2K has made its first announcement regarding NBA 2K22. The cover athletes have been revealed and there will be a combination of covers across different platforms. The release date is also slated for September 10 for all editions of the game. The main cover athlete is Dallas Mavericks Forward Luka Doncic, as he will grace the cover of both the Standard Edition and the Cross-Gen Bundle. To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NBA, 2K will be releasing the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition that will showcase players who changed the game. Three athletes will dawn this cover as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant will be featured on this premium edition cover.

“Making the global cover of NBA 2K22 is 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.”

Both the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition and Cross-Gen Bundle will feature custom, pastel artwork from artist Charly Palmer. His work is defined by complex compositions combined with a unique technique and style. His "Civil Rights" and "America Must Change" compositions were featured on the cover of TIME Magazine in 2020.

“The NBA 2K cover has always been a vehicle for storytelling and a way to showcase the unique and diverse backgrounds of the athletes,” said Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing Strategy at NBA 2K. “The culture around the game of basketball is vibrant and transcends geographical boundaries. This year, we want to showcase that global diversity via Charly’s amazing, one-of-a-kind art.”

The last cover will feature five-time WNBA All-Star and NBA Champion, Candace Parker. This will be a special version of the Standard Edition of the game that will be available in North America. There will also be a WNBA 25th Anniversary Edition sold exclusively through Gamestop. In Japan, the Washington Wizards player Rui Hachimura will grace the cover of the Standard Edition. Hachimura was the first Japanese player to ever be drafted in the first round and he lead the Wizards to the playoffs.

“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."

2K will be making additional announcements over the coming weeks regarding NBA 2K22. The Standard Edition on the previous console generation will retail for $59.99 while current generation consoles will retail for $69.99. The Cross-Gen Bundle will launch for $79.99. The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition will include both generation versions with upgrades on the same ecosystem. This retails for $99.99 with a Nintendo Switch version available on digital format in the EMEA region.

Check out the covers below:

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