NBA 2K11 News Post

2K Sports Reveals Greatest of All Time Cover Athlete for NBA 2K11 (Press Release)

09:40 AM - July 7, 2010 by tabulaRasa

Check out the NBA 2K11 box art, featuring Michael Jordan.

2K Sports Reveals Greatest Cover of All Time for NBAŽ 2K11

NBA 2K11 shows off new, unique art style to pay homage to Michael Jordan

New York, NY - July 7, 2010 - 2K Sports today revealed the official cover art for NBAŽ 2K11 featuring Michael Jordan as the face of this year's iteration of the top rated and top selling basketball simulation franchise*. The art style, featuring a highly-stylized, three-panel, iconic image of Jordan, represents a departure from previous NBA 2K titles to reflect the significance of having the greatest player of all time grace the cover.

"We knew as soon as we signed Jordan that we needed to do something special for the cover," said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. "This could possibly be the most highly anticipated cover art in the history of sports games and we think the image we came up with delivers on every front. I think fans will be pleasantly surprised at how Jordan is actually used in game, as NBA 2K11 will pay homage to His Airness' in many ways, but the cover art represented our first chance to stop and honor him along the way."

"Its exciting to see it all come together," said Michael Jordan, a recent Hall of Fame inductee. "I am looking forward to seeing the final product, but my kids might have to give me some lessons."

NBA 2K11 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available October 5, 2010. To view the cover, please visit www.2ksports.com/nba2k11.

NBA 2K11 screenshot gallery - Click to view

Game: NBA 2K11Reader Score: 9/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS2 / PS3 / PSP / Wii / Xbox 360Votes for game: 108 - View All

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Member Comments

# 41 youvalss @ 07/07/10 03:08 PM

This year I predict that the custom covers will be so much better than the official one. I'm gonna make some of my own soon...

# 42 Altimus @ 07/07/10 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trobinson97


	Very nice. The 360 one looks bad though with the green and white at the top.

MS has to put that stupid lime color everywhere.

# 43 kolanji @ 07/07/10 03:25 PM

bab bab bab bab baaaaah am loving it!

# 44 youvalss @ 07/07/10 03:28 PM

The PS2 version was solid back in 2K7, which is my afvorite basketball game. From 2K8 it's started to SUCK(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) big time. Better update rosters in 2K7 than get any of the 2K8-2K11 ones. Trust me.

# 45 J_Posse @ 07/07/10 03:49 PM

I'm almost certain that M.J. had a lot of say in which cover shot they would use. He's known as a very big control freak and would probably need last say on everything involving his likeness. He'll probably have some say or input on his in-game model also, IMO.

Oh, and I like the image since it involves Jordan's tongue wagging which is his iconic "expression."

# 46 kolanji @ 07/07/10 04:01 PM

hey what happen to the voting option for covers this year.....?well i coudn't have done a better job picking that one myself if i could say so. by no means the color red was chosen for looks (which voting would provide like last year) it was chosen purposely to signify the passion and the determination of a player such as MJ.the cover is flared with the color that many players like Karl Malone and the Jazz would never any time soon forget.the color of the basketbal world in the 90's the color of the bulls.....the color of a champion and as mention on the box art the color of " the greatest of all time".
now october seems too far away....does n e body have a hot tub time machine?

# 47 myownsun @ 07/07/10 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ifriedrice


	Hmmm... three Jordans on the cover... implication of three Jordans in the game???

GOOD EYE!!! I'm loving the cover, this is the first time in years I'm excited to play both bball games.

# 48 Jeffx @ 07/07/10 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amedawg00


	Cover is weak sauce, but will allow it to sell like hotcakes nonetheless.

Co-sign, and that "greatest of all time" is nonsense.

# 49 instantpop @ 07/07/10 05:44 PM

Ugly. 2K really needs to stop letting interns do their design work. We've known for years they can't design intuitive menus, and now this is the best they've got for Michael Jordan on the cover of their game? I agree with whomever said it was 'weak sauce.'

# 50 mojomojo @ 07/07/10 05:44 PM

Amazing cover! Collector Cover! Just with that is worth to buy!

# 51 st0rmb11 @ 07/07/10 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffx


	Co-sign, and that "greatest of all time" is nonsense.

# 52 Muzyk23 @ 07/07/10 05:55 PM

Was hoping for sth more dynamic and the tongue

# 53 qpc123 @ 07/07/10 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muzyk23


	Was hoping for sth more dynamic and the tongue

That's what she said...

# 54 DGMikeBarker @ 07/07/10 06:27 PM

The cover grows on me. like it the more I see it

# 55 SacKings1999 @ 07/07/10 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrigleyville33


	I'm not a big basketball gamer, but this cover could of had so much more potential. I'm a huge graphic guru, and seeing MJ on a cover with some noobish red photoshop brushes just doesn't seem to do justice what could have been. I would of thought they would have used one of his famous dunks or something, but to slap on some lame red effects wasn't the right way to go. What I believe they should have done would be to go with an old theme on the cover, rather then the style used for the past 5 or 6 years.

Couldn't agree more. My initial impression was "yuck, that's it? That's what they came up with for Jordan? That's the worst cover in recent memory and this is supposed to be for Jordan???"

Like you said, it just looks unprofessional (you worded it as "noobish")... some red PS brushes... and some smeared brushes on the top layer set to "overlay" blend mode. I don't care for the balance of it either (it almost follows the rule of thirds, but since he's driving to the right, the negative space should be on that side of him, not vice versa...)

It just doesn't look like a professional designed it. In a world where every even semi-nerdy 11 year old knows how to use Photoshop... whatever, I'll stop.

Haha, none of this matters, because I'll still buy the game day one! I grew up on MJ and couldn't be more excited about this game

# 56 VDusen04 @ 07/07/10 07:56 PM

I like the cover.

# 57 MJ23Sebastian @ 07/07/10 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SacKings1999


	Couldn't agree more. My initial impression was "yuck, that's it? That's what they came up with for Jordan? That's the worst cover in recent memory and this is supposed to be for Jordan???" Like you said, it just looks unprofessional (you worded it as "noobish")... some red PS brushes... and some smeared brushes on the top layer set to "overlay" blend mode. I don't care for the balance of it either (it almost follows the rule of thirds, but since he's driving to the right, the negative space should be on that side of him, not vice versa...) It just doesn't look like a professional designed it. In a world where every even semi-nerdy 11 year old knows how to use Photoshop... whatever, I'll stop. Haha, none of this matters, because I'll still buy the game day one! I grew up on MJ and couldn't be more excited about this game .

Yea I couldn't agree more, messenjahmatt has better covers I wasn't expecting it to be so colorful I thought it would be more "one to remember" but I'll remember this as an weird cover for the G.O.A.T I'm just a little upset the way it came out I guess gameplay will make up for it!

And like you said (it looks like a nerdy 11 year old made it)and it looks like a microsoft background and hopefully this can just be a test cover

# 58 CaliDude916 @ 07/07/10 08:22 PM

Absolutely sick cover!!! I love the "The Greatest of All Time" title at the top.

# 59 500bloc @ 07/07/10 08:30 PM

Okay honestly, how many of you would think this was a great cover if anyone other than Jordan was on it?

Say it was Steve Nash, would you really say it was the best cover ever?

I sincerely doubt it.

To me this is no more impressive than the 2K9 cover, which I thought was much better. But I guess its just me.

# 60 BlackRome @ 07/07/10 08:32 PM

For anyone wondering why MJ is considered the best and Kobe will never be in his airness.

MJ is the only person to lead his team to multiple championships without a dominant big man that would garner double teams. .

Magic- Kareem.
Bird- McHale
Kobe- Shaq/Gasol
West- Chamberlin
Dr J - Moses.
Isiah - Marc Aguire.
You have chips that were won by dominant big men with out great perimeter players.

Olajuwon. Duncan but only one has won it without a dominant big men.

That's why MJ was the greatest.

Until someone wins 7 chips without a dominant big man MJ will always be the greatest.

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