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Knicks Legend Graces NBA 2K Cover

New York Knicks fans have extra incentive to pick up a copy of NBA 2K26.
Geoff Magliocchetti|
Jan 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts after his three-point basket against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Jan 18, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts after his three-point basket against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

"NBA 2K26" will have a healthy dose of the New York Knicks' No. 7.

Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony is one of three players set to be honored with a cover in the long-running basketball simulator franchise, gracing the "Superstar Edition" cover art.

Anthony, clad in the jersey he wore for seven seasons as a Knick, is joined by newly-minted NBA champion and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the Standard Edition while WNBA All-Star Angel Reese appears on the WNBA variant. All three will appear on the "Leave No Doubt" version of the game, with differences between each one, beyond an early release date for the Superstar Edition (Aug. 29 rather than Sept. 5) unrevealed as of press time.

Anthony previously appeared on the cover of "NBA Live 2005," while playing for the Denver Nuggets, repping EA Sports' defunct Association series.

The cover honor continues a strong year for Anthony, who previously earned entry into the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame. Anthony is also set to be one of the faces of NBC's revived NBA coverage set to return next season.

Though originally drafted by the Nuggets, Anthony is perhaps best-known for his time in Manhattan (2011-17), which saw him earn a majority of his 10 All-Star Game invites and a scoring title in 2013.

Anthony becomes the first player to rep the Knicks on the "2K" cover though current New Yorker Karl-Anthony Towns appeared on the cover of two spin-off games ("NBA 2K Playgrounds 2" and "NBA SuperCard") during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Fellow metropolitan star Sabrina Ionescu of the New York Liberty appeared on the WNBA edition of "NBA 2K24."

Knicks representation on NBA video game covers has been fleeting, though Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, Charles Smith, and John Starks jointly appeared on the cover of "NBA Live 95" when an action shot of the 1994 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets was used.

Developed by Visual Concepts and originally published by Sega before moving onto 2K, the "NBA 2K" series originated in 1999 and has become the premier name in basketball gaming. It is one of three sports video game franchises to sell at least 100 million copes alongside EA's "FIFA" and "Madden NFL" series.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.

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