Dwight Howard NBA Live 10 Cover Athlete
by 
Dwight Howard has been chosen as the cover athlete for EA Sports NBA Live 10. Howard put up over 20ppg and nearly 14rpg during the regular season and in the postseason has averaged 21ppg and 15rpg. He has helped lead the Magic to an unlikely Eastern Conference Championship and is now fighting for the NBA title.
Featuring several innovations to the core gameplay experience and online game modes, NBA LIVE 10 is bringing a renewed focus to the long-running EA SPORTS basketball franchise. The groundbreaking Dynamic DNA service, driven by Synergy Sports Technology, will make a return in NBA LIVE 10, with significant improvements that will allow players to connect their game to the NBA season like never before.
After a year where EA went with boring basketball cover athletes in Tony Parker and Kevin Love, Howard brings back some of the excitement that used to be had with Live’s cover. In recent years Live has featured marketable and on-the-rise superstars such as Tracy McGrady, Gilbert Arenas and Dwayne Wade. Continue on for the announcement trailer and leave your thoughts in the comments.
June 11, 2009 at 5:05 pm
That cover is absolutely sick. Woah.
Any word on the game?
June 11, 2009 at 5:20 pm
That is a sick cover, I agree.
June 11, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Just the snippet I included in the article. They aren't going into details yet.
June 11, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Though I did now see that starting next week we'll be getting Friday blogs along the lines of how NCAA (Thurs) and Madden (Mon) have been doing.
June 11, 2009 at 6:22 pm
hey pasta what about fifa 10 blog??
June 11, 2009 at 5:06 pm
wow
June 11, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Where's LeBron!?
I'm not saying Dwight Howard is a bad pick, but he's not even close to King James. Yeah, Dwight's got the personality and all that, but LeBron's a marketing giant. You just can't pass up the opportunity to put possibly the best player in the history of the game on your cover.
I know the Magic are in the Finals and the Cavs aren't, but by the time the game comes out, is anyone going to care that they were the runner up to the Lakers?
Again, I like Dwight Howard, but he's got a long way to go before being a great player and worthy of a cover.
June 11, 2009 at 5:21 pm
I agree he's no Lebron but this guy is a legit force and it's been 8 years since we've seen a big man on the cover. This is a sick cover though.
June 11, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Lebron wants too much money. Plus a mutli-year deal. Basically he doesn't need a cover/exposure so he can make those demands and its not worth it for the companies.
June 11, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Okay I didn't know that.
Damn was Scott Boras negotiating this or something?
June 11, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Lebron's overrated, Kobe Bryant and Dwayne Wade are way better, look at Wade's stats this year, they're better than Lebron and he carried his team to the playoffs, Lebron had a great team he could rely on throughout the season, Dwight's a great pick for the cover, I figured EA would have jumped on to Lebron's band wagon just like the rest of America did, Congrats Dwight Howard, I'm a huge fan of Shaq, but you are now OFFICIALLY the most dominant big man in the NBA, now go win yourself a ring
June 11, 2009 at 6:55 pm
You are retarted for saying lebron is overrated
June 11, 2009 at 7:57 pm
Dwayne Wade is the biggest baby in sports! Did you see him carted off on a wheel chair when he seperated his shoulder? HE WAS CRYING LIKE A BABY!!!! Candice Parker suffered a similar injury, albeit more severe, and played through it.
I've seperated both of my shoulders, I know how it feels. I like Wade when he played at Marquette. When I saw him crying in a wheel chair for an arm injury, I lost most of my respect for him. When he took off almost a whole season to do Gatorade ads, I lost the rest of my respect. He's a punk.
June 13, 2009 at 2:35 pm
"I know the Magic are in the Finals and the Cavs aren't, but by the time the game comes out, is anyone going to care that they were the runner up to the Lakers"?
So why should we care that Lebron was the runner up to the runner up. The fact of the matter is what James is lacking is class. he showed us the future of his attitude when they lost to the Magic. They guy never said a word to his former Olympic teammate instead he picked up his toys and left the sand box. Let's not forget all the pre game antics everyone had to watch, the fake picture taking routines. Keep in mind those guys at some point practiced that silly shit. So does it hurt even worse when you're acting out skits and expecting to when? Sure it does and shouldn't. You see James could have given us a much brighter into the future of what he will possibly become, but instead he chose his ego over sportsmanship and class.
Maybe he can learn a lesson or two from the real 23!
