With NBA 2K23 confirmed to release September 9, fans have been begging the unusually important question of which star, or stars, will grace the front cover. With much confusion and controversy among fans regarding the state of 2K's series recently, with many thinking stand-out modes such as NBA 2K's MyCareer deserve their own game entirely, cover-star reveal day always feels as important as ever. In recent years, supporters of teams such as the New Orleans Pelicans and the Dallas Mavericks have had bragging rights, with young superstars Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic heading the standard edition box art on next-generation consoles for 2K21 and 2K22 respectively. It has also not been unusual for multiple athletes to grace different editions of the game, and with NBA 2K23 that is still the case.
Remarkably, there are five separate editions that can be purchased of 2K23, sharing a total of four cover athletes. The two most expensive versions of the game - the Championship edition and the Michael Jordan edition - both feature Michael Jordan as NBA 2K23's cover athlete. However, the Championship edition only shows Jordan's famous Chicago Bulls jersey. The guard, who many consider to be the greatest basketball player of all time, has appeared now on the joint most amount of NBA 2K covers (shared with Allen Iverson) at a total of five, with his last appearance as a cover athlete being on 2K16.
For many fans of the game, the most important appearance on the cover art will be that of the standard edition, due to the likelihood that will be the best sold and remembered. With the latest entry, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns makes his maiden appearance on the front cover of both the standard edition and NBA 2K23's special digital deluxe edition, with the 25-year-old continuing the trend of young superstars of the NBA headlining the 2K series as of late. Despite Booker undoubtedly being a great player, many fans voiced their confusion at his inclusion, arguing that the likes of Jayson Tatum or Giannis Antetokounmpo were more deserving, especially following the Suns' poor performance in the playoffs.
NBA 2K23's Special Edition Nod To Two Women's NBA Legends
The final version of NBA 2K23 - which is the standard edition of the game with an alternative cover - features WNBA legends Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury and Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm. The franchise's previous installment featured a similar edition, with Candace Parker a cover athlete in NBA 2K22's WNBA version, and the acknowledgment of the women's league was well received by fans. Frustratingly enough, however, as was the case with NBA 2K22, the WNBA edition will only be released in the USA and also can only be purchased at GameStop, leaving the majority of worldwide fans unable to get their hands on this copy.
Fans of the NBA will be delighted to see Michael Jordan back on the covers of the standout basketball video game series. However, many would have likely rather he donned the standard edition of the game. The inclusion of Bird and Taurasi makes for a respectful and worthwhile nod to two of the greatest of the women's game, although the difficulty to get hands on a copy for many would make the tribute less significant than it otherwise could've been. In any case, the reveal of the cover athlete for this year's NBA 2K23 is still as exciting and talked about as ever.
Source: NBA 2K23