South Cobb Grad Drafted By Hawks Talon For 2020 2K League Season

COBB COUNTY, GA — Mykel “Kel” Wilson, a South Cobb High School graduate, is one of the Atlanta Hawks 2K League's most recent draft picks. This is his second season with the NBA 2K League. Kel previously played for the Orlando Magic Gaming League in 2019 and then mid-season traded to Memphis Grizzlies Gaming. Now as part of the Hawks Talon Gaming Club, he said his experience helps him mentor the new players.

“I tell them don’t do what I did last year,” said the 21-year-old professional player. He admitted that he didn’t always keep private matters private, but he has matured since the early days.

“For example, say me and our point guard BP get into argument, like nobody's supposed to be able to tell,” Kel said. “That’s something that you don't want, because rumors will spread. That was one of my rookie mistakes.”

He also learned that he shouldn’t read the comments after a bad game. The negative words would stay in his head during the next one and at times distract him. He tells young players to avoid doing that and to just focus on the game itself.

“I was just good at the game.”

Kel has always been interested in NBA 2K and said before playing professionally, he’d always win games. It was his teammate Arkele, who introduced him to the career. They already knew each other from occasionally playing basketball together in high school. Kel was enrolled at Savannah State University, and interested in pursuing a business degree. He decided to tryout.

“Next thing, you know, I somehow made it and got an email from the NBA saying I was selected,” Kel said.

It’s an experience he never imagined he would have, but says he’s grateful.

“A lot of people have been chasing, trying to make it for years, and they haven't yet,” he said. “With me, it was like my first year ever and I made it.”

The experience was extremely competitive, Kel said, adding that it was like entering a new world.

“Coming from where I'm from, Mississippi, you definitely don’t meet any professional gamers,” he said. “I try to be very humble about it and I'm very appreciative for the opportunity.”

"Being a better teammate"

This is more than a game for Kel. He said he’s not only working on his technical skills, but also improving his people skills. Since joining the league he has been exposed to different people from different backgrounds.

“It was never really my on-the-court skills that needed a lot of work,” he said. “I've always been really, good at the game, but I just wanted to work on me being a better teammate because it was different meeting all these people and having to live with them too.”

This year he said he sees the growth and he wants to improve his leadership skills.

General Manager and Head Coach Wesley Acuff believes in him.

“Mykel is a personality. He has played for two teams. He’s a veteran already and being from the area he’s going to be that person who makes it more of a home feeling for the rest of the guys.”

Acuff said it takes a lot to be successful in this sport, like film study, homework and lots of practice.

“You have to practice the video game and I don’t just mean turn the game on and play,” he said. “It takes going out there and learning the ropes of playing against the best players who aren’t in the league. Even when our season ends, a lot of these guys who are pros go back to playing casually against everyone else.”

Kel said continues to work hard because “it can all be taken away from you.”

“You have got to really cherish every moment and be like the best teammate possible so you can keep having a job.”

"I’m dedicated."

Kel said family didn’t understand at first, but now everyone is supportive and proud of his success. It took sacrifice to make it this far.

“You have to play all the time if you really want to make the league,” he said. "I really had no social life for like a good five months.”

It was school, work and the game.

“I was dedicated. I had to like prove everybody wrong.”

Now that he’s a professional player, the dedication is even stronger, plus the discipline.

“It matured me a lot,” Kel said, adding that he has to be more mindful of his social media too.

“It definitely keeps you disciplined because I can't do anything a normal person can.”

His 11-year-old little brother and his friends look up to him. He wants to continue being a positive role model, he said.

“It’s just really cool that I'm having this opportunity. I hope I can do it for as long as I want until I'm ready to go and pursue something else.”

2020 Season

Hawks Talon will continue its regular season competition as part of six weeks of remote gameplay. The club’s next match will take place at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 8 against the NetsGC, the official affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets. These games will be livestreamed on the league’s Twitch and YouTube channels as well as the ESPN.com and the ESPN app.

The 2020 NBA 2K League Draft, delivered by Panera Bread, took place Feb. 22nd at Terminal 5 in New York City. It was live streamed on the NBA 2K League's Twitch and YouTube channels.

With the addition of the two expansion teams — Hornets Venom GT and Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai — 138 players will compete in the 2020 NBA 2K League season. The 228 draft-eligible player pool consisted of 147 new players who were selected by the league through the NBA 2K League Combine.

To qualify, players had to first complete an online application and win 50 games in NBA 2K20's Pro-Am mode or at The Rec from October 22 to Nov. 10. They had to win at least 50 percent of their games.

The combine followed, which allowed those who qualified to participate in interviews with a league representative. From Nov. 18 – Dec. 9 interviews took place before conditional offers were made for the NBA 2K League Draft Pool. They were made to the top 150 players during the week of January 13.

Learn more about the Hawks Talon online.