2K has announced Luka Doncic as the NBA 2K22 cover athlete for both the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle. The team also revealed Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the cover athletes for the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition. Candace Parker will be the cover athlete of the WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition. She is the first female cover athlete in the history of the franchise.
Making the global cover of NBA 2K22is special for me,” said Dončić. “I’m proud to represent my country in a special cover that honors the colors of the Slovenian flag. Basketball has given me so much, and I’m excited to give back and work together with 2K Foundations this year to help the lives of young kids around the globe.
The cover of NBA 2Kis such a pivotal platform to inspire young ballers, and I wanted future WNBA stars to know that they can be cover athletes too,” said Parker. “Representation matters,so this is a special moment of progress for the sport and the series. To be part of this historic cover is a testament to the growth and rising popularity of the women’s game,and I’m proud to be the first female cover athlete to be the face of NBA 2K.
The WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition will be available in the U.S. and Canada at GameStop and EB Games with physical units only. The special edition will be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for $69.99 and includes an exclusive in-game seven WNBA jersey bundle, featuring WNBA stars Candace Parker, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, Connecticut Sun forward Jonquel Jones, Seattle Storm forward Breanna Stewart, Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson, Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, in addition to “The W” MyPLAYER experience.
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 first Japanese player to reach the NBA Playoffs.
- NBA 2K22 Standard Edition ($59.99) – PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
- NBA 2K22 Standard Edition ($69.99) – PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
- NBA 2K22 Cross-Gen Digital Bundle ($79.99) – Grants players access to the Standard Edition across previous-and new-gen within the same PlayStation and Xbox consoles
- NBA 2K22 NBA 75th Anniversary Edition ($99.99) – Dual-gen access is included for both the Cross-Gen Digital Bundle and NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for the PS4/PS5 and Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S platforms and provides a version of the game on each console generation within the same console family. The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch will only be available on digital format in the EMEA region.
A full breakdown of pre-order details can be seen on the official website.
The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundle features cover artwork painted by Atlanta-based artist, Charly Palmer, whose work in fine art is defined by complex compositions and a unique technique and style. Palmer’s work is exhibited across the nation; he is most recently known for his “Civil Rights” series of paintings and compositions titled “America Must Change,” which made waves as TIME Magazine’s cover in July 2020.
2K will be releasing additional announcements about NBA 2K22 in the coming weeks, including first looks at features, soundtrack, live service updates, and much more.
NBA 2K22 releases on September 10 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
