It’s not that Dončić or the others don’t deserve to be on the cover. Using the names and faces of players to promote an image of inclusivity and diversity while not allowing all users to access them comes across as insincere. The same goes for Hachimura, who was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 2020 and is the first Japanese player to reach the NBA playoffs. Having only select users have access to her cover diminishes the landmark. This means the diversity and inclusion NBA 2K is seeking to achieve is only visible in select markets to select users, ruining the exact point of having diverse cover athletes. The fact that she’s only featured on a version of the game sold at GameStop and EB Games is problematic. However, the inclusion of Parker isn’t perfect. Candace Parker’s NBA 2K22 cover is only available in-person at GameStop and EB Games. “I wanted future WNBA stars to know that they can be cover athletes too,” Parker told the Black Wall Street Times. Parker certainly recognizes the impact seeing a female player on the cover can have on young girls who play basketball. She has also been selected to six All-WNBA teams and five All-Star teams. Parker has won two WNBA MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals and the 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award. When it comes to Parker, it’s important to recognize how historical it is for a woman to grace the cover of an NBA 2K game. Meanwhile, Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks is featured on the cover of both the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundles. Likewise, Hachimura, a forward for the Washington Wizards and the first Japanese NBA player to be drafted in the first round, will appear only on a special edition of the game sold exclusively in Japan. Parker, a forward and centre for the Chicago Sky, is featured on the WNBA 25th anniversary special edition, which will only be sold at GameStop in the United States and EB Games in Canada. But the historic inclusion is problematic and insincere when those cover stars are only available to select users. The lineup is making history with Parker as the first woman to grace the cover of an NBA 2K game and Hachimura as the first Japanese NBA player to be spotlighted on the cover.

NBA 2K recently unveiled its covers for the 2K22 edition of the video game, showcasing six players as the face of the game this year: Luka Dončić, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, Candace Parker and Rui Hachimura.

Nba 2k22 cover