For the first time in its history, a woman was drafted into the NBA's 2K League.

Chiquita Evans became an inspiration for female gamers Tuesday night when the Golden State Warriors' Warriors Gaming drafted her in the fourth round. The former college basketball player tried to make it as a semi-pro in Chicago, but her career was cut short due to injury. She found solace in 2K.



After announcing she was eligible for the draft last month, she was one of two women in the draft. But Evans was the only woman selected out of a draft pool of 198 players.

Some of the perks guaranteed as an e-sports league professional gamer include a salary ranging from $33,000 to $37,000 per season, plus benefits and team housing. She is leaving behind her job at Planet Fitness to do what she loves.

But her time as a gamer has not always been fun. Issues such as misogyny and sexism managed to creep into her virtual NBA landscape. She must play with male players because 2K does not have female NBA players in the game. She has also been subjected to sexist attacks and insults.

"I've had sexual remarks put towards me," she told ESPN. "I get told I should be back in the kitchen. '2K is not for women,' I've had that. There's no question about that."

When she announced she qualified for the draft, critics ruined the moment on social media.

"That's the only time that it's been discouraging for me,'' Evans said. "In that moment, because it was a great moment for me, and I felt like people ruined it.''


SB Nation reports sexism is common in the game. An ESPN report found men refused to pass to teammates if they learned the player was a woman. The 30-year-old also experienced similar exclusionary tactics during her gaming experience.

“I had a lot of people when I talk on the mic, because when I play I like to communicate with my teammates," Evans recalled. "So I get on the mic and I’m like ‘I’m open! I’m open! I’m open!’ and they go ‘It’s a girl?!’ and I get iced out the whole game.”



Some of the sexist acts forced her to leave the 2K League Combine in 2018. But women who were inspired by her kept fueling Evans' drive to prove critics wrong.

“Women have actually come to me and told me I was an inspiration, and so it wouldn’t be right for me to give up, because they believe in me.”

Now that she is a part of the Warriors' e-sports team, she hopes to continue breaking barriers and eventually meet Steph Curry.

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