NBA 2K22 Reveals Luka Doncic, Candace Parker Among Cover Stars and Release Date

Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Doncic will grace the cover of the NBA 2K22 standard edition and cross-gen bundle, 2K Sports announced Wednesday. 

It was also announced that an NBA 75th Anniversary Edition of the video game will feature Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant on the cover.

A third edition of the game—the WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition—will be available only in the United States and Canada, and it will have Chicago Sky forward and two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker on the cover.

Regarding his inclusion as the standard edition cover athlete, Doncic said: "Making the global cover of NBA 2K22 is special for me. 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."

Just three years into his NBA career, Doncic is already considered one of the best players in the world. The 22-year-old native of Slovenia is a two-time All-Star, and he has been named to the All-NBA first team in each of the past two seasons.

The NBA 75th Anniversary Edition of NBA 2K22 will celebrate the careers of Abdul-Jabbar, Nowitzki and Durant and how they changed the game, and it will also feature pastel artwork from artist Charly Palmer, who is known for his recent "America Must Change" series of Civil Rights-related paintings.

Parker commented on being chosen for the cover of the WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition of the game, saying:

"The cover of NBA 2K is such a pivotal platform to inspire young ballers, and I wanted future WNBA stars to know that they can be cover athletes too. 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."

In addition to her two WNBA MVP awards, Parker is a six-time All-Star, one-time WNBA champion, one-time WNBA Finals MVP and two-time Olympic gold medalist.

All versions of NBA 2K22 will be released worldwide for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC on Sept. 10 with preorders opening Wednesday.