Luka on NBA 2K22 cover; KD, Kareem, Nowitzki on 75th anniversary edition
MANILA, Philippines — The cover athletes for the latest edition of NBA 2K have been revealed.
It was announced on Wednesday that the Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic, Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and retired Mavs superstar Dirk Nowitzki will all be appearing on the cover of the popular video game.
Doncic is the cover athlete of the Standard Edition and the Cross-Gen Digital Bundle of the game, while Durant, Abdul-Jabbar and Nowitzki grace the cover of the game's NBA 75th Anniversary Edition.
The special edition covers were created by world-renowned artist Charly Palmer, celebrating the legacy of basketball in the league's milestone year.
Doncic, who makes the cover in only his third year in the league, offered the feat for his home country of Slovenia.
"Making the global cover of NBA 2K22 is special for me," said Doncic.
"I'm proud to represent my country in a special cover that honors the colors of the Slovenian flag," he added.
Meanwhile, Nowitzki, who was Luka's predecessor in the Mavericks franchise, spoke that it was an honor to be on the cover of the game for the first time alongside the younger superstar -- who has already taken the reins in Dallas despite his young age.
"I'm of course very honored to be on the legends cover... That's a huge honor for me. Of course with Kevin Durant and Kareem, some of the best players to have ever played this game. You have Luka on the real cover, so two Mavs at the same time on the cover, which is super special," he said.
"I'm super happy, super thrilled that I could be on the cover and you know, with Luka, who I try to help out, who I try to mentor a little bit," he added.
Nowitzki joins Durant and Abdul-Jabbar in the premium NBA 75th Anniversary Edition -- with the three athletes chosen as among those who had changed the game over the years.
Among them, Durant is the only one to have been on an NBA 2K cover before -- in 2K13 with Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose, and in 2K15.
While his latest cover with 2K is already the third time in his career, Durant still sees it as a great honor.
"It means a lot to me. I mean especially the culture of playing video games. My friends and family, we always did that coming up and just like any kid, dreamed of being on the cover, so for this to be my third time is a true honor," said Durant.
Meanwhile, Abdul-Jabbar, a six-time NBA champion, and six-time MVP, saw the recognition by 2K as something he has earned with his decorated career.
"I was very pleased when I was asked to be on the cover of NBA 2K22, because it's something that associates with the game around the world, and I've felt that I've earned my place in basketball around the world," said Abdul-Jabbar.
"It's a real honor to be recognized like this," he added.
A special version of the Standard Edition can be purchased in North America, which features six-time WNBA All-Star and WNBA champion Candace Parker on the cover.
The special version is a milestone in the game's history as it marks the first time a female is on the cover of the game.
Another version is also available in Japan where the Washington Wizards' Riu Hachimura, who was the first Japanese player to be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft, will be on the cover.
NBA 2K22 is set to release worldwide on September 10, 2021 in both current gen and next gen consoles.
The Standard Edition for current gen consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One will set you back USD 59.99 (approximately Php3,015), while the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition will go for $99.99 (approximately Php5,026).
The game will cost the same for next-gen consoles for the 75th Anniversary Edition but will cost a little bit more for the standard edition for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at $69.99 (approximately Php3,518).
The Cross-Gen Digital Bundle, which will grant players access to the Standard Edition across current gen and next gen consoles, will be available for $79.99 (approximately Php4,021).
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