HyperX, a maker of memory chips and other hardware for the video game market, announced a partnership on Wednesday with University of Kentucky Wildcats All-American basketball player and top NBA draft prospect De’Aaron Fox.
If that sounds strange to you — it’s not. Fox is an avid gamer who counts NBA 2K, Call of Duty, Dragon Ball Z, Need for Speed, Madden, UFC and Clash Royale among his favorite titles.
“I’m as passionate about gaming as I am basketball and thrilled to be a part of the HyperX team,” Fox said in a statement.
HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology Company, said Fox will serve as an ambassador for the company, promoting the comfort and audio quality of its gaming headsets. As part of the deal, he’ll wear the headset exclusively when playing.
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Fox is expected a top lottery pick in Thursday night’s NBA draft, likely in the top five. He has long credited his quick reflexes on the basketball court to his experience as a gamer.
Fox told Bleacher Report in February that beginning in fourth grade he’d play NBA 2K nearly every night, often falling asleep on the couch and waking up in the middle of the night to pick the game back up.
If war games like Call of Duty are realistic enough to be used for military training, why wouldn’t the benefits an NBA game might have on a player’s hand-eye coordination, stamina, concentration and multilevel thinking not help out with training for more traditional sports, he said.
The move by HyperX to sponsor a soon-to-be professional basketball player ahead of the draft is particularly noteworthy, given how esports and traditional sports have been converging.
Other influencers on the HyperX team include former Los Angeles Laker and current Echo Fox eSports team owner Rick Fox, Utah Jazz All-Star player and gamer Gordon Hayward and Boston Celtic and Detroit Renegades esports organization owner Jonas Jerebko.