The Gen.G Tigers, officially announced as the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai, joined in 2020 as the NBA 2K League’s first franchise outside North America.
Gen.G, an esports organization associated with South Korea, partnered with the NBA 2K League to establish the Shanghai-based team. The announcement came on January 20, 2020, and represented the league’s first expansion beyond its North American footprint. The franchise was also the first NBA 2K League team not affiliated with an NBA club.
The wording can cause confusion because the team is often shortened to “Gen.G Tigers,” while its fuller name includes “of Shanghai.” Raptors Uprising GC was connected with the Toronto Raptors and therefore remained North American. DUX Infinitos and NBL Oz Gaming are associated with later international expansion, not this specific first overseas entry.
The move was part of the league’s broader effort to build an international esports competition rather than a league limited to NBA-affiliated North American markets.