eSports
Hawks Talon GC Acquire ‘Witness’ and Georgia Native ‘Putback’ in Season Five NBA 2K League Draft

Hawks Talon Gaming, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, rounded out their five-man roster on Saturday during the Season Five NBA 2K League Draft by acquiring WITNESS and Georgia native PUTBACK. Hawks Talon Gaming acquired the 18th and 40th overall picks from Hornets Venom GT in a draft day trade that sent Talonâs 25th and 30th picks to Hornets Venom.
âFrom the outset, we wanted to be aggressive in order to build a contender for Season Five, and making the trade accomplished exactly that,â said Hawks Talon Gaming Director of Esports Wesley Acuff. âAdding WITNESS and PUTBACK to our core completes our roster perfectly.â
Hawks Talon used the 18th overall pick to select John âWITNESSâ Mushaben, a shooting guard/small forward from Broadview, Mont. WITNESS played 16 games during the Season Five NBA 2K League Draft Combine, recording 17.8 points, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game.
With the 40th overall pick in the second round, Hawks Talon Gaming selected Bryson âPUTBACKâ Fleming, a power forward from Winterville, Ga. In 16 NBA 2K League Draft Combine games, he scored 6.4 points, pulled down 3.3 rebounds and recorded 2.5 steals per game.
âAdding WITNESS to pair with CEEZ in our backcourt is going to be incredibly fun to coach every night,â said Hawks Talon Head Coach Ismael âMAELOâ Diaz-Tolentino. âAnd PUTBACK is a perfect, do-it-all player that will help us in every aspect and complement our other players seamlessly.â
In December, the NBA 2K League announced significant changes during the upcoming fifth season in 2022. The new season will revolve around three tournaments (THE TIPOFF, THE TURN AND THE TICKET) as well as the NBA 2K League Playoffs and Finals. In addition, the league introduced a new 3v3 format that will culminate in a 3v3 championship. And lastly, amateur teams will be included for the first time in NBA 2K League competition, with the opportunity to participate in the 3v3 tournament format.
eSports
Esportes Gaming Brasil certified as Great Place To WorkÂź

 Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has been certified as a Great Place To WorkÂź. The recognition â a global reference in people management and organizational climate â highlights the companyâs efforts in promoting a positive environment, with development, well-being and inclusion initiatives aligned with the needs of its approximately 600 employees.
The GPTW survey assesses employee perceptions across five pillars â credibility, respect, impartiality, pride and camaraderie. For Sophia Serak, Director of People, participating in the assessment was essential to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. âWe want to be more than a workplace: weâve created a framework for everyone to develop and feel valued. The certificate proves we are on the right path and motivates us to evolve furtherâ, says the executive.
More than just a welcoming environment, Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil has built a space where everyone has the freedom to be themselves, clarity about where they can go, and real support to grow. An environment where values such as trust, listening, and collaboration are at the heart of decisions â from the selection process to the choice of leaders.
In 2024, the group accelerated its mission to strengthen leadership, with training, assessments linked to values and programs offering regular management training. More than 60 leaders participated in development paths and initiatives such as âImpulso EGBâ â an educational incentive program that subsidizes technical courses and specializations for employees.
Trust is the foundation of Esportes Gaming Brasil’s culture. It manifests itself in small gestures, spontaneous feedback, the freedom to propose new ideas and the construction of real bonds between people. The company invests in inclusive communication, active listening and collective actions that strengthen the sense of belonging â such as themed parties, recognition rituals and direct chats with leadership.
Compliance Updates
Esportes Gaming Brasil unveils Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as Compliance Manager to reinforce regulatory commitment

Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has unveiled Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as its new Compliance Manager. The hire reinforces the companyâs commitment to transparency, integrity, and good governance in Brazilâs evolving betting market.
Esportes Gaming Brasilâs new Head of Compliance, Ana Carolina Luna Maçães, commented: âEsportes Gaming Brasil has set a high standard in Brazilâs betting market with its total commitment to integrity, governance, and responsible gaming. Itâs a privilege to join this exceptional team as Compliance Manager. My role is to reinforce our culture of compliance, navigating us through complex regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions with as little friction as possible. Our mission is to deliver secure, transparent, and competitive services for our partners and clients.â Â
A seasoned legal and compliance professional who has spent time at NSX Brasil, Maçães joins with expertise in financial crime prevention, responsible gambling, and corporate ethics. She has earned a CPC-A certification from LEC (Legal, Ethics & Compliance), and she significantly strengthens the groupâs in-house compliance work.
Esportes Gaming Brasil CEO Darwin Filho, added:Â âItâs more than just complying with and supporting regulations. Esportes Gaming Brasil has been actively leading the process of maturing the betting sector in the country. Our commitment to governance has been an essential part of our business model since the beginning. The arrival of Ana Carolina represents a strategic reinforcement, further strengthening the culture of compliance that has always guided the company.â
Esportes Gaming Brasil is proud to be one of the Brazilian-licensed operators under the SPA/MF framework and is renowned for impactful responsible gambling measures, including self-exclusion tools, behaviour monitoring, and an addiction support network.
With deep relationships to national sport and culture through major football sponsorships and experiential collaborations, and a growing digital presence via Onabet, the group is committed to shaping a safe, sustainable, and responsible future for Brazilâs gaming sector.
eSports
Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutlerâs Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video

Prime Video, one of the leading entertainment destinations, will premiere the five-part documentary Esports World Cup: Level Up on June 6, with new episodes released weekly. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The Worldâs a Little Blurry, Elton John: Never Too Late and Martha), the series goes behind-the-scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 â a defining moment in global esports, where over $60 million in prize money ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to crown the worldâs top esports Club.
The series is produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), with R.J. Cutler directing, John Dorsey serving as showrunner, and Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatty executive producing. Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Esports World Cup: Level Up offers a rare look inside a global competition that’s redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans. R.J. Cutler and his team of expert storytellers embedded themselves within the eight-week tournament â watched by over 500 million fans globally â to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and stakes driving the action.
Shot in veritĂ© style, the series combines intimate home visits from around the world and on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It follows a wide cast of characters â from Club CEOs orchestrating million-dollar strategies to rising stars chasing life-changing wins â while capturing the pulse of elite esports competition.
“What drew me to the Esports World Cup was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena. Level Up isnât just about the incredible competition and prize money; itâs about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process,â said Cutler.
At the heart of Level Up is the âEWC Club Championship,â an unprecedented, multi-title tournament format where Clubs compete across more than 20 games, earning points toward a single leaderboard. Every match, every point, reshapes the race for global dominance. With the highest prize pool in esports history on the line, the EWC is not just a tournament â itâs a proving ground for the next generation of sports icons.
âA win might make the headlines â but the real story is the people behind it. Level Up dives into the human side of esports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. Itâs about what it really takes to compete at the highest level â and why it matters. R.J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what weâre building,â said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
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