NBA 2K21: Fans Celebrate Kobe Bryant Mamba Forever Edition

NBA 2K fans are celebrating the best moments of Kobe Bryant‘s career after the announcement of the game’s Mamba Forever Edition. 2K21 has three cover athletes this year, but none of them are going to be celebrated like the Black Mamba. Following his tragic death in a helicopter crash, the sporting world mourned a fearless competitor. NBA fans are gearing up for the playoffs, but Bryant’s passing still hovers in the background. People remember how the week after became an extended memorial to the fallen Laker. The franchise even took a second to honor him before Los Angeles’ first home game after the accident. It makes all the sense in the world for 2K to offer the gesture, and fans are still processing the whole thing.

Bryant played 20 years in the NBA and claimed five Championships. The former MVP is regarded as the best Los Angeles Lakers player ever. He retired in 2016 to focus on his numerous creative pursuits. This led to a 2018 Academy Award for Dear Basketball, which was based on a short letter he wrote for The Players Tribune. His relentless drive and competitive spirit have inspired millions with hashtags of “Mamba Mentality” being a mainstay on social media for years. Now, gamers are hoping that there is some way that NBA 2K can replicate the magic of his days on the court.

“Each of our cover athletes represent different eras of the game of basketball – Damian Lillard dominates the court today, Zion Williamson is a standard bearer for the next generation of NBA superstar and what more could be said about Kobe?,” Alfie Brody, Vice President of Global Marketing at NBA 2K shared in a statement. “Three athletes representing the current, future and storied history of the game. Today’s exciting announcement is just the first of many for NBA 2K21; it’s going to be a huge year for basketball fans and NBA 2K gamers.”

“NBA 2K21 is a monumental leap forward for the franchise,” Greg Thomas, president of Visual Concepts said. “We’re combining all of our experience and development expertise to craft the best game possible and for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, we are building the game from the ground up to take full advantage of next-gen power and technology.”

What do you think of the Mamba Forever Edition covers of NBA 2K21? Let us know in the comments! Check out the reactions below:

NBA 2K21 will be released on current generation consoles on September 4th.

Photo Credit: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today

R.I.P.

Off the strength

The Legend

Remember 2k10

One of the best photos

Absolutely

Good reason

This is a great point

A question for a lot of fans

Young Mamba