After five years in the NBA2K League, Ryan “Dayfri” Conger has announced his retirement. Considered one of the best to ever play the game, Dayfri earned an impressive amount of hardware over the course of his five year professional career.
Originally drafted by his hometown team Mavs Gaming in 2018 (Second Round, 1st pick), Dayfri would be traded that offseason to Wizards District Gaming (WizDG). Dayfri quickly became a fan favorite with his in-game play along with his fire and intensity on stage. Nicknamed “The Big Dog,” Dayfri became the on and off court leader for WizDG as they went through a rebuild in the 2019 season.
In 2020, WizDG was awarded the first overall pick in the draft. Head Coach Pat Crossan selected Jack “JBM” Mascone and then continued to rebuild around Dayfri. That year, Dayfri would help lead his team to a 13-3 record and the second overall seed out of the Eastern Conference. WizDG would go on to win their first NBA2K League Championship. During the celebrations, Dayfri, in one of the most powerful moments in League history, donned a “Black Lives Matter” shirt, using that moment of fame to help promote the movement that highlighted the racism, discriminations, and racial inequalities faced by Black Americans.
In 2021, WizDG returned five of the six players from that championship team. With Dayfri dominating the lane all season long, helping WizDG to a 22-6 record. Dayfri and WizDG would go on to become the first team to win back-to-back NBA2K League Championships.
Dayfri’s trophy cabinet is an impressive one. Two NBA2K League Championships, 2021 NBA2K League Finals MVP, two-time Eastern Conference All-Star, 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, 2022 NBA2K League MVP, and first ever 3v3 Tournament Champion.
Although Dayfri is setting down his controller, a day after his retirement he announced he agreed to become the head coach for Mavs Gaming. While the move may have surprised a few people, Dayfri would go on to explain the move in a recent NBA2K League podcast. The move back to Dallas would allow him to continue to grow as a person and professional while allowing him to be able to spend more time with his family and girlfriend. At the end of the 2021 season, Dayfri mentioned he wanted to open a food truck with his father, and the move to Mavs Gaming would allow him to start that next chapter.
Image from: NBA2K League
