http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=5315985

This is great for Kevin, the Thunder, and the city.


"Durant is a game changer," said Jordan Edelstein, VP Marketing, EA Sports via press release. "There has never been a player his size with his skill set, and there has never before been a basketball videogame like 'NBA Elite'. Just like we see Durant as the future of the NBA, 'NBA Elite 11' represents the future of basketball videogames by providing a gameplay experience you simply won't find anywhere else on the market."

The future of the NBA in our house. How about that!

And he's more popular than LeBron now.

And he's more popular than LeBron now.

Certainly more popular in Cleveland anyway. LOL

So yeah, this game was originally supposed to be released today but has now been delayed to 2011, if it comes out at all:

Electronic Arts delays release of 'NBA Elite 11' (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/09/electronic-arts-delays-release-of-nba-elite-11/1)

At any rate, here's what the cover will look like if it ever does make it out:

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/8611/xbox360nbaelite11ea5030.jpg

Don't really care about this particular game at all (the new NBA 2K11 game featuring Michael Jordan sounds like it'll blow Elite away no matter how much time they spend on it), but I am kind of disappointed about this for KD--it would be really neat to see him on the cover. It's just too bad he signed a contract to appear on the cover of a game that's apparently a massive turd.

2K Sports is ALWAYS better than than any NBA game EA Sports puts out. Here's a review (somewhat) I keep adding to from another forum. http://www.okcthunderfans.com/vforum/showthread.php?t=5420 There's some REALLY cool things about 2K11.

So this game was canceled (http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/nba-elite-11-canceled-series-handed-off-to-ea-tiburon/) last week. Sucks for KD. Hopefully he'll make it onto another cover next year.

This is a result of a mistake at EA Sports. The lock-out is next season so Elite 12 is the version that is supposed to be canceled.

Finally!

http://i.imgur.com/IFNK2l.jpg

Your NBA 2K13 cover athletes are Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/nba-2k13-cover-athletes-blake-griffin-kevin-durant-113859069--nba.html)


2K Sports today announced that the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin and the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose have been crowned the cover athletes for NBA® 2K13, the next installment of the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation franchise*.

”Being crowned as one of the NBA 2K13 cover athletes is a huge honor and something I always dreamt about,” said Durant, who won his third straight scoring title and led the Thunder franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1996. “It’s definitely humbling to grace the cover after the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.”

“There’s so much young talent around the NBA, so it’s very exciting to be chosen for NBA 2K’s ‘New Dynasty’ alongside Kevin and Derrick,” added Griffin, who helped lead the Clippers to their first postseason since 2006. “The NBA 2K series has always been my first choice when I want to get a game in.”

“It’s a dream come true to be one of the cover athletes for NBA 2K13,” commented Rose, the 2010-11 NBA Most Valuable Player, who led the Bulls to a league-best 50-16 record this season. “I’ve worked closely with 2K Sports since NBA 2K10, and I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan as the latest Chicago Bull to be featured on the cover.”

In their young but impressive careers, Rose, Durant and Griffin have each taken the NBA by storm. All three are past winners of the NBA Rookie of the Year award, and have also amassed eight All-Star berths, three scoring titles, and one Most Valuable Player award between them.

“There are many young superstars in today’s NBA, but we’ve selected three incredible athletes for the cover of NBA 2K13 that represent the NBA well,” concluded Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “It’s clear to us that Blake, Derrick and Kevin are the most deserving guys to inherit the NBA 2K cover from Jordan, Magic and Bird.”

"Being crowned as one of the NBA 2K13 cover athletes is a huge honor and something I always dreamt about ," said Durant, who won his third straight scoring title and led the Thunder franchise to their first NBA Finals appearance since 1996."

I infer this is a reference to the "franchise" when it was in Seattle.