Candace Parker is the first woman on the cover of NBA 2K
Published: Jul 15, 2021
Candace Parker, the Chicago Sky forward and six-time WNBA All-Star, will feature on the cover of the WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition of NBA 2K22. This marks the first time in the game series history that a female player will be featured on the cover.
NBA 2K22
The game is releasing on September 10th and for the first time in its long history as a game series, it will feature a female player. This is the next step in their slow inclusion of the WNBA. Only three years ago in NBA 2K20 was the WNBA added to the game. The female players and teams have been playable for three years and now they have finally featured a WNBA star on the cover.
The extra options available for the cover and the inclusion of the WNBA roster in the game will have some fantastic side effects for the esports betting sites as the audience of fans who want to bet on NBA 2K could grow.
Comment from Candace Parker
Speaking to ESPN, the Chicago Sky star spoke about her love of video games and the importance of visibility in basketball:
“I grew up a video game fanatic, that’s what I did, to the point where my brothers would give me the fake controller when I was younger where I think I was playing, and I wasn’t. All I wanted to do was just be like them. As a kid growing up, you dream of having your own shoe and dream of being in a video game. Those are an athlete as a kid’s dreams. To be able to experience that, I don’t take it lightly.”
“I think it’s a benchmark of women’s basketball for sure. I think most importantly it speaks to visibility and how important it is and how important the WNBA is. Everyone is looking at it that it’s impacting little girls, but it’s also impacting little boys and young men and young women and men and women. I think our game is different than the NBA; now it’s embracing that fact. Now more than ever, fans want to follow the athlete. Through social media, through video games, it’s adding and benefiting the WNBA.”
Other cover stars
The regular version of the game will feature the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic. They are also releasing another line of covers in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the NBA. These covers will feature Hall of Famer, six-time NBA champion, six-time MVP, and all-time NBA scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, NBA champion Dirk Nowitzki, and 11-time All-Star, league MVP, and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant. The Washington Wizards’ Rui Hachimura will also feature on another special edition only available in Japan. These different editions will not affect the gameplay so don’t worry about different editions for esports events.
For fans of esports betting, you can always check out the NBA 2K league to see some high-level play and place some interesting bets. It is relatively young competition so expect to see the teams and events improve every year.
