Although 2K has added tons of classic teams and MyEras has introduced us to many more players, there are still a few classic teams that would be great to see in NBA 2K24. One of these in particular I have 100 percent no doubt that they will add for NBA 2K24, but I’ll include it anyway. Aside from that, there are some other teams that shouldn’t be forgotten.
2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers
So I wanted to get the obvious team out of the way. The 2009-10 Lakers were a terrific team and has been one of the most demanded classic teams for NBA 2K. This team of course had the legendary Kobe Bryant and also had the great Pau Gasol to go along with very solid NBA veterans like Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) and Lamar Odom. And there was also a young talented big man named Andrew Bynum. They would go on to win a championship in a seven-game series against Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and the Boston Celtics.
What makes this team such an incredibly obvious choice is that Bryant is the cover star for NBA 2K24 and will have his own “Mamba Moments” challenges just like his idol Michael Jordan did with the Jordan Challenge. In fact, one of the screenshots shown from 2K features Bryant in the number 24 jersey with an NBA Finals patch on it. Yup, sounds pretty clear to me.
However, we don’t know 100 percent for sure if this is just exclusively for the Mamba Moments or is that team going to be playable outside the mode. The 1994-95 Bulls were featured in the Jordan Challenge but were not playable elsewhere (nope, you couldn’t dunk on a modern NBA player in Play Now with the number 45 version of Jordan. Sorry). So only time will tell if this squad will be playable in Play Now or not but it’s only right if this were the case.
2014-15 Atlanta Hawks
This is an underrated team. No, they didn’t win a championship, but they won 60 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals before getting swept by LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. What was so impressive about this team was that they didn’t have a superstar, just a lineup of really good players led by Paul Millsap and featured Al Horford, Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver among others.
This team had weapons and a chemistry that helped lead them. And they had balance, with six players each averaging more than 10 points per game. This includes the four mentioned starters, plus DeMarre Carroll and Dennis Schroder. Korver, in particular, was probably the team’s biggest scoring threat although he averaged only 12 points per game. His incredible 49 percent from three made him a problem (in a good way) and helped give him a nod in the All-Star Game.
Yes, they were basically a one and done team but they would be a really fun team to use in NBA 2K24. Pretty much everyone on that team could shoot the ball from deep with Korver being one of the NBA’s best. You’ll also get strong defense from Millsap, Horford and Teague. Schroder and Carroll can give an extra boost to scoring as well. The 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks, kind of similar to the 2004 Pistons, are a great example that it’s possible for a team to be a lot of fun even without that flashy superstar.
2008-09 Chicago Bulls
This young team was really fun and memorable for a couple of reasons. One, it featured some fellow from Chicago named Derrick Rose who was in his rookie season, and this was the team that had one of the best battles in NBA playoffs history with the Celtics (every game was decided by three points or less except one). And although the Bulls were eliminated in seven, that squad left it all out there.
This team would be amazing for NBA 2K24 because it’s a stacked young roster where eight of the 12 players were all under the age of 29. Featuring Rose, Kirk Hinrich, Joakim Noah, the very dangerous Ben Gordon, Andres Nocioni, Luol Deng, and the underrated veteran John Salmons. The explosion of Rose and the shooting of Hinrich, Gordon, Nocioni, and Salmons would make this potentially a fireworks display on offense. Not to the mention the defense of Noah, the two-way play of Deng, and the athleticism of Tyrus Thomas are thrown into the mix as well.
From a pure “fun” standpoint, this very well could be one of the best classic teams in the game. Once again, no superstar but guys like Rose and Gordon would play like superstars on several occasions during that season and in the playoffs, and of course Rose would eventually become just that: a superstar and win an MVP in 2011 while Noah would win a Defensive Player of the Year and finish top five in the MVP race in 2014. Yup, a potentially great addition of a team for NBA 2K24. Just remember include Gordon’s “Bullseye” celebration.
1977-78 Washington Bullets
A relatively underrated championship team, the 1977 Bullets featured one of the great duos in NBA history with Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. Unseld was of course a versatile big who could score, pass, and was an incredible rebounder. He also was one of only two players in NBA history to win both the Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season along with Wilt Chamberlain. Unseld accomplished this in 1968. His partner in crime, Hayes, is one of the greatest scorers to ever lace them up and helped form a dangerous duo with Unseld.
Aside from being an incredible scorer, Hayes was also a tremendous defensive player. These two Hall of Famers alone would make the 1977-78 Bullets a force in NBA 2K24. Both players are available on the All-Time Wizards team but to have this championship squad would be a treat, especially if you love NBA history. On top of that, not only did they have Unseld and Hayes, but they also had some fellow named Bob Dandridge who also wound up in the Hall of Fame and is an icon of sorts in Bucks history before he helped the Bullets win their title.
Although he missed most of the season, that ’77 Bullets team also still had Phil Chenier, who also was a terrific scorer (and if you ever played with him in 2K, you know how fun he is to use with that smooth jumper) in his own right. And the scoring doesn’t stop there as this team also had the sneaky good Kevin Grevey, Tom Henderson, and Mitchell Kupchak as well.
1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers
It’s honestly pretty remarkable how this team is not in NBA 2K. To put things lightly, the 1982-83 Sixers were absolutely dominant all season. 65 wins and they went 12-1 in the playoffs on their way to an NBA championship. Led by the legendary Moses Malone, the Chairman of the Boards had other NBA icons with him as well such as Julius Erving, Mo Cheeks, and Bobby Jones. On top of that, you had the scoring ability of Andrew Toney, who could easily drop a 20 piece on you on any given night (especially against the Celtics).
Malone by himself was absolutely ridiculous that year, averaging 24 points per game to go along with 15 rebounds per game. He also averaged a steal and two blocks per game as he coasted his way to NBA MVP that year. And, of course, he’s fun to play with in 2K with a beautiful mid-range game, strong post moves, and the ability to rebound with anybody.
Then there’s Julius Erving. There isn’t much to say about this all-time great who was second on the team in scoring that year behind Malone. Even into his 30s, the legend still proved he was as lethal as ever, showcasing his signature athletic ability, whether it was dunking or going for smooth layups. The all-around play of Malone, the scoring of Erving and Toney, and the terrific defense of Cheeks and Jones would help make this team a balanced, all-around threat in NBA 2K24.
Honorable Mention: 1946-47 Philadelphia Warriors
I just wanted to give a quick shout out to another Philadelphia team, the Warriors were the first ever champions of the NBA (then called the Basketball Association of America or BAA) when they defeated the Chicago Stags four games to one in the BAA Finals. It would just be cool to play as the very first champion in league history.
