'Entourage' actor Jerry Ferrara joins Knicks' esports team as head scout

The head scout of the New York Knicks' entry in the NBA 2K esports league is a familiar name: "Entourage" actor Jerry Ferrara.

"It came together naturally," Ferrara told ESPN on Thursday. "I'm an avid Knicks fan, and I love gaming."

The 38-year-old Ferrara, who will also serve as a creative consultant, said his love of the NBA started with video games, namely "Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs" on the Sega Genesis in the early 1990s, and evolved from there.

"I currently have seven games that I love playing and following," said Ferrara, who famously played the "Entourage" character Turtle. "But 2K is my No. 1."

Ferrara said he is looking forward to analyzing gamers at the combine scheduled for February and can't wait to "sit in the war room during the draft."

"I'm convinced if I were born 10 years later, I'd be doing something in esports," Ferrara said. "Maybe not a pro gamer but something in this industry."

Ferrara said the Knicks understand he might need to leave town for an acting job, but as of now, he said he hopes to spend a couple of days a week on the job.

"I'm hoping I can help with team chemistry," Ferrara said. "And given my background, we're going to do some cool things with digital so that fans can learn who our players are."

Gamers will qualify for the NBA esports combine by winning 50 games in the pro-am mode of "NBA 2K18" in January. The 17 NBA teams participating in the league will draft a team in March, and a 16-week season will begin in May.