NBA 2K12: LeBron James and 12 Current Players That Deserve to Grace the Cover

Andy BaileyJul 25, 2011

With Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson making the cover of NBA 2K12, players will have three options to choose from when they pick up their copy of the best sports video game this year.

While there's a bit of a novelty to the direction the franchise went, it's hard to figure out why some current guys didn't make this year's cover.

Here are 12 guys that we could argue deserve the cover this year...

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12. Deron Williams

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It might be funny to have D-Will in his Besiktas jersey on the cover. Nets would work too. He averaged 15 points and 13 assists a game after he was traded from the Jazz.

11. LeBron James

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LeBron may be the most hated basketball player of all time, but he's still arguably the face of the NBA. His move to Miami brought unprecedented attention to the 2010-11 season.

As the highest-profile member of the Heat's "Big Three," 2KSports could go with LeBron. Or...

10. Dwyane Wade

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...They could go with the Heat player that showed up for the finals.

9. Kevin Love

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At 15.2 a game, Kevin Love led the league in rebounding last season. He's one of the most likable players in the league. As such, he's very marketable. Right Guard gets it.

8. Carmelo Anthony

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If New York finds a way to land Chris Paul, they will be better than the Miami Heat. Carmelo Anthony is a much better closer than LeBron. Stoudemire is better than Bosh. And Paul is still arguably the best point guard in the league.

But that's not the point of this article. 'Melo got some negative attention last year during the trade saga, but he's become an instant fan favorite in one of the league's biggest markets in New York.

7. Amar'e Stoudemire

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The man who started the turnaround in New York, Amar'e Stoudemire saw his role slightly reduced after 'Melo arrived. He's still one of the most recognizable players in the league and playing in New York has enhanced that.

6. Steve Nash

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Steve Nash is a major marketing pull and this may have been the last year that it makes sense for him to be on the cover.

5. Dwight Howard

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Once upon a time, Howard was on the cover of the now-defunct NBA Live series. His personality and the fact that he's clearly the best center in the league would have made him a great 2K12 cover athlete.

4. Kevin Durant

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Essentially the anti-LeBron, Kevin Durant represents a great deal of the hope for King James haters. He's the most naturally talented scorer in the world, but doesn't have any kind of a big head from that.

Oklahoma City is a smaller market, but Durant is still very marketable.

3. Blake Griffin

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He's only been in the league for a year, but Blake Griffin may already be the NBA's most exciting individual player. He's already got his foot in the door of the video game industry too.

2. Derrick Rose

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Derrick Rose is fresh off becoming the youngest MVP in league history and like Kevin Durant, he always seems more interested in the team than himself. His humility and extremely exciting game would have made him a perfect candidate for the cover.

1. Dirk Nowitzki

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After dismantling the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat, Dirk Nowitzki won the NBA Finals MVP and the ESPY award for male athlete of the year.

No one deserved the NBA 2K12 cover more than the legendary icon Dirk Nowitzki—not even Michael Jordan, Larry Bird or Magic Johnson.