NBA 2K officially announced Thursday that Kobe Bryant will be their cover athlete for this year’s NBA 2K24.
The gaming franchise has revealed two different sets of covers – the Kobe Bryant Edition and the Black Mamba Edition. It will be released on pre-order on the Friday before the official September release across multiple game consoles.
Greg Thomas, the game’s developer, announced his desire to honor Bryant’s legacy and greatness to celebrate NBA 2K’s 25 years of existence.
“As we celebrate 25 years of NBA 2K with Kobe Bryant, we celebrate his legacy and the generational impact he had on the game of basketball,” Thomas said. He said. “While we celebrate the history of the franchise, NBA 2K24 also looks to the future to take an innovative leap in technology and introduce community-requested features like crossplay.”
This is the fourth time the late Los Angeles Lakers icon will be the cover star of NBA 2K — more than any player who has ever played in the association. It previously appeared in 2K10, 2K17, and 2K21.
Bryant died along with his daughter Gianna and seven other people in a tragic helicopter crash last January in Calabasas, California.