The NBA Just Announced Its Best Anime Crossover Yet

The NBA is tapping anime once against with a special Kuroko's Basketball crossover.

By Megan Peters

Anime is big business, and these days that fact is clearer than ever before. As Hollywood's top studios are looking into the industry, sales of manga and anime are up across the globe. From pop culture to academia, we are seeing anime get its due, and that includes on the court. After all, a number of sports leagues are invested in anime, and the NBA just locked in its best crossover to date.

The revelation comes from Japan as the NBA confirmed it is teaming up with Kuroko's Basketball. At long last, Tetsuya Kuroko will get the chance to dribble alongside the NBA, and we have Street Rivals to thank.

Kuroko's Basketball Meets the NBA

According to the latest reports, the NBA will collab with Kuroko's Basketball with help from the Street Rivals game. The mobile title is incredibly successful in Japan as it allows players to hit the court as they fave player from Kuroko's Basketball. This new NBA crossover is cosmetic as players in-game will be able to sport team jerseys. From the Chicago Bulls to the Los Angeles Lakers, the NBA is bringing its best teams to the game, so fans are rather excited.

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(Photo: Production I.G.)

Of course, basketball is one of Japan's top sports along with baseball and soccer. The NBA is reaching out to a key audience with this collab, and it is not the first time the organization has leaned into anime. My Hero Academia has teamed up with the NBA on official jerseys with help from Crunchyroll. And of course, a number of top-tier players in the league love anime.

Zion Williamson, a player for the New Orleans Pelican, shared in a recent interview that 80% of players in the league love anime. From Naruto to One Piece and Hunter x Hunter, a number of NBA stars are all in on anime. And honestly, that trend is par for the course with other sports leagues like the NFL and WWE.

The Intersection of Anime and Pro Sports

It seems there is something about anime that keeps pro athletes tuned in. From Jamaal Williams to Zach Harrison and Tyler Allgeier, plenty of football fans in the United States have shouted out anime as inspiration. This trend has been seen time and again with players regardless of their sports. Even Olympians have given nods to anime, and that was made very clear this year in Paris.

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After all, the 2024 Olympic Games saw Noah Lyles cover the headlines for his track-and-field wins. He also made headlines for hitting up the games with Yu-Gi-Oh cards in his pocket, and Lyles nodded to other series like Hunter x Hunter along the way. During vollyeball events, there were attendees at the Olympics who cosplayed as Haikyu characters, and their love was mirrored by players like Tobias Krick. So when it comes to anime, well – it would put things lightly to say that athletes are dialed in.

What do you think about this latest NBA collaboration? What other sports crossovers do you want anime to tackle? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

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