WNBA superstar Candace Parker adds another entry to her list of accomplishments.
Earlier today (July 14), the folks at 2K announced that the Chicago Sky forward will be one of the cover athletes for NBA 2K22. She is the first woman to be on the cover of a game in the NBA 2K series. She will appear on the WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition, which will be sold in the United States and Canada.
“The cover of NBA 2K is such a pivotal platform to inspire young ballers, and I wanted future WNBA stars to know that they can be cover athletes too,” Parker said in a statement regarding the news. “Representation matters, so this is a special moment of progress for the sport and the series. To be part of this historic cover is a testament to the growth and rising popularity of the women’s game, and I’m proud to be the first female cover athlete to be the face of NBA 2K.”
Parker is, by all accounts, a basketball legend. In a career that stretches 13 years, she’s made the WNBA all-star team six times, and she’s been named to All-WNBA teams nine times. In 2016, she won a championship as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks.
Other players who’ve been named cover athletes for NBA 2K22 include retired NBA legends Dirk Nowitzki and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and current stars Luka Doncic and Kevin Durant. Luka is on the Global edition of the NBA 2K22 cover, and he is excited about receiving that honor.
“Making the global cover of NBA 2K22 is special for me,” Doncic said in a statement released today. “I’m proud to represent my country in a special cover that honors the colors of the Slovenian flag. Basketball has given me so much, and I’m excited to give back and work together with 2K Foundations this year to help the lives of young kids around the globe.”
NBA 2K22 will be released on Sept. 10, just about a month ahead of the 2021-2022 NBA season. See Candace Parker’s NBA 2K22 cover for yourself below.