As the NBA season draws to a close and Free Agency ramps up, the sun begins to set on NBA 2K22 as well. A new year means a new NBA 2K game and a new cover athlete. But with the next installment being numbered 23, 2K Games and Take-Two Interactive went with the glaringly obvious choice in selecting this year's NBA 2K cover athlete.NBA Legend Michael Jordan will adorn the cover of two special edition versions of NBA 2K23 as announced by 2K Games early Tuesday morning. Arguably one of the greatest players ever, Jordan is attributed with making basketball a global sport, reshaping the sneaker scene into what it is today, and inspiring a generation of athletes in different sports around the world. The number 23 has become synonymous with Michael Jordan, who is now known as a brand icon, the owner of the Charlotte Hornets, and co-owner of NASCAR team 23XI Racing which runs the 23 and 45 cars, numbers that Jordan has used over the years.Michael Jordan is no stranger to the NBA 2K franchise as he's graced the cover of standard editions or Special and Collectors editions of NBA 2K11, 2K12, and 2K16. For NBA 2K23, His Airness will be featured on the Michael Jordan Edition as well as a premium Championship Edition. Details for additional perks and pricing of these editions will be revealed at a later date. The gameplay trailer for the announcement also featured different versions of the NBA Legend, one with hair that he sported early in his playing days and his signature bald look. These looks are part of the Jordan Challenge, similar to WWE 2K22's Showcase Mode, that will have players live through 15 of Jordan's most iconic moments in NBA History.
Buried under all the fervor surrounding the Michael Jordan cover announcement, Phoenix Suns guard and NBA All-Star Devin Booker will also be a cover athlete on NBA 2K23. The Suns guard is one of the most dynamic players in the NBA today and has played a substantial role in the franchise's resurgence, going to the NBA Finals in 2021 and the top-seeded team in the NBA Western Conference in 2022. An additional two WNBA players are also rumored to feature as cover alternatives. NBA 2K has had alternate or changeable cover athlete box art for physical versions intermittently since NBA 2K13, then optioning to multiple cover athletes in the same year across different editions of the game in later years.
Further details for NBA 2K23 will be revealed at a later date but preorders for the Michael Jordan and the Championship editions will begin on July 7.
NBA 2K23 will release on September 9 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.