NBA 2K has announced the full roster of cover athletes for NBA 2K22 — and there has been a total of six cover athletes this year. Each one of them is individually iconic to the world of professional basketball. Let’s get you up to the career highlights of these cover athletes that include star players from the past and present.
Luka Doncic
Cover athletes usually have one of the highest ratings in NBA 2K. Luka Doncic is one of the biggest young phenoms in the NBA since LeBron James. He only just wrapped up his third season in the league but is in no short supply of career highlights. Luka Doncic had a net rating of 79 in his rookie year (NBA 2K19), 87 in his sophomore year (NBA 2K20), and a whopping 94 rating this season (NBA 2K21).
This season, the Dallas Mavericks star averaged 27.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 8.0 rebounds per game on 47/35/73 shooting splits. For the second time, the 21-year-old was named an All-Star and was made the All-NBA first team for his stellar season. The Slovenian’s rating is certainly expected to increase in NBA 2K22.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose impact on the game could never fade. The inventor of the skyhook is a six-time NBA champion, six-time league MVP, Hall of Famer, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader, and has been a leading voice on civil rights and social justice for more than 50 years. He averaged 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game during his career. He led the league in blocks four times. His resume speaks for itself; if there’s anyone that deserves a spot on an NBA 2K cover, it’s him.
Dirk Nowitzki
The second Dallas Mavericks player to appear on this year’s covers, Dirk Nowitzki is often considered one of the all-time NBA greats. Nowitzki played 20 NBA seasons with the Mavericks and averaged 20.7 points and 7.5 rebounds during his career. He was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA talent, and won the MVP award during the 2006-07 season. He also was the NBA Finals MVP in 2011 when the Mavericks won a championship. Additionally, he’s the NBA’s sixth-highest all-time scorer, acquiring over 31,000 points throughout his long career.
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant, whose legacy has long been secured even though his story is still being written. Durant is a 2-time NBA Champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP, was named NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2014, is an 11-time NBA All-Star, was named to nine All-NBA teams, was Rookie of the Year in 2008, and is even a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist with the US Men’s National Team in 2012 and 2016. He is widely regarded as a top-two player in the world right now. It marks his third NBA 2K cover appearance.
Rui Hachimura
In Japan, players can also purchase a special version of the Standard Edition that features Washington Wizards Rui Hachimura, a rising star who was the first Japanese player to be drafted in the first round in 2019 and the first Japanese player to reach the NBA Playoffs. On top of all that, he’s an Olympian that represented his home country Japan in the Tokyo Olympics.
Candace Parker
Candace Parker headlines the GameStop-exclusive WNBA edition of NBA 2K22, making her the first woman to ever star on the cover of the series. She is has been in the WNBA since 2008. Parker has averaged 16.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game during her 14 WNBA seasons. Primarily playing forward, Parker has been a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time WNBA MVP during her tenure in the league. She also won the WNBA Finals MVP in 2016, adding to her extensive list of accomplishments that led her to get a cover nod. However, limiting Parker to a special edition of NBA 2K22 isn’t enough to honor her achievements in the sport.
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