Tag Archives: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Welcome to another edition of The Friday Five! Every Friday I cover a topic related to basketball gaming, either as a list of five items, or a Top 5 countdown. The topics for these lists and countdowns include everything from fun facts and recollections to commentary and critique. This week’s Five is another list of potential comebacks that would’ve been fun to play with in video games.

As I’ve taken a few more trips around the sun, I’ve developed stronger opinions about veterans seemingly being shooed out of the NBA. It just doesn’t feel right when long-tenured players – especially former All-Stars – end their careers so unceremoniously. Of course, as Jackie MacMullan discussed in a column some ten years ago, veteran NBA players don’t always know when their time has come, and when to let go. She cited R.C. Buford, who recalled an embarrassing 15-minute workout by an unnamed former Spurs player after they expressed an interest in returning midseason.

Mind you, some players do retire too soon, while others have shown that they can still be productive in their late 30s and even into their 40s. There have also been successful comebacks, even if those players weren’t quite as good as they were in their prime. As much as “Wizards Michael Jordan” is a meme, that stint is slightly underrated, as MJ was finding his groove prior to his knee injury. With that in mind, I’m in favour of players making or even just considering comebacks. There are some fascinating What Ifs with the ones that almost happened, and they could’ve been a blast in video games, too. And so, here are five more comebacks that would’ve been fun for hoops gamers!

Read More »

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m pondering another historical NBA What If, specifically what if Kobe Bryant broke the all-time scoring record?

Even before he became a star, many people had correctly predicted that Kobe Bryant would go down as one of the all-time greats. There’s a reason that he was tapped to be the cover player and namesake of the NBA Courtside series, and also appeared on the cover of NBA Action 98 – a forerunner of NBA 2K – while still a bench player in his second season. Robert Horry certainly believed in his young teammate back then. I recall a magazine article published during the 1998 season that quoted Big Shot Bob’s claim that Kobe Bryant would be the one to finally break the all-time scoring record.

While that prediction didn’t come true, it wasn’t too far off the mark! Kobe ended up joining the 30,000 point club, finishing his career third on the all-time scoring leaders after surpassing Michael Jordan. Throw in his countless incredible performances and career accomplishments including five rings, and it’s no wonder that a lot of fans felt that Bleacher Report ranking him as the 11th best player in history was insulting. That raises an interesting question: would Kobe Bryant have a different legacy if he had in fact broken the all-time scoring record? Let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m pondering a historical What If; namely, what if Karl Malone broke the all-time scoring record?

Welcome to what I hope will be a recurring Wayback Wednesday feature, in which I explore some intriguing NBA What Ifs, illustrated by basketball video games! For a hardcore basketball and history buff, diving into the league’s biggest What Ifs can be just as interesting as reflecting on real events, results, and records. What small change would have a huge impact on NBA history? Which important events that defined the legacies of teams and players are dependent on a particular decision or twist of fate? For want of a nail, what possible butterfly effects can we imagine?

Considering that I remain a huge fan of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, you might think that I’d be inclined to explore a hypothetical involving them. After all, for all of their success during the 90s, there are a couple of What Ifs there! I will get to them at some point as I do have my own opinions to share, but they’re popular NBA What Ifs that have been discussed many times before. As such, for my first What If, I’m imagining a timeline where Karl Malone breaks the all-time scoring record. It’s a once-feasible event that’s hardly discussed now, so let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

Today’s NBA 2K25 mod releases feature updates for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Goga Bitadze by RKJ Torogi. Download them at the links below!

RKJ Torogi
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Body Update
Goga Bitadze Update

Thanks to everyone who continues to contribute to our Downloads database! If you need help uploading files, be sure to check out this video tutorial. For more information about downloads, the modding community, and Mod Releases bulletins, please see this FAQ in our Wiki.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m investigating some alleged cheat codes for NBA Live 2002 that are listed on various websites.

Here’s a statement that will blow your mind: you can’t believe everything that you read on the internet. I’ll give you a moment to recover from the utter shock of that revelation! In all seriousness, it’s hardly a secret that the internet is as convenient a means of spreading misinformation as it is researching verifiable facts and figures. I’m not going to delve into the Big Issues here, because that’s beyond our scope as a site dedicated to basketball gaming, and I’m not looking to court controversy. Of course, there’s plenty of hoaxes and misinformation when it comes to video games.

All genres of games are subject to what TV Tropes creatively dubs an “Urban Legend of Zelda“. Indeed, the Zelda series itself has one of the all-time famous video game hoaxes, namely the claim that the Triforce was obtainable in Ocarina of Time. Hoops titles have their own urban legends, from claims of certain players being hidden in NBA Jam when they weren’t, to supposedly unlockable modes that in reality would be too big of a selling point to tuck away as an obscure secret. And of course, like other genres, there have been fake cheat codes. I’ve discovered some questionable codes for NBA Live 2002 that bear investigating, so let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

After hinting at it in Episode #497 of the NLSC Podcast, I’ve finally released my fixed version of the final official roster for NBA 2K10 PC! It’s taken longer than I would’ve liked thanks to juggling other projects and our regularly scