1-On-1: DTRICK

HEAT Check Gaming advanced out of group play this past week, thanks in large part to steady play from rookie Deondrick ‘DTrick’ Leon Jr. In fact, his 17 pts, 5 stls, and 4 blks in Thursday’s match vs. Hawks Talon GC were a major factor in the win.

I had an opportunity to check in with ‘Biscuit’ to learn about his first steps toward making the league and his experience in Indianapolis so far.

1-on-1 w/DTrick:


AG: How did you first hear about the NBA2KLeague?

DT: I’ve been playing 2K for a long time so when the NBA2KLeague came out it was just something that I kinda gravitated to as I started to feel more confident playing.

AG: What made you want to try out for the League?

DT: I don’t really think there was any moment in particular that made me wake up one morning and say, “I’m gonna go for this.” I’ve always enjoyed the competitiveness of playing video games in general. It just happened to be that 2K is the one that I played the most and got the most attention for.

AG: Talk about your experience at UPAs in Las Vegas this past offseason.

DT: It was just a great experience seeing everybody that I’ve known for years on the game.

Getting to hang out with them, as well as meeting all the new people that I’d never spoken to before I got to that event is something I’ll never forget. Most people I got the chance to talk to were super chill.

AG: How did it feel to hear your name called on draft night?

DT: It was just super overwhelming and it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. To be a part of this league has pretty much been my only goal for about 2 years now and to finally make it felt amazing.

AG: Could’ve been 23 other teams -but it was HEAT Check Gaming. How did it feel to know that you’d be joining Famous and representing the city of Miami?

DT: It’s a crazy feeling to join this team. I know a lot of people might not believe me, but I’ve been a HEAT fan since I started watching basketball so I guess it was only right for me to be a part of this organization.

AG: How has the move from New Haven to Indianapolis been so far?

DT: The move so far has been crazy. I never really lived away from home so it’s been a good amount of adjusting in terms of my everyday life. In New Haven I just tried to stay in my lane and do whatever I needed to do. Aside from chillin’ with my guys, there wasn’t much to do there though so flying out to Indy and living here with my teammates is just an incredible experience. I feel like there’s always something to do out here.

AG: Talk about living in Indy with your teammates, and your roommate Kenn (Sawc).

DT: Living with the guys in Indy has been great so far. I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better teammate or roommate than my guy sawc though. I got a lot of respect for him and I’ve learned a lot from him too in just the month we’ve all been out here.

AG: What’s been your most memorable experience of this process so far?

DT: My most memorable experience would definitely be going to the Pacers game a couple weeks ago.

I’ve never been to an NBA game so it was pretty cool to finally go to one.

AG: As a rookie who has finally made it to the league, what advice would you give to aspiring 2KL Pros?

DT: I’d just say a big part of getting into the league is building connections with the right people. There’s a lot of talented players competing in Season 5, but building connections with certain people is really how you get your foot in the door.

Interested in learning about the other members of HEAT Check Gaming? Check out our last 1-on-1 with Head Coach/GM Derric ‘Famous Enough’ Franklin & PG Sten ‘SAV’ Aleksander Valge-Saar.

Tune in April 20 for the first day of bracket play and catch HEAT Check Gaming compete in live-action gameplay at twitch.tv/NBA2KLeague.

Follow @HEATCheckGaming on Twitter and Instagram for the latest news on HEAT Check Gaming.

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