NEW YORK — There should be little debate about the cover athlete for the NBA 2K23 video game, not when it's the GOAT: Michael Jordan.
For the NBA 2K22 game, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was featured on one cover, and there was a special NBA 75th anniversary cover featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant.
The trailer for this year's game features classic Jordan moments from the 1980s and 1990s rendered to look like action in the video game. It also features some classic Jordan sneakers and Chicago Bulls uniforms. During that era, Jordan won Rookie of the Year, six NBA titles, five league MVP awards, an Olympic gold medal (1992) and played in 14 All-Star Games.
This will mark the fourth time Jordan has appeared on the cover of the game, doing so in NBA 2K11, NBA 2K12 and NBA 2K16.
“After making 23 the most recognizable number in sports, it was only fitting that for NBA 2K23 we introduce the Michael Jordan Edition,” said Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy for NBA 2K. “Additionally, we’re thrilled to introduce a brand new premium edition of the game with the NBA 2K23 Championship Edition, as no other player embodies the word ‘champion’ like Jordan.”
The game debuted in 1999; Allen Iverson, then with the Philadelphia 76ers, was featured on the first five covers. Jordan, who retired from the NBA for the final time in 2003, has been on the NBA 2K cover thee other times: 2K11, 2K12 (with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird) and a 2K16 special edition.