The NBA 2K video game series, which has received widespread praise, has revealed that the great Kobe Bryant will serve as the cover athlete for the future installment of the series, which is known as NBA 2K24.

This is the fourth time that the Hall of Famer and legendary player for the Los Angeles Lakers has been selected to appear on the cover. The number 24, which appears in the title of the game, is significant in its own right since it was one of the two jersey numbers that Kobe Bryant wore during his stellar 20-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The video game NBA 2K24 has two different covers, both of which feature Bryant.

In the Kobe Bryant version, the five-time NBA champion is depicted wearing his legendary No. 8 jersey, which is representative of his earliest years in the league. In the Black Mamba edition of the game, Kobe Bryant’s side profile is shown, and the number 24 appears to be a reference to the second half of his career.

Bryant’s history with the NBA 2K video game series can be traced back to his debut on the cover of NBA 2K10, when the series was initially released. Since that time, he has appeared in a number of media outlets, notably on the cover of the special edition athlete for the video game NBA 2K17. After his passing in January of 2020, a special edition of NBA 2K21 called “Mamba Forever” was made available as a moving homage to his life and the legacy he left behind.

The first installment of the NBA 2K brand was released in 1999 under the name NBA 2K and featured another Hall of Famer, Allen Iverson, on the cover of the game. The most recent version, NBA 2K23, featured none other than Michael Jordan on its cover as the game’s featured athlete. NBA 2K11, NBA 2K12, and NBA 2K16 all feature Jordan on their respective covers.

Pre-orders for NBA 2K24 are scheduled to begin this coming Friday, while the game itself is scheduled to be published in September.