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Michael Jordan to front NBA 2K11 - ESPN

Sports network reports that Chicago Bulls legend and Charlotte Bobcats owner will be 2K's next hoops cover athlete, could be playable along with other retired stars.

As the upcoming off-season's class of unrestricted free agents shows, there's no shortage of star athletes in today's NBA. Despite that, ESPN reports that 2K Sports is saving the cover of NBA 2K11 for a storied star from a previous era, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

Air Jordan may be ready to fly once more.

Air Jordan may be ready to fly once more.

The sports network (which is featured annually in Electronic Arts' competing NBA Live series of games) cites "multiple sources" as having confirmed that 2K Sports has landed Jordan to be the game's spokesperson. The report also includes speculation that Jordan could be playable in the game, allowing gamers to step into his Air Jordans to re-create the biggest moments of his career. Even less solid is the story's assertion that 2K Sports is in negotiations to include Jordan's teammates and other players from the era to more accurately depict those moments; that bit of information is attributed to "whispers."

One problem that would arise from such a gameplay mode would be the need to negotiate individual deals with all of the retired players. While a logistical headache, it's a task 2K has handled before. When 2K Sports created All-Pro Football 2K8 without the NFL license, it included more than 200 retired players, each of whom needed to be negotiated with individually.

2K Sports having to pursue all the other players while already having Jordan under contract would reverse a long-standing problem publishers had with the star. For much of Jordan's playing career, he had a licensing deal separate from the one that included the rest of the NBA. As a result, Jordan was conspicuously absent from most NBA games over his career, appearing instead in vanity projects like his own Super Nintendo action game, Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City.

NBA 2K11 is expected to release in October, just as the league's preseason games tip off. For more on the franchise's recent history, check out GameSpot's review of NBA 2K10.

177 Comments

  • KOBE23IVAN

    Posted Jul 15, 2010 6:19 pm GMT

    Air Jordan is back !!!

  • garcia_jx

    Posted Jun 13, 2010 12:33 pm GMT

    lol

  • amaan4ever

    Posted Jun 5, 2010 2:26 am GMT

    this game is gonna sell like a billion copies,you know why??even the people who dont have a system will buy this game throw the cd and mount the cover on their wall

  • albreez23

    Posted Jun 2, 2010 7:29 pm GMT

    23 is back!! i hope they bring the bulls team he won championships with and other dynasty teams or championship teams. Thank god cause i was getting sick of making him every year. lol

  • weezyindamuluva

    Posted Jun 2, 2010 6:19 pm GMT

    Oh. Hell. Yes.

  • AdianBMG

    Posted Jun 1, 2010 6:14 am GMT

    can't wait to get it

  • RedReckoning

    Posted May 30, 2010 10:18 pm GMT

    Yes! Time to dunk from the 3 point line

  • BulletsnOctane

    Posted May 30, 2010 1:00 am GMT

    If we can play and re-create Jordan's most memorable and biggest moments, then I guess I'm good with it. But it's not going to sell me alone. This game has to show up this year. The past few years have been a letdown. Big time.


    Better cover: '92 Dream Team. Guess what? Playable. How about the entire '92 Olympics playable. Now that's something...


    Then again, if the entire '92 Bulls are playable, I can't wait to play with John Paxson and B.J. Armstrong. And Will Perdue--dude, seriously.

  • Wii60Joe

    Posted May 29, 2010 11:57 am GMT

    pilot_riaz
    Magic Johnston?
    Johnson

  • Tri-Enforcer

    Posted May 29, 2010 12:13 am GMT

    I don't usually buy basketball video games, but I will certainly get 2K11. I say this because I am from Chicago and a long time Bulls/Jordan fan. I finally get a chance to play as him in an official NBA video game. Great work 2K!

  • Anto_212

    Posted May 28, 2010 9:39 pm GMT

    i believe i can fllllllly

  • enoslives7

    Posted May 28, 2010 6:52 pm GMT

    He must have lost all his money gambling (again). MJ needs some $$$$

  • qbb5rgm

    Posted May 28, 2010 2:04 pm GMT

    That's what I'm talkin' about!!!! I'm tired of researching his stats and recreating him on 2K games.

  • theslimdavylp

    Posted May 28, 2010 12:48 pm GMT

    OMG, I'm having a seizure

  • johnmetcalf

    Posted May 28, 2010 12:17 pm GMT

    This might be the first time I'll be excited about basket ball in years.

  • YouVandal3

    Posted May 28, 2010 12:17 pm GMT

    lead designer back from 08... this one will be goooooood. EA eat your heart out.

  • Polaris_x1A4

    Posted May 28, 2010 11:50 am GMT

    Awesome! Bring him and Pippen back!

  • rwallacefan

    Posted May 28, 2010 10:57 am GMT

    How about Scottie Pippen!

  • mjpatrick

    Posted May 28, 2010 10:23 am GMT

    With the return of late 80s / early 90s players, I may be interested in the NBA again.

  • Marques123

    Posted May 28, 2010 10:20 am GMT

    He's the G.O.A.T. but a darn jerk IRL.

  • grungeman91

    Posted May 28, 2010 9:24 am GMT

    He's my childhood hero, Back in the old Genesis and Nintendo days, Jordan was always a hidden character or a free agent since most company's couldn't afford to put his likeness in the game, I hope they put Jordan and the old Chicago Bulls teammates into the game cause that would make it a definite buy for me

  • woonsa

    Posted May 28, 2010 5:21 am GMT

    I believe this'll fly!

  • Phil-teh-Pirate

    Posted May 28, 2010 3:43 am GMT

    Yay? I haven't played a basketball game since NBA Live 99.

