Hawks Talon Gaming Club will soon welcome an esteemed guest into their family as they launch Talon Takeover, an original content series featuring celebrities, entertainers and influencers playing NBA 2K21 with head coach Wesley Acuff.
But for one Georgia State university student, tonight means more than just watching people play the bestselling NBA game of all time. As the host of Talon Takeover, Emmanuel Lawrence will direct the conversations between Acuff and his celebrity guests during the streams on the team’s official Twitch channel.
You may recognize the name from Streetz 94.5, where Manni works part-time, or from the live events at Georgia State, where Lawrence is the live entertainment director. But he is much more than just an entertainer.
“Manni is young, but we know he is positive and energetic, and we are thrilled to work with him,” Acuff said. “You can tell his enthusiasm is contagious.”
His presence alone allows him to impact the lives of those around him. Using his upbeat attitude and a constant flow of open discussions with Acuff and his celebrity guests, Lawrence is well-prepared for the journey.
“I’ve been in situations where some people knew how to talk to somebody, so once the opportunity presented itself, I was like, ‘Well, man, I kind of do this all the time with my friends,’” Lawrence said.
The Douglasville native stood out at Chapel Hill High School. He was a varsity soccer team captain for the Tigers as well as Student Government Association vice president and a member of the National Honor Society as well as a Superintendent Scholar. The list goes on for the honors college student as he gears up for a new chapter in his life.
Lawrence virtually had any school he wanted in the palm of his hand — the Universities of Georgia and Florida, a full-ride to George Washington University and plenty more. After all, he graduated with a 3.9 GPA in high school.
Yet, something stood out to him about Georgia State. At first, it was the soccer team, for which he tried out during his freshman year. But then, another door opened for him, and he realized how much more the school had to offer.
“It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life, not only getting a great educational experience and an opportunity [but] just being able to network with the people,” Lawrence said.
Now, Lawrence’s time to shine has come, but not on his YouTube channel, which has amassed over 600,000 views since the first video in February 2018. Instead, the Panther Report Network reporter has found a calling: esports. Tonight may mark his entrance into the Hawks family, but Lawrence will use the little things to continue carving his name and make a legacy for himself.
“My mom and plenty of people told me this: I have the ability of making people feel comfortable [by] just having a conversation,” Lawrence said. “I feel like I’ll be able to bring 24K Goldn out of his shell.”
