S. Samuel
Rap mogul Jay-Z's upcoming NBA 2K13 will treat sports fans of past and present with a special addition this year by including the 1992 Dream Team and this year's gold medal-winning Team USA.
According to reports, Jay, who is the game’s executive producer, had a little influence in making the big moves.
One of the great qualities of video games is their ability to depict matchups we’ll never see in real life. In “NBA 2K13,” basketball fans can play the one hypothetical matchup that’s sparked debate for the last several months. 2K Sports has acquired the license to USA Basketball, including the 1992 Dream Team, allowing gamers to play an exhibition between the ’92 team and this year’s U.S. national team in “NBA 2K13,” which drops Oct. 2. It’s a move that’s been in 2K’s plans for years, and with the Olympics buzz and Jay-Z helping entice the elusive Charles Barkley , this was the year to finally buy the license and include USA Basketball in the game. (ESPN)
Former NBA champion Michael Jordan, who took part in the ’92 Dream Team’s gold medal run, has shared his thoughts on the addition.
“It’s going to start more arguments,” said Michael Jordan, a former 2K cover athlete and ambassador for the game, via conference call. “When you stack up all the stats, which in some ways is how the game is going to be viewed and discussed, our stats are going to be a lot better than their stats. So I think it’s going to start more debates.” (ESPN)
Last weekend, Team USA defeated Spain to capture a gold medal at the London Olympics.
Great for most of the Olympics, just good enough for gold. The U.S. men’s basketball team fought off another huge challenge from Spain, pulling away in the final minutes Sunday for a 107-100 win and its second straight Olympic championship. And just like 2008, the star-studded Americans had to work for this one. LeBron James capped one of basketball’s most brilliant individual years with a monster dunk and a huge three-pointer in the final 2:50. That wrapped up a close, back-and-forth game that few would have seen coming after the Americans had been so dominant for so long in London. (Newsday)
Last month, Jay-Z got officially announced as NBA 2K13’s executive producer.
Rapper and Brooklyn Nets part-owner Jay-Z is set to executive produce NBA 2K13, the 13th installment in 2K Sport’s popular basketball game series. The news was revealed via his Life + Times website in a trailer featuring his song “Public Service Announcement” from “The Black Album.” The 24-second viral video is narrated by Michael Jordan and also showcases the cover baring Jay-Z’s name in the top right corner. NBA 2K13 is currently available for pre-order and is set to hit shelves on October 2. While it’s unclear the type of music Jay-Z has in mind for the soundtrack, in the past, both indie rock and hip-hop music have been featured. (Billboard)
Check out the NBA 2K13 trailer below:
