Allen Iverson

Cover athlete for four numbered NBA 2K titles and two ESPN-branded spin-offs, from the 1999 original through ESPN NBA 2K5 in 2004.

Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers is the cover athlete for the original NBA 2K game, released in November 1999 for the Dreamcast. He also appears on the cover of NBA 2K1 (October 2000, Dreamcast), NBA 2K2 (late 2001/early 2002, multiple platforms), NBA 2K3 (October 2002, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube), ESPN NBA Basketball (October/November 2003, PlayStation 2 and Xbox), and ESPN NBA 2K5 (2004), making his fifth and final appearance as cover athlete on that 2004 title, not ESPN NBA Basketball.

Lore & Background

Allen Iverson's connection to the NBA 2K series begins with the very first game, where he was chosen as the cover athlete for NBA 2K in November 1999 on Dreamcast. He returned as cover athlete for the next three numbered installments: NBA 2K1 (October 2000, Dreamcast), NBA 2K2 (released late 2001/early 2002 on Dreamcast, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube), and NBA 2K3 (October 2002, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube). His fifth cover appearance came on the ESPN-branded spin-off ESPN NBA Basketball (October/November 2003, PlayStation 2 and Xbox), and he also appeared on the cover of the 2004 follow-up ESPN NBA 2K5, making that his final cover appearance.

This makes Iverson the only player to appear on the cover of the first four numbered NBA 2K games plus two ESPN-branded titles. During this period, the series introduced key features such as online play (NBA 2K1), street basketball (NBA 2K3 via the 'Street' mode, later known as 'Blacktop'), historic players and teams (NBA 2K2), the Association general manager mode (NBA 2K6), and the 24/7 career mode (ESPN NBA Basketball). Iverson's presence as the face of the franchise spanned the Dreamcast era and the transition to PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube, ending just before Sega sold Visual Concepts to Take Two Interactive.

Reader's Guide

Allen Iverson appears as a playable player on the Philadelphia 76ers in the early NBA 2K titles from NBA 2K (1999) through ESPN NBA Basketball (2003). As a cover athlete for five consecutive games, he is a central figure in the series' early identity. In NBA 2K1, players can use Iverson in the newly introduced street basketball mode. In NBA 2K2, he is available alongside historic players such as Bill Russell, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.

In ESPN NBA Basketball, Iverson is part of the game's roster and can be used in the 24/7 career mode, which allows players to create a customizable character and compete in basketball tournaments. The commentary team for these early games consists of Bob Fitzgerald and Rod Brooks, portraying fictional announcers Bob Steele and Rod West. Iverson's gameplay reflects his real-life style as a scoring guard, though specific attributes are not detailed in the source.