Kobe Bryant revealed as NBA 2K cover athlete for fourth time

NBA 2K24 will have two editions with Bryant as the cover athlete

Kobe Bryant will once again grace the cover of NBA 2K. 

Bryant, who was killed in a January 2020 helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, will be on the video game's cover for the fourth time. 

Two Kobe Bryant banners are shown at Staples Center

Kobe Bryant on banners before the Utah Jazz game at Staples Center, for the final game of his career, on April 13, 2016. (John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Gamers will have their choice of two covers for NBA 2K24 – the "Kobe Bryant Edition" and the "Black Mamba Edition – with fans able to pre-order their copies on Friday. 

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"As we celebrate 25 years of NBA 2K with Kobe Bryant, we commemorate his legacy and the generational impact he has had on the game of basketball," Greg Thomas, president at Visual Concepts, the game's developer, said in a statement, via ESPN. 

Kobe Bryant adjust his jersey against the Suns

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers adjusts his jersey during the Suns game at US Airways Center on Feb. 19, 2012, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

"While we mark the history of the franchise, NBA 2K24 also looks ahead to the future to bring an innovative leap in technology and the introduction of community-requested features like crossplay."

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Bryant was on the cover of NBA2K in 2010, 2017 and 2021. 

Bryant was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021 after winning five championships as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Kobe Bryant celebrates after winning an NBA championship

Kobe Bryant of the Lakers celebrates after winning the championship game against the Boston Celtics in Los Angeles. (John W. McDonough /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

He played his entire 20-year career in Los Angeles, making the All-Star game 18 times and winning the NBA MVP during the 2017-18 season. 

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Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, tragically died along with seven others when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed into the Calabasas hills. 

NBA 2K24 will have a legend on its cover for the second straight year, with NBA legend Michael Jordan gracing one of the 2K23 editions.