While NBA 2K23’s cover athletes haven’t been announced, it’s time to turn our attention to them. We’ve decided to go through previous releases of NBA 2K and develop some options for the NBA 2K23 cover athlete. Here are the players we think have the best shot at being the cover athlete, based on the 2021-2022 NBA season and other factors:
Nikola Jokic
• 2022 NBA Most Valuable Player
• Averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game
Nikola Jokic‘s third All-NBA First Team selection in four years and fourth All-NBA selection in a row; his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance; the first season in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists by a single player; the 13th back-to-back MVP award winner in league history.
The 27-year-old averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game on 58.3% from the field, 33.7% from three, and 81.0% from the free-throw line this past season while leading Denver to a 48-34 record.
Jayson Tatum
• Averaged 26.9 points per game through the regular season
• Led the Boston Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals
• Was vital in eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks
Jayson Tatum has already made three All-Star teams before age 24 and somehow is still getting better. He’s also an excellent defender who has the length and strength to guard multiple positions.
When it mattered most against the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Tatum delivered. He scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as Boston held on for a 100-96 win at FTX Arena to punch its ticket to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. Tatum finished with 26 points, ten rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and one steal in 46 minutes. An excellent all-around performance helped earn him the Larry Bird Trophy as Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Tatum willed Boston to that point with a season-saving 46-point, nine-rebound, four-assist showing to lift the Celtics to a 108–95 victory over Milwaukee in Game 6.
Joel Embiid
• Averaged over 30 points per game during the regular season
• Averaged a double-double over the season
• Shot just under 50% during the season.
• Was a candidate for MVP but lost to Nikola Jokic
After this season he had, it’s hard not to include Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid on the All-NBA First Team. He led the league in scoring at 30.6 points per game. He became the first big man to lead the league in scoring in 22 years and the first big man to average 30 in a season since 1982. And he endured a great deal throughout the 2021-22 season to keep the Sixers competitive.
Stephen Curry
• Broke the NBA record for most threes in a year (507)
• Broke Ray Allen’s record for most career threes
• Became the first player ever with 3,000 three-pointers
As 2021 ended, Stephen Curry had to go out with a bang. The Warriors star broke yet another NBA record for most 3-pointers in a calendar year in NBA history. Steph broke Ray Allen’s record for most career threes. He also became the first player ever with 3,000 triples. And Steph currently holds the NBA’s record for most consecutive games with at least one made 3-pointer. The sharpshooter’s 507 threes in 91 games in 2021 surpassed his previous record (468) from 2016.
Do you think these NBA 2K23 cover athlete candidates will be picked? Or is there someone else that could steal the spotlight? Please let us know what you think! To access more NBA 2k23 updates, guides, and tips, follow the news pages of U4GM.
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