The NBA 2K League will host three tournaments throughout the season – one at the beginning, middle and end. While prize money and playoff spots are great – so is hardware.

At the completion of each tournament, the winning team will take home a steel championship banner. Win all three, and the team achieves the “Tréfecta,” as all three banners link together to form THE BANNER CHAIN.

“THE TIPOFF” is the first tournament of the season, consisting of pool play from May 1-4 with the top eight teams advancing to single-elimination playoff rounds taking place on May 5. When the winner emerges, the team will receive “THE TIPOFF” banner featuring upward arrows symbolizing the optimism that surrounds the start of each season.

Fans can check out the action – live from the NBA 2K League Studio Powered by Intel in New York City – on Twitch.