Kobe Bryant NBA 2K10 Cover Athlete
by 
The cover of NBA 2K10 is set to be announced tonight with Kobe Bryant taking the honors. Bryant has been on the cover of numerous other NBA games in the past most recently on SCEA’s NBA series. He averaged 26.8 ppg this season and nearly 30 ppg in the playoffs and has helped to lead the Lakers to the NBA Finals.
There is another angle to the cover announcement. There are four different versions of the cover to choose from and 2K Sports is going to let the public vote to decide which one ultimately becomes the cover beginning tomorrow. While that is a nice way to get people involved with the game it does go a step further with the options.
Recently Spike Lee did the Kobe Doin’ Work documentary and they are together again here as he will help to promote the game. However that also means that Kobe as a Knick is one of the options. If I was a Lakers fan the idea of that would probably be offensive and I suspect they won’t be happy to find out he signed off on this idea even though it has no shot of being used. Even if it were to win the vote 2K would undoubtably go with the runner-up.
June 4, 2009 at 11:32 am
eh. big name but seen him on so many covers it doesnt really matter. i do agree putting him in a Knicks jersey is idiotic.
June 4, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Yeah but on one of the premiere titles though.
June 4, 2009 at 11:52 am
Well the commercials for the game will probably be excellent if Spike is doing them. But it is a little sacreligious to show Kobe in a Knicks uniform no matter if it could really end up the cover or not.
June 4, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Wow, Pasta is starting the negative campaigne again. By the way, I would not like T2 doing the same scandalous litter marketing, EA is doing all the time, last year it was frustrating, no news about 2k9 was caming, but the final product was speaking for itself.
Bryant is a Laker for 12 year, he will be a Laker Hall of Famer, great players usually leaving their teams after many years, because they were unsuccessfull (Barkley, Garnett, Allen, Kidd), but thats not the case here. Kobe as a Knick is just a joke, this all shows, that Pasta does not really have a sense of humor.
June 4, 2009 at 12:58 pm
most people think the game fell off last year. its no longer a sim.
June 4, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Got nothing to do with being 2K. If Matt Hasselbeck was going to be on the Madden cover and EA had a vote including one with him in a Cowboys jersey I would be offended. I couldn't care less about Kobe but I think many fans will feel the same way.
June 4, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Got nothing to do with being 2K. Like I said its cool that they decided to put up options to vote on. But If Matt Hasselbeck was going to be on the Madden cover and EA had a vote including one with him in a Cowboys jersey I would be offended. I couldn't care less about Kobe but I think many fans will feel the same way.
June 4, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Only people who would vote for Kobe in a Knicks uniform are people from New York. 2K fans thrive on realism and authenticity, so I don't see them wanting something fabricated on their cover.
June 4, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Welcome back Reignman. Negative campaign? Sense of humor? Really Reignman, this is just you beginning with your negative campaign (again).
June 6, 2009 at 7:30 am
Yep, the good old days are coming back…
June 6, 2009 at 8:54 am
I remember, we had many different point of view, U have predicted, that the 2009 basketball games wont be so successfull, that the 2008 series were. Looking back, U were 50% wrong, 50% right. Until next week, live 08 sales (joint xbox and ps3) are 1 120 000, more than 20% higher, than live 09 sales. But 2k8 had 1 385 000 joint sale, 2k9 is over 1 442 000, and that is 5% more, and increasing obviously. In 3 weeks the nba 2k9 xbox360 version shall reach the 1 000 000 copies margin, first time in the history of the frenchise, not many game can do this.
I hope in 2010 both games will be outstanding.
June 4, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I think it's great, but should obviously not be a cover…I hope the Knicks get my SU point-man Jonny Flynn!
June 4, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Can't wait to see the Kobe in a Knicks Jersey commercial where he is a puppet. I bet that is one is going to be funny as *bleep*
June 4, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Spike Lee is a racist asshole
June 4, 2009 at 1:02 pm
not that it matters since people dont buy the game because of the cover guy but its obvious 2k is just trying to stir things up and get people talking about the game with this stunt
June 4, 2009 at 3:22 pm
It's all about marketability. The hardcore base won't care who's on the cover, but for people just jumping into sports gaming (especially with competition) will likely to pay attention to who's on the cover of a game. I'm not saying its the deciding factor …but lets say someone wanted to start playing a NBA game, and had to choose between Live or 2K and has had 0 experience with one another, he's going to first pay attention to the game with the more popular player…and with the way these companies market their games, they make it sound as if it's the greatest game to ever exist.
June 4, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Pasta, was there any news about 2k10 or Live 10 at E3? Just curious because all the news has been dominated by NCAA and Madden.
June 4, 2009 at 1:48 pm
No they're both keeping quiet.
June 4, 2009 at 1:59 pm
So does that mean we won't be seeing or finding out anything about the two at E3 this year?
June 4, 2009 at 1:31 pm
im glad kobe has been chosen he deserves it and i know nba 2k10 is goin to be great this year as always!
June 4, 2009 at 5:50 am
That doesn’t matter Kobe is the best player in the world so he’s on the best basketball game in the world as the cover guy great combo 2k for life Live sucks monkey nuts……pasta your the best!!!!
June 4, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Correct. This probably stems from EA announcing DNA/365 last year and having 2K undercut them with the "living rosters" after that. So I wouldn't expect any significant news for quite some time.
