NBA 2K21 has honored the late Kobe Bryant with its third cover by creating the "Mamba Forever" edition.
Bryant, who died in a tragic helicopter crash along with his daughter Gianna and seven others in January, will grace the front of the current and next-gen Mamba Forever editions of the game.
The "Mamba Forever" edition was designed in place of the Legends edition, which featured Bryant on NBA 2K17.
The cover of the current gen game features artwork of Bryant from his 81-point performance back in 2006, wearing No. 8.
He is the third cover athlete that NBA 2K has announced, along with Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard and New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson.
The cover of the next gen game features artwork of Bryant a decade later, after he scored 60 points in his final NBA game ever while wearing No. 24.
Vice President of global marketing at NBA 2K, said via Bleacher Report, "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?" said Alfie Brody,
"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."
The game will launch worldwide on Sept. 4.