June 11, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Good job EA. I earlier posted that Lebron James was a popular pick but they should go with a big man like Dwight Howard as NBA Live hasn't featured a big man since 2002 (Kevin Garnett).
June 12, 2009 at 4:55 am
kg was 2001
June 11, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Pasta,
It's usually rare for EA to go with a PS3 box for announcements. Think this has anything to do with recent EA statements of "360 has maxed out?"
June 11, 2009 at 5:28 pm
No its usually based on which console is advertising for the game more. Generally you see Madden with 360 as MS sponsors the Madden Challenge and such. Sony seems to push for the basketball titles more as seen with 2K also showing off PS3 box covers.
June 11, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Well now I'm confused because the trailer features a XBOX cover. I'm just looking too much into it.
June 11, 2009 at 5:40 pm
damn thats raw
June 11, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Too bad its not as good as Kobe
June 11, 2009 at 8:35 pm
R U CEREAL!!!! THAT IS THE BEST D… COVER I'VE EVER SEEN!
June 12, 2009 at 12:34 am
Sorry hes not as good as kobe. I dont give 2 shits how cool it looks. Put tony parker on it again and make it "cool" lookin… u want that?
June 11, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Yea it would be kinda cool having LeBron and Kobe on both covers although I don't really love the two.
June 11, 2009 at 6:07 pm
You all do realize it isn't just as simple as a selection process? Yes, LeBron is a better player and more marketable asset, but can you imagine just how much it would have cost to have LeBron on the cover? I bet 2K paid a TON to have Kobe. NBA Live is closing the gap (2K9 was sub-par IMO) and we will see which franchise enjoys more success this year…
June 11, 2009 at 7:58 pm
You're right, 2K had to have forked over a TON to get Kobe.
June 12, 2009 at 7:51 am
that and he's trying to get a lot more since a lot of his endorsement dropped him because of the lawsuit a few years ago.
June 11, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I'm wondering if this Nba Live is going to be anything like Madden 10 presentation wise, I noticed the "Featuring ESPN" in the bottom right corner. Don't know if it was on the cover last year, I've been playing the 2k game since 2k5 on PS2 and played all the ones on 360 including 2k9 which I have now. I was a live fan first since live 95 on sega and the last one I played was 07 on 360 and hated it. Hoping Live 10 can get back to what made me fall in love with it in the first place!
June 11, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Featuring ESPN has been on there for a while now. I'm beginning to wonder if the ESPN feature is limited in terms of exposure.
June 11, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I'm actually convinced that ESPN partnered with EA to use EA. Look at their sports shows – NFL Live, NBA Tonight, etc. They all use EA games to run through plays (Madden, Live).
June 11, 2009 at 6:50 pm
The video made it seem like a "Be a Pro" mode will be in the game this year.
June 11, 2009 at 7:58 pm
They promised that last year. They had Be a Pro but it wasn't fully fleshed out because of lack of time and they were going to work on it for 10.
June 11, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Okay that makes sense
June 11, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I think this is just how they do it. FIFA 08 had a 1 match only offline be-a-pro mode. FIFA 09 had be-a-pro seasons where you played as 1 player for i think somewhere between 10-15 seasons, and has an online be-a-pro mode so been as NBA Live 09 had the 1 game only mode, pre-haps NBA Live 10 will have the full thing.
June 11, 2009 at 6:55 pm
WHERE IS THE CAPE
June 11, 2009 at 7:22 pm
now if only ncaa basketball can catch up
June 11, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I KNOW CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT LOL!
June 12, 2009 at 7:49 am
never would happen, they don't wanna make the same kind of game with different skins. kinda like madden and ncaa football, they have completely different feel, as it should. Even though they feature some of the same stuff they have distinct difference, because no one wants to buy the same game… twice right?
June 11, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I love where EA has been going with their covers this year. I just hope the game game plays as good as the cover looks. It'd be nice to have a basketball game again. And being a Magic fan, Dwight on the cover is icing on the cake.
June 11, 2009 at 7:59 pm
The art for the cover is great. Love the new stylized look.
June 11, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I hope this game doesn't suck as bad as it usually does!
June 11, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Nice pick. The great thing about these picks (Kobe and Dwight) is that it emulates what's happening right now in real life since both are figthing for the trophie. Now about LeBron, EA will never spent that kind of money on a cover athlete. There budget for a game like this is already through the roof, eventhough the product is not there yet in terms of gameplay. Just look at the presentation and licenses (Synergy Sports, ESPN, smash-hit soundtrack, etc). I always loved both franchises but this year Live might close the gap for real since their leading designer is Mike Wang, the man in charge of NBA 2K for the past 3 years.
