Description
Event Overview
The UPA Summer Championship brings together 16 to 32 of the best Pro-Am teams to compete for a $15,000 prize pool in one of the most anticipated events of the year. Powered by the community and broadcast live, this high-stakes tournament showcases elite talent from across the NBA 2K landscape.
The championship will feature 8 pre-qualified teams from the Road to $25K, alongside a mix of drafted teams and traditional Pro-Am teams. Drafted teams will be formed from a pool of available free agents, while traditional teams will enter as full rosters through open registration. The competition will consist of a draft, followed by group play, and will culminate in a single-elimination tournament to crown the UPA Summer Champion.
Tournament Details
Platform: PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S
Game Mode: 5v5 Pro-Am – Private Matchmaking
Tournament Type: Online / Virtual
Format: Group Play + Double Elimination Bracket
Match Format:
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Best-of-1 for all bracket matches
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Best-of-3 Grand Finals
Team Cap: 32 Teams
Prize Pool: $15,000
Team Types:
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8 Prequalified Teams from Road to $25K Seasons
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8–24 Draft or Open Registration Teams
Bracket Structure:
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16 teams seeded into Double Elimination Bracket
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Reseeded following group stage
Draft Format
Draft Date: Sunday, July 20, 2025
Structure: 6-round snake draft (6 players per team)
Draft Pool: Registered free agents only
Emergency Subs: Pulled from undrafted pool
Broadcast: Streamed live with full team breakdowns
Co-Captain Clause
Draft team owners may designate one co-captain during the registration process. This player will be an official member of the team and may participate in games while also assisting the team owner with roster management and in-game leadership.
By naming a co-captain, the team owner agrees to the following conditions:
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The co-captain will occupy a roster slot and is not selected through the draft.
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The team will forfeit its 1st round draft pick and will only be allowed to select 5 players during Rounds 2–6 of the draft.
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The co-captain must be registered as a player prior to the draft and clearly indicated during team owner registration.
Failure to declare a co-captain in advance will result in the team proceeding with a full six-player draft.
Draft Player Guidelines
Players registering for the UPA Summer Championship Draft will be eligible for free entry. By registering, players agree to the following terms and conditions:
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Once drafted, players are required to report to their assigned team owner and become active members of that roster.
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Players must conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner, allowing the team owner to effectively manage their team.
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All players are expected to fulfill their commitment to the team that drafts them.
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Refusal to play for the team that selects you in the draft will result in an immediate ban from all Unified Pro-Am Association events and tournaments. This ban will also extend to our partnered leagues, including HOF League and Staten Island Basketball Association (SIBA).
By registering, you acknowledge and accept these responsibilities as part of your participation in the UPA Summer Championship Draft.
Draft Team Owner Guidelines
Team owners participating in the UPA Summer Championship Draft are expected to operate with integrity, professionalism, and a commitment to competitive excellence. By registering as a team owner, you agree to the following guidelines:
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Teams must be constructed with the goal of competitive success, not personal agendas.
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Owners may not attempt to collude, manipulate the draft, or sway players away from other teams before or after the draft.
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All players must be treated fairly and with respect, regardless of draft position or background.
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Team owners are responsible for fielding the most competitive lineups available and ensuring their team is always positioned to succeed.
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Owners must maintain professionalism at all times and foster a positive, team-first environment.
Failure to follow these guidelines will result in disciplinary action, including potential disqualification and a ban from all Unified Pro-Am Association events. This ban will also extend to our partnered leagues, including HOF League and Staten Island Basketball Association (SIBA).
Roster Requirements
Prequalified & Traditional Teams: Minimum of 5 players; additional players may be added via approved roster changes
Draft Teams: Roster finalized through official draft with 6 players (or 5 draft picks + co-captain, if applicable)
Roster Lock: Rosters are locked after registration or draft completion
Roster Changes
Roster changes are available for all teams after rosters have locked, subject to the following conditions:
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Standard Roster Changes will be allowed after Draft Night and during Group Play Day.
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Once Bracket Play begins, all rosters are considered final and locked. Roster changes from this point forward will only be permitted as emergency exceptions and must be approved on a case-by-case basis at a premium fee.
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Teams that add players from the Free Agent Pool (players who registered but were not drafted) will receive a discounted roster change fee.
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Teams that add players not in the Free Agent Pool will be required to pay the full roster change price.
All roster updates must be submitted to and approved by UPA tournament staff.
Tournament Schedule
Draft Day
Sunday, July 20 – Live Snake Draft
Group Play
Friday, July 25 – Group Stage Competition
(8 groups of 4, top teams advance to bracket)
Elimination Tournament
Saturday–Sunday, July 26–27 – 16-Team Double Elimination Bracket
(All matches Best-of-1; Grand Finals Best-of-3)
Exact match times to be announced. Final schedule subject to bracket pacing and admin adjustments.
Streaming Guidelines
At least one player from each team will be required to stream their games during each phase of the tournament. The following guidelines apply:
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All overlays, stream alerts, and custom graphics must be removed during gameplay.
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The designated streaming account must be registered with UPA staff at check-in for each tournament phase (Draft Day, Group Play, and Elimination Rounds).
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All official matches will be broadcast from twitch.tv/unifiedproam using the registered player streams.
Teams that fail to comply with streaming requirements may be subject to penalties, including disqualification from match eligibility or removal from the tournament.
Prize Breakdown
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1st Place: $8,000
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2nd Place: $4,500
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3rd Place: $2,500
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Tournament MVP: TBD
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Draft Player MVP: TBD
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Draft Coach of the Tournament: TBD
Rules & Conduct
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All players must have an active Unified Pro-Am Association (UPA) account
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Only players listed on the submitted roster may compete
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GamerTags/PSN IDs must match registered roster
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All matches must be played in 5v5 Pro-Am Private Matchmaking
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All Unified Pro-Am Association rules apply and can be found at unifiedproam.gg/rules
Please allow up to 30 days after the conclusion of the tournament for prize disbursement.