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.
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. But the historic inclusion is problematic and insincere when those cover stars are only available to select users.
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. 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.
Meanwhile, Dončić of the Dallas Mavericks is featured on the cover of both the Standard Edition and Cross-Gen Digital Bundles.
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. Parker has won two WNBA MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals and the 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year Award. She has also been selected to six All-WNBA teams and five All-Star teams.
Parker certainly recognizes the impact seeing a female player on the cover can have on young girls who play basketball.
“I wanted future WNBA stars to know that they can be cover athletes too,” Parker told the Black Wall Street Times.
However, the inclusion of Parker isn’t perfect. The fact that she’s only featured on a version of the game sold at GameStop and EB Games is problematic. 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. Having only select users have access to her cover diminishes the landmark.
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.
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.
It’s not that Dončić or the others don’t deserve to be on the cover. Dončić is certainly an impressive player and at only 22 years old, he has already made a large impact on the game of basketball.
Dončić owns four of the six triple-doubles recorded by teenagers in NBA history. He is also the youngest player in NBA history to record three triple-doubles, hit a playoff buzzer-beater and record a 40-point triple-double in a playoff game, among many other achievements.
Despite the worthy recognition of Dončić’s talent, it’s hard to appreciate the sentiment of including Parker and Hachimura when it’s on a lesser stage than their counterparts. In the future, NBA 2K should ensure all cover athletes are equally prominent and accessible to all users.
Featured image provided by Take-Two Interactive Software.