June 11, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Great choice….
June 11, 2009 at 11:14 pm
EA Sports is on its way back to the top!! first FNR4, Madden 10, now if they can make as big of improvements as madden 10 has for Live 10 they will be in great position.
June 11, 2009 at 11:19 pm
EA Sports got 2K sports SHOOK!!!!!!!!!! 2k better get their sh*t together for 2k10 and stop bullshitin wit the online servers or its a wrap for 2010 at least.
June 13, 2009 at 8:45 pm
LOL
June 12, 2009 at 12:53 am
is it just a coincedence that the two cover athletes are kobe and dwight
June 12, 2009 at 12:55 am
Is that Spike Lee talking?
June 12, 2009 at 3:06 am
LOL. And that he had a great team behind him. Aside from Mo Williams who's decent, Wally Szcerbiak and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are average at best.
LeBron averaged 38.5 ppg against the Magic but they still didn't even come close so I don't know why you would call the rest of his team "great."
June 12, 2009 at 4:23 am
What is the new feature? Did they remove the 3 second in the paint violation?
June 12, 2009 at 4:39 am
this is the year nba live takes over 2k10
June 13, 2009 at 8:44 pm
lololololol
June 12, 2009 at 5:39 am
that cover is nasty! omg! too bad 2k10 is gonna beast again…..
June 12, 2009 at 5:45 am
how does ea have 2k shook when ea has Dwight Howard and 2k has Kobe?????/ dumb asses! Kobe is the baddest player on the planet(Lebron James and wade runners up)! this was my first year ever buying and 2k sports title and after shitty ass (live 06,07,08, and 09) I'm glad i made the switch! 2k9 was the best b ball game ever made! visuals, game play, sound! blowed ea out the water! and 2k10 will only get better! i just would like to see signature warm ups (Lebron James dust before tip-off) and bench players going nut z when their team is on a run! and also i would like to see more apparel for the players(mainly more shoe selections and tattoos) and last but not least i would like the ability to run down a guy who thinks he has an easy lay-up and pin DAT shit to the glass(Lebron James, Dewayne wade)! if 2k added this stuff ea will never make b ball games again! TRUST! all they got is DNA (LMAO)!
June 12, 2009 at 6:10 am
didnt know cover athlete's made the game….and btw you and i both know that nba2k9 was a piece of shit when it came to ONLINE, and game menus plus team up is horrible.. and stupid how they just decide to remove lobbies and have online ranked games random without even informing us. basically these two games excel in the opposite categories and if EA can make improvements to gameplay which seems like they are doing after seeing Madden and hearing them talk about Live 09 they will be in good position…
June 12, 2009 at 7:45 am
I like i like, i read through the comments and yea i kinda figured labron would want more money for doing it. Kobe would be a good choice too, it's like they couldn't go wrong with both Howard or Bryant. Prediction… next year if he has a really good year like this… derrick rose!! he's a f'n stud right now as well
June 12, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Sick cover! But I feel this belongs more in Street game rather than Live.
Still, I am staying far away from this after last year's replay gltich on the ps3
June 12, 2009 at 2:38 pm
the glitch was on 360 too. i might try 2k today to see if it really is so much better then live. but the cover is boss
June 13, 2009 at 5:59 am
Ha-ha-ha, they are copying the marketing every year: groundbreaking, significant improvements, never before… I think, at the EAs headquarter there is a huge book, a dictionary of advertisement, they are just using it all the time.
Howard was an obvious solution, I believe, EA just hired him, when it became sure, that the Magic will be in the Finals, not before. According to the video, the player models are the same again, Howard is 2x stronger in real life, his shoulders, his arms are much stronger. I do afraid, that again everybody will look like Rashard Lewis.
June 13, 2009 at 4:09 pm
All I C IS HATER COMMENTS THATS ALL. CANT BAG THE GAME TIL U C WAT THEY WORKING ON OR UNTIL U PLAY A DEMO.
June 13, 2009 at 6:07 pm
U shall C d Same after d DEMO…
June 15, 2009 at 10:16 am
2K wins round 1 after they signed Kobe "Finals MVP" Bryant. Who'll win the gameplay department? Can EA deliver and beat Sega this year?