2K has announced the full list of cover athletes for NBA® 2K22, the next game in the highest-rated and best-selling NBA video game simulation series of the last 20 years*. Global phenomenon and two-time NBA All-Star Luka Doncic will grace the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle, while trio of the NBA’s most influential tall men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant will appear on the cover of the premium NBA 75th Anniversary Edition, which shows how each of the athletes changed the game.

All versions of NBA 2K22 are currently scheduled for release worldwide on September 10, 2021, and are available for pre-order today. Featuring best-in-class visual presentation and player AI, historic teams, and a wide range of basketball experiences, NBA 2K22 puts the entire basketball universe in the hands of the player.

“It’s special for me to make the global cover of NBA 2K22,” doncic says. “I am proud to represent my country on a special cover honoring the colors of the Slovenian flag. Basketball has given me so much and I’m excited to work with and help 2K Foundations to touch the lives of young children around the world this year.”

This year, NBA 2K22 will offer three versions of the game in digital and physical formats: the Standard Edition, the Cross-Gen Digital Bundle, and a special NBA 75th Anniversary Edition:

? The Standard Edition is playable on previous generation platforms (PlayStation 4, Xbox One consoles, Nintendo Switch, and PC) and next-generation consoles (PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S);
? The Cross-Gen Digital Bundle will give players access to the Standard Edition in previous and new generations within the same PlayStation and Xbox consoles;

? NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition will be available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC. Dual-generation access is included for both the Cross-Gen Digital Bundle and the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for ps4/PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S platforms, providing a version of the game for every console generation within the same console family. The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch will only be available in digital format in the EMEA region.

The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition celebrates three of the league’s most iconic tall men who revolutionized the league in 75 years:

? Hall of Famer, six-time NBA Champion and six-time MVP and all-time NBA number leader, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a legend who still influences today’s game, from his patented Skyhook to his activism on social issues;
? 14-time All-Star, NBA Champion and MVP Dirk Nowitzki represents not only the global expansion of basketball, but also the evolution of the game itself as a prototypical point-shooting big man;
? Kevin Durant, an 11-time All-Star, league MVP and two-time NBA Champion, a legend in his own right and known for his one-of-a-kind presence in the league, is emerging as an NBA® 2K cover athlete for the third time.

The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle include cover artworks painted by Atlanta-based artist Charly Palmer, described in complex compositions and a unique technique and style. Palmer’s work is on display nationwide; The “Civil Rights” series titled “America Must Change”, which last appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine in July 2020, is known for its paintings and compositions.

“The NBA 2K cover has always been a tool for storytelling and a way to showcase the unique and diverse backgrounds of athletes,” says Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy at NBA 2K. “The culture around the basketball game is vibrant and transient. This year, we want to showcase this global diversity with Charly’s wonderful, one-of-a-kind art.”

press release