Why Kai Cenat Says He's Quitting Streaming
Twitch star Kai Cenat has shocked the world by announcing a major career change: the well-known gamer will reportedly quit streaming entirely to enter professional basketball. Here's everything we know so far about if Kai Cenat is really quitting streaming, what professional basketball league he may be enlisting in and what fans can expect in the future.
Who is Kai Cenat?
Kai Cenat is a 22-year-old American livestreamer. He is one of the most famous Twitch personalities in the world with 13.4 million followers as well as 9.63 million subscribers on YouTube. Kai has collaborated with other household name creators including IShowSpeed, and he is famous for his elaborate and unique stream setups for games like Minecraft and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Kai also hosts casual chats with celebrity guests such as rappers Blueface and Ice Spice.
Is Kai Cenat Quitting Streaming?
I'm quitting streaming and becoming a professional basketball player. Goodbye.
— AMP KAI (@KaiCenat) September 22, 2024
On September 22, 2024, Kai Cenat left the internet shocked with a cryptic announcement: he tweeted, "I'm quitting streaming and becoming a professional basketball player. Goodbye."
The post sparked confusion among Kai's community. Many originally believed it was a joke due to the post's blunt tone and finality. Kai is one of the world's most successful streamers, so a career change this drastic would be unprecedented. However, several follow-up posts later confirmed that Kai is planning to leave streaming behind entirely.
Kai Cenat also announced live on his Sekiro stream that he would quit streaming, saying "the marathon journey of gaming has been incredible." Acknowledging those who doubted whether the announcement was real, he said "Y'all may think I'm trolling, but listen to me [...] it's time to take it up a notch." He continues to state, "I'm now completing stage 2 of becoming a professional basketball player [...] I get drafted in a few days. [...] I'm in the lottery for a league. [...] I will be in a professional basketball league, and I will announce where to watch it at." On YouTube, this clipped confirmation has reached over 527,000 views.
Related Article: Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed Fans Outraged by Streamer Awards "Snub"
Is Kai Cenat Enlisting in the NBA Draft?
Going Professional🏀
— AMP KAI (@KaiCenat) September 25, 2024
DRAFT DAY SEPTEMBER 27TH AT 8PM EST pic.twitter.com/5W2XHTkFhz
While Kai Cenat is becoming a basketball pro, he is not entering the NBA draft. When fans think of pro basketball, the NBA immediately comes to mind, but NBA Major League and G League drafts concluded for the current season several months ago. Many international orgs have also already completed their drafts.
Kai does leave an important clue in a follow-up post. It reads: "DRAFT DAY SEPTEMBER 27TH AT 8PM EST." One Australian league, the All Australian Basketball League (AABL) is holding a draft on September 28th, which is still September 27th in the EST time zone. It's possible Kai Cenat is enlisting in the AABL's Combine & Draft. However, the draft's age cap is 21 and Cenat is 22, so it's equally likely that he is entering another league.
What's Next for Kai Cenat
If Kai is enlisted in a professional basketball league's draft, the league's teams will have opportunities to pick him as a player throughout several rounds. Once a coach or manager selects him, Kai Cenat will officially join their team and represent them as a player for the upcoming season. During his basketball career, Kai will not be streaming "until further notice". Cenat noted that if his career fails, he "will come back" to Twitch, but appears confident about the future and is excited for the draft.
How is the Community Reacting to Kai Cenat's Announcement?
He talking about a video game, right? 😭😭😭
— minner.algo (@MinnerAlgo) September 25, 2024
The internet is producing divided reactions to Kai Cenat's announcement. Kai's enjoyment of basketball is no secret: the star is an avid fan of NBA 2K25, and often expresses his love for the sport. He even played in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Still, many in his Twitch and YouTube community have expressed disappointment that their favorite creator will quit streaming entirely due to his new ventures.
We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
GABBY DESENA