New 'NBA The Run' Video Game Trailer and Open Beta Revealed Ahead of June Release Date

Basketball fans and gamers alike do not have to wait until Game 1 of the NBA Finals to see Jalen Brunson return to the court, at least in virtual form.

That is because the NBA The Run video game is releasing an open beta Saturday after dropping its new trailer Thursday:

NBA the Run is a 3v3 streetball game, and the beta will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam on Saturday from 1 p.m. ET until 9 p.m. ET. Gamers will be able to play as either one player on a team of three in Knockout Squads or an entire team in Knockout Solos with some of the NBA's biggest stars available.

Brunson, Stephen Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Dončić , Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Cooper Flagg, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Ja Morant, Anthony Davis, LaMelo Ball and Scottie Barnes will all be included in the playable beta.

The game fully launches on June 9 with a standard edition for $29.99 and a deluxe edition for $39.99 and will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam.

The three additional unlocked playable characters when the game launches will be Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors '09 Rookie Variant, Luka Dončić Dallas Mavericks '18 Rookie Variant and Kevin Durant  Seattle Supersonics '07 Rookie Variant among the 30-plus NBA stars and five fictional streetball legends who will also be available.

All the dunks, taunts and trick moves one would expect from a streetball game will be on full display, and gamers will have the opportunity to participate in the four-round Run the World Tournament on some of the most iconic streetball venues from around the world.

The inclusion of Brunson, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander in the open beta is ideal timing, as all of them are pursuing a championship.

Brunson's New York Knicks are on fire and have won 11 games in a row after falling behind 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. They swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals all with the guard leading the way.

New York overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of that series against Cleveland and was on cruise control from there, but its NBA Finals matchup figures to be much more challenging regardless of whether Gilgeous-Alexander's Oklahoma City Thunder advance or Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs advance.

OKC is the reigning champion with momentum on its side after its Game 5 win in the Western Conference Finals, but Wembanyama and Co. can force a decisive Game 7 if they take care of business on their home floor during Thursday's Game 6.

That Game 7 would be Saturday if San Antonio wins, which means basketball fans could spend the day controlling Brunson, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA The Run open beta before tuning in to the last matchup of the Western Conference Finals.