Solomona Faitaua-Nanai played centre in basketball during high school.
He never dreamed of becoming a professional basketballer.
But six years later he is on the international stage at centre again – not on the actual court but in the booming world of esports.
The 24-year-old was in the Philippines this week where the E Blacks, New Zealand’s national esports team, were competing against teams from around the globe in the basketball simulator game NBA 2K.
The eFIBA World Finals saw eight teams vie for a US$40,000 (NZ$68,000) prize pool. The world champion United States team took home NZ$34,000.
After winning the APAC tournament in the Philippines last year, his skills were noticed and he was drafted into the Pistons GT team competing in the international NBA 2K League.
The team is the esports offshoot of the on-court Detroit Pistons NBA side.
“It’s pretty wild. I literally went from just mucking around with my mates to living in America playing 2K.”
“It was a good time, but there were challenges. It was impressive seeing how much time and effort people put in compared to how much I play at home,” said Faitaua-Nanai.
He earned NZ$80,000, his biggest payday ever, making it to the semi-finals before being eliminated.
“It was very good pay for just four months. Getting that for playing 2K feels pretty validating,” said Faitaua-Nanai.
But that has not been the norm. He has earned about $5000 a year since he started competing in higher-level tournaments five years ago – so he still needs a day job.
Faitaua-Nanai is a youth worker at Te Poutama Ārahi Rangatahi in Templeton, a residential therapy programme for at-risk boys.
“I work around kids and teenagers all day. You can see growth in them from putting a little more effort in to things. I like to do that myself for esports too,” said Faitaua-Nanai.
He started playing basketball at Christchurch Boys' High School and later Shirley Boy’s High School in years 12 and 13.
He started competing in virtual basketball tournaments in 2019, steadily making his way up the ladder with his team No Way Out.
Multiplayer competitions have long been a part of gaming culture but were largely between amateurs until the creation of online streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
The global esports audience reached 921 million viewers in 2022.
Faitaua-Nanai said it’s an honour to represent New Zealand and captain the NBA 2K division of the E Blacks.
“A lot of people think it’s not really a national sports team because it’s a game, but you’re still competing at the highest level with New Zealand on your uniform,” he said.
“You have to constantly say what you’re thinking and doing, but also not talk over each other.”
In the long term, Faitaua-Nanai aspires to work full-time competing in esports but will likely pursue teaching it to guarantee a more stable income.
“I think a lot of parents think gaming is a waste of time, but even though it takes a lot of work and can be tough, it is a possible career for some people.”
Although some players can make money out of esports, most compete casually.
The amateur esports scene in Christchurch has undergone a dramatic transformation in the last four years with a greater focus on accessibility and in-person events for young people.
Esports Ōtautahi and the Canterbury University Gaming Guild are the top two facilitators of casual tournaments in the city.
The Upper Riccarton Library, Te Hāpua Halswell Centre and Matatiki Hornby Centre all have hubs.
“When you’re watching the players, you start to realise ‘wow they’re really a proper sports team’. We wanted to create an accessible space where kinds could come out of their bedrooms and compete,” said McNeil.
The libraries’ high-end computers, provided by retailer PB Tech, can run esports games.
This lets many high school age players access the world of esports for the first time.
McNeil also co-founded Esports Ōtautahi, a collaboration between city libraries, PB Tech, other businesses, and high schools which aims to create a thriving esports community in Christchurch.
Popular games
- League of Legends, a strategy-based, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), and Valorant, a team-based first-person hero shooter, are popular among older teenagers and adults.
- Minecraft and Rocket League are more child-friendly games but are still popular among players of all ages.
