By Jacqueline Corba

Denver Nuggets shooting guard Malik Beasley has already made it to the real NBA, and now the former first-round draft pick has his sights curiously set on the top tier of NBA2K, basketball's video-game analog.

"I think it's cool to see them compete, and it's different from actually being in the NBA," Beasley said Friday in an interview on Cheddar. "Even if they don't watch the NBA, if they are playing the games then they know a little something about us."

A real baller showing respect for the virtual ballers of the NBA's esports league is a telling sign of the times. Beasley said he enjoys playing video games like NBA2K with his teammates on the road, and said it's more than just a hobby.

"People always think that gaming is just bad if you are just sitting there and playing," he said. "If people get joy out of it, then enjoy that"

The NBA became the first professional sports league in the U.S. to launch an online league too. The NBA2K playoffs tipped off Friday and were streaming on Twitch.

Building on the success of its inaugural season, the NBA2K league announced recently it's adding four NBA teams ー the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves ー to the lineup in 2019.

Beasley wants to Nuggets to get in on the action.

"I'm going to help create that."

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