NBA 2K13 News Post

NBA 2K13 Cover Athletes Are Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose

08:41 AM - June 26, 2012 by Steve_OS

2K Sports Crowns Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin
and Derrick Rose as Cover Athletes for NBA® 2K13

Trio of young superstars represents the “New Dynasty” of NBA legends

New York, NY – June 26, 2012 – 2K Sports today announced that the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin and the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose have been crowned the cover athletes for NBA® 2K13, the next installment of the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation franchise*.

”Being crowned as one of the NBA 2K13 cover athletes is a huge honor and something I always dreamt about,” said Durant, who won his third straight scoring title and led the Thunder franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1996. “It’s definitely humbling to grace the cover after the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.”

“There’s so much young talent around the NBA, so it’s very exciting to be chosen for NBA 2K’s ‘New Dynasty’ alongside Kevin and Derrick,” added Griffin, who helped lead the Clippers to their first postseason since 2006. “The NBA 2K series has always been my first choice when I want to get a game in.”

“It’s a dream come true to be one of the cover athletes for NBA 2K13,” commented Rose, the 2010-11 NBA Most Valuable Player, who led the Bulls to a league-best 50-16 record this season. “I’ve worked closely with 2K Sports since NBA 2K10, and I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan as the latest Chicago Bull to be featured on the cover.”

In their young but impressive careers, Rose, Durant and Griffin have each taken the NBA by storm. All three are past winners of the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and have also amassed eight All-Star berths, three scoring titles, and one Most Valuable Player award between them.

“There are many young superstars in today’s NBA, but we’ve selected three incredible athletes for the cover of NBA 2K13 that represent the NBA well,” concluded Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “It’s clear to us that Blake, Derrick and Kevin are the most deserving guys to inherit the NBA 2K cover from Jordan, Magic and Bird.”

Developed by Visual Concepts, a 2K Sports studio, NBA 2K13 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available on October 2, 2012 in North America and October 5, 2012 internationally. The Wii U version of the title will be available during the holiday season. Fans are encouraged to pre-order now at participating retailers in order to receive the downloadable NBA All-Star content package presented by Sprite on day one at no extra cost.

For more information on 2K Sports, visit www.2KSports.com.

For more information on NBA 2K13, visit http://www.facebook.com/NBA2K.

Game: NBA 2K13Reader Score: 8.5/10 - Vote Now
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Member Comments

# 21 sead94 @ 06/26/12 09:51 AM

The visual effects and the stylistics are the same as the NBA 2k12 were, they probably got this one from the same author with a discount

# 22 woogie98 @ 06/26/12 09:53 AM

Good choices but bland

# 23 IamLEGENDsince87 @ 06/26/12 10:04 AM

cover sucks. Give Durant his own cover, and stop changing stuff. Covers are meant for ONE athlete IMO, and he deserves it after 2011s gaming debacle. I wouldnt say Bron is a lock for NBAL. They have had some surprising cover athletes so you never know with them.

# 24 kennyacid @ 06/26/12 10:16 AM

NBA 2K’s ‘New Dynasty’ huh.....could that mean were getting a revamped dynasty bka association mode? Could that be one of the big announcements? hmmmmm

# 25 Greene_Flash03 @ 06/26/12 10:19 AM

Personally, I hate multiple cover boys on sports games. I love Blake, KD, and Rose though. Rose, by himself would've been an awesome pick.

# 26 DGMikeBarker @ 06/26/12 10:19 AM

I'm pretty sure 2K chose their cover athletes before the NBA Finals started. If they would have picked LeBron and the Heat lost, 2K would have been in a terrible situation.

# 27 kennyacid @ 06/26/12 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGMikeBarker


	I'm pretty sure 2K chose their cover athletes before the NBA Finals started. If they would have picked LeBron and the Heat lost, 2K would have been in a terrible situation.

Not really, his season performance by itself was warrant enough for the cover.

# 28 RocketTMac1 @ 06/26/12 10:35 AM

I wish D.Rose was the cover guy. He has done a lot of work with 2k over the years and I thought they were grooming him to be the cover athlete for years to come.

Kevin Durant is a great choice although he was on NBA Lives cover the year they didn't release. So KD you lucked up buddy boy.

Blake.....well atleast we will get an updated model with his correct afro and beard.

# 29 jyoung @ 06/26/12 10:41 AM

Interesting that two of these guys have been on the cover of EA basketball games before (Griffin and Durant).

# 30 thareezen @ 06/26/12 10:41 AM

should have been lebron and durant on the cover....

# 31 Str0mTropper @ 06/26/12 10:44 AM

I don't understand why you guys think they completely ignored LeBron. Nobody thought that maybe he turned them down?

Nobody thought from an marketing stand point it would be in 2k favor to have LeBron on the cover? Or Just maybe EA already got to him 1st?

# 32 marcbitw1992 @ 06/26/12 10:45 AM

yes ! i said a few month back i wanted blake !! Wish it was bron but

# 33 King_B_Mack @ 06/26/12 10:48 AM

The internet never ceases to amaze. The last two years we had to hear people whining about 'all these legends' taking the cover from current athletes and now we get three current guys on the cover and there is sure enough bitching about that.

LeBron should be on the cover? Couple things wrong with that. First and foremost, 2K doesn't just put you on the cover and that's the end of it, the player has to actually agree to be on the cover. For all we know, LeBron is going to be on the cover of Live and contractually couldn't do the 2K cover if he wanted to. Or he just plain didn't want to do it most likely. Secondly, since win does winning the Finals mean you automatically have to be on the cover of the game? Iverson all those years? Shaq that one year? Chris Paul? People were clamoring for LeBron before he ever won anything and now other guys shouldn't be on the cover because LeBron won? C'mon now people.

I just hope that's not the final cover because it's pretty plain looking. Looks like something someone new to photoshop came up with.

# 34 VogueMraz @ 06/26/12 11:02 AM

honestly i don't like the cover, I've seen many fan made 2k13 cover that are better

# 35 skinnybonez @ 06/26/12 11:05 AM

worst 2k cover ever, wow

# 36 fsufan4423 @ 06/26/12 11:06 AM

Stop with the cover athletes, Just put the whole team....

# 37 TheBadazz @ 06/26/12 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsufan4423


	Stop with the cover athletes, Just put the whole team....

NO!

# 38 dirtydizzle @ 06/26/12 11:21 AM

Attachment 45868

quick remix

# 39 VDusen04 @ 06/26/12 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JerzeyReign


	I still think its a smack in the face to Lebron. I guess those dudes move units but KD just lost to Lebron in the Finals, Blake is overrated in my eyes, and D.Rose probably won't even play next season.

As others have alluded, the cover athlete is not something games are able to secure, create, and release within a week's time. As such, it's not as if 2K was able watch Durant's team lose in the Finals and Rose go down with an injury and say, "Alright, new cover." I'd presume this has likely been in place for a few months, just from going off how difficult and time consuming it can be to secure a player's rights, agreement to appear, and publicity plan (commercials, photos, etc).

And again, none of this is accounting for the strong possibility of LeBron James 1) asking for too much money to appear 2) declining to appear 3) being already tied to another game or 4) 2K opting to go for the "safe" stars, who find themselves closer to the neutral side of fan approval.

# 40 NINJAK2 @ 06/26/12 11:27 AM

Like that remix dirty d. Can you make one with Jordan in the background instead of james?

http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/up...ael_jordan.jpg

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NBA 2K13 Cover Athletes Are Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin and Derrick Rose