  • pilot_riaz

    Posted May 28, 2010 12:57 am GMT

    Cool, will Magic Johnston and Dennis Rodman also be playable?

  • akoymakoy

    Posted May 27, 2010 11:48 pm GMT

    this is a sick leap! im excited to play as jordan and not player99 (live 99 i guess) haha

  • itzshowtime86

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:44 pm GMT

    i always wondered why he was never playable in nba games

  • Lazay727

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:23 pm GMT

    he deserves to be the first person with a 100 rating in nba 2k

  • Rockire

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:07 pm GMT

    i believe we can fly woooo. XD

  • met7

    Posted May 27, 2010 9:45 pm GMT

    Whaaaaat! lets do this..

  • drangel_jam

    Posted May 27, 2010 8:31 pm GMT

    If MJ is on NBA 2k11 I'll buy it. The last NBA game I bought was 2k7.

  • aahov

    Posted May 27, 2010 7:21 pm GMT

    this could be legendary. ill keep my fingers crossed

  • Flint247

    Posted May 27, 2010 7:07 pm GMT

    Space Jam 2K11

  • ahpuck

    Posted May 27, 2010 5:43 pm GMT

    @ MrBubbles59 LeBron who? just kidding, but honestly, as far as i'm concern LeBron is all hype at the moment, wake me up when he actually wins something worthwhile.

  • lowkey254

    Posted May 27, 2010 5:39 pm GMT

    My second childhood hero, behind Hulk Hogan (pre WCW).

  • MrBubbles59

    Posted May 27, 2010 5:05 pm GMT

    Has LeBron ever been on the cover?

  • BlakkSteel

    Posted May 27, 2010 5:01 pm GMT

    The nail in the EA NBA coffin . . . .

  • g1rldraco7

    Posted May 27, 2010 4:46 pm GMT

    Very true on your opinion there. Character roster needs work.

  • Harerazer

    Posted May 27, 2010 4:08 pm GMT

    Seriously, he should only be playable (and he HAS to be if he's the cover star) if you have at least an East Coast and West Coast Legend team. Get Bird, Doc, Russell, Wilt, Jabbar (can play on both teams as a Buck or Laker), Magic, Isiah, Hakeem, etc. If you're gonna do it, then do it right. I mean, if you're gonna chase after Stacy King, Cliff Levingston (who got his 6th ring before Mike did...tho in Europe), Bill Cartwright, and the rest of The 66 Fouls then you gotta sign real stars of that era.

  • sleepnsurf

    Posted May 27, 2010 3:31 pm GMT

    Once Jordan left, basketball was dead to me

  • LivinnLegend

    Posted May 27, 2010 1:32 pm GMT

    2k always do it BIG

  • MGS93

    Posted May 27, 2010 12:12 pm GMT

    Michael Jordan should be on the cover and in the game that will be sick

  • reeree746

    Posted May 27, 2010 12:08 pm GMT

    They should make two covers.

    One with a current athlete, and one as a legend.

  • Zerosumgame posted May 27, 2010 11:55 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Zerosumgame

    Posted May 27, 2010 11:55 am GMT (hide)

    People need to let it go, Jordan is a legend, no need to revive it.

  • j_kizi

    Posted May 27, 2010 11:19 am GMT

    jordan was the reason i even started watchin basketball, i remebr the first game i watched was game 2 of 93 finals, i was 6 at tht time, but i became i huge fan. def picking this up...

  • Ghostel23

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:56 am GMT

    Even Phil Jackson at times pretty much made Jordan run the triangle offense on his own. See Jordan was a huge competitor unlike alot of stars as of today and one of the reasons NBA went stagnant for awhile after Jordan left the game. I remember when he came out of retirement and the Bulls were going up against the Orlando Magic in the playoffs and Jordan was wearing number 45. Nick Anderson stole the ball from Jordan and won the game for the Magic. After that game Nick was asked how it felt to steal the ball from Jordan and he said "it felt good but I stole the ball from number 45 not number 23." Lol, so next game Michael dawned his 23 jersey once again and ran all over the magic but the Bulls still lost the series in the end. The following year is when the Bulls picked up Rodman and Harper and they went 72-10, just one of the examples of how great of a competitor Jordan was and still is. I could go on forever of how great and far more superior Jordan was to any All-Star there is today,lol..

  • airbo0309

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:49 am GMT

    MJ MJ MJ MJ If I Could Be Like MIKE!!!! Finally

  • JimmyJimJim

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:39 am GMT

    I could careless who's on the cover, I don't buy the game for who's on the cover. I want some solid gameplay this year 2k, You brought back you lead designer from two years ago and I think it's know coincidence that the past two years without him the game has become stagnant and well no where near as good as 2k8, heres hoping with the designer back 2k11 can finally take a step forward.

  • Ghostel23

    Posted May 27, 2010 10:38 am GMT

    For all you Jordan haters none of you have a clue about him or just hated him cause you are or were a Knicks/Lakers/Pacers/Sonics/Blazers or Utah Jazz fans back in the day and he ran all over your teams along with his incredible nucleus of teammates. Jordan might have been a ball hog at times but he proved how good he was every time he had the ball and plus he was a coach on the court to his teammates. He would help other teammates like Steve Kerr get last second shots to win games cause he knew the defense was coming after him. He was a team player as well as a mentor to other players. It speaks volume for itself as the Bulls still hold the best record in the NBA at 72-10 to this day.

    As far as for the dude saying he never played with the flu against Utah you are sadly mistaken, do your research and for the people saying Lebron is superior to Jordan, all I can say is "GTFO and get a clue.lol" Jordan deserves to be on the cover and playable and it comes at a perfect time with the possibility the Chicago Bulls getting Lebron James and Dwayne Wade in the off season. I am picking up this game...DA BULLS!!!

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