June 4, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I was thinking the same thing last year. The living rosters felt completely last minute.
June 4, 2009 at 2:16 pm
YES, KOBEEEEEEEEEEEEEE BRYYYAAANT (If we couldnt get Drose, this is the 2nd best option)
June 4, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Second best option? Really?
June 4, 2009 at 2:20 pm
when most of you boys were in diapers, my knicks of the 90s was a great team. Never won because of Mike, and Reggie Miller, but they were a solid bunch.
Kobe in a Knicks jersey is funny at best. I dont see a laker fan even caring…he plays for the Lakers. And the Knicks are an iconic team, it wouldn't be so funny in a Phoenix Jersey or San Antonio Jersey.
June 4, 2009 at 2:29 pm
He needs to get out of that damn Knicks jersey!!! He's going to jinx the Lakers with that crap.
June 4, 2009 at 3:00 pm
The whole thing seems a bit ridiculous. What if the Knicks Jersey cover wins the vote? Bryant is not leaving LA any time soon. I'd rather hear about gameplay, features, you know real news about the game. And no I'm not getting down on Pasta, I'm saying 2k didn't need to announce this crap.
June 4, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Pasta, I see the facebook connection being an option now…so it's either intense debate or facebook connect now? No way to integrate both?
June 4, 2009 at 3:19 pm
I think they're working on a way to do that just going to take some time.
June 4, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I hope so. I love facebook connect, but it's overwritting my intensedebate login. If I'm signed onto facebook it will override my intense debate login session after I refresh. I'll also hate to lose my "cred" points
June 4, 2009 at 3:04 pm
I had a feeling that EA would shell out the big bucks for Kobe or Lebron for the cover for Live 2010. I'm guessing Kobe simply went to the higher bidder, and I doubt that EA didn't have the funds to outbid 2K. That leads me to believe that EA signed a big name that is up there with Kobe…and that is Lebron.
June 4, 2009 at 3:09 pm
As a Lakers fan, I have no problem with 2K letting others imagine Kobe in their favorite team's uniform…but at the end of the day, he is wearing purple and gold
June 4, 2009 at 3:49 pm
AND LET THE 2K VS LIVE BATTLE BEGIN! LOL
June 4, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I don't even get why Kobe's on the cover in the first place. Yeah, he's one of the greatest of all time but at this point, would anyone argue that there's no greater publicity then having Lebron on the cover.
Now it's pretty much certain that EA will have him this year.
June 4, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Agreed.
June 4, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Dwayne Wade is better
June 4, 2009 at 7:06 pm
At what?
June 4, 2009 at 6:54 pm
i dont agree with a cocky arrogant RAPEIST on the cover! it should have went to lebron or wade in my opinion!
June 4, 2009 at 7:05 pm
When did he get convicted or found guilty or rape?
June 4, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Hater!!!!
June 4, 2009 at 6:55 pm
that means ea is going to have KING JAMES! i bought 2k for the first time last year and i loved it but now that kobe on it i might pass!
June 4, 2009 at 7:23 pm
since 2k10 has Kobe all live has left to do is put Lebron james even if they want to be competitive.
June 4, 2009 at 7:51 pm
they would put him on the cover
June 4, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Pasta are u f'n kidding me?
Offended?
It's just so disgusting isn't it!!!! If Hasselbeck was in a Cowboy jersey you would be offended??
Douchebag Pasta at it again.
June 4, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Worship me yall
June 4, 2009 at 11:59 pm
It should have been me
June 5, 2009 at 12:24 am
2k is an official joke now…. how can you even make a joke with kobe as a knick… disgrace.
June 5, 2009 at 1:26 am
NBA Live 10 will start its announcement in conjuction with The NBA Draft…
YO
June 5, 2009 at 2:06 am
Seriously, she was just a gold digger.
Also, Kobe's one of the more humble guys in the game today. I don't remember the last time he's been arrogant or cocky towards anyone.
June 5, 2009 at 5:51 am
Yes Live is gonna impress just like what they did with TONY PARKER last year
Ohhh….its true
June 5, 2009 at 12:26 pm
That had to be the second or third most dissapointing cover athlete in NBA Live History (first going to Antoine Walker). The other being T-Mac after having such a limited and injury riddled season prior to being announced.
June 5, 2009 at 10:52 am
Official tweet from Marcus Stephenson of NBA Live June 3, 2009 4:41 pm "Guys, no worries on our Cover guy. We think we have a good one
We "could" announce shortly. I'll probably get in trouble for this…"
June 6, 2009 at 9:07 am
def would be ridiculous if kobe in the knick jersey wins the vote…..its already in 2nd in voting lol……but who came up with number 17? the one on the left got my vote…..looked more natural…..and EA will undoubtedly try to score lebron lol
June 6, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Yeah Lebron would be the neutralizing cover, or maybe even Dwight Howard since EA has really restructured the rebounding physics & animations..it's been 8 years since they've had a big man on the cover (Garnett 2001).
June 6, 2009 at 2:24 pm
As a lifelong and die hard Laker fan, that knick picture is sacrilege and all evidence of it should be destroyed.
June 7, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I wish they had one where he was in jail, because he is a rapist asshole
June 11, 2009 at 3:33 am
dwight howard cover boy live 10 heres the link http://www.psu.com/forums/showthread.php?p=429285...