Hawks Talon Gaming Club will have three selections in the 2021 NBA 2K League Draft which will take place on Saturday, March 13. These picks are 11th overall (first round), 34th overall (second round) and 48th overall (third round). Helping Head Coach Wesley Acuff over the past few months with the scouting process has been @WalkOnWarriors (Xavier Daniel) and @MattMorg__  (Matthew Morgan). Below is a Q&A with @MattMorg_.

Name: Matthew Morgan | Gamertag: MattMorg_ | Twitter Handle: @MattMorg_

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Q: Been Playing NBA 2K Since…

“2K9. It feels like forever, but I also started playing competitively in ProAm with 2K17.”

Q: What does it mean to you to have an opportunity to be a scout with Hawks Talon?

“It means the world to me, honestly. Being a former player and now a scout and an opportunity to get my foot in the door of the NBA 2K League with a great organization like Hawks Talon GC. They’ve welcomed me and appreciated what I can bring to the table. I can’t thank Coach Wes enough for the opportunity as well as the mentorship of what goes on behind the scenes in the league.”

Q: What do you look for when you scout players?

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“As NBA 2K grows and the league itself also grows, people would think you watch the moves players can do, but with streaming and the YouTube channels and the overall talent that we have playing the game now, I scout the players’ reactions, communications to good and bad plays. This is because everyone knows how to do the moves. It’s about when to do them — is it open, is there a counter, does the player see what I see or vice versa. As a scout, I am supposed to get players that will make the right plays and Coach Wes will get those players in positions to make those plays.”

Q: What is your favorite build to watch and why?

“Point guard. Basketball is poetry and essentially a chess match. I think there are moves to set up another move at another time. I like to watch how the point guard manages the game of when to pass, when to shoot, when he picks his spots and when he picks for his teammates to get involved. When all of that is clicking, it becomes a beautiful game of NBA 2K basketball.”

Q: What does it take to be a good scout?

“I think it’s understanding and listening. There are also an insane amount of hours of film study. I don’t think I’d be here today as a scout if I didn’t hit the floor as a player and listen to the players and have dialogue with them. Sometimes, I play devil’s advocate, so my own opinions take form. It’s good to see things from all views and then come to my own conclusions as I find common themes and such.”

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Q: What are your favorite moments in 2K League history?

I have a few:

• When BearDaBeast passed to TurnUpDefense who made the three-point shot to beat Blazer5 Gaming
• When Mama Im Dat Man scored a single-game NBA 2K League record 77 Points
• When Regg debuted with 36-point and 41-point performances
• When JBM put up a 50-point game in last year’s playoffs

Q: Do you have to be an exceptional 2K player to be a good scout?

“No, but you must understand the game every year to scout it, so being good can help.”

Q: Why basketball?

“I love it. I love the game truly, like I said it’s an art. It is poetry in motion. Sometimes, you do one move to set up another move. Sometimes, you’re countering someone’s first move the correct way in just a matter of seconds. When those things are all in sync at its best, you get performances like (those) notable performances. Sometimes, you get rollercoaster stories that even the best writers couldn’t script.”

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