active in the gaming scene but has been in the basketball spotlight since being a freshman in high school as part of the legendary Chino Hills High basketball team. He teamed up with his brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo to win the California State Basketball Championship. Many doubted the youngest Ball brother’s journey to the NBA, yet he has sent a strong message by winning rookie honors that he intends to become a superstar of the league. LaMelo is currently averaging 19.6 points, 7.7 assists and 7.0 rebounds a game as the starting point guard for the Charlotte Hornets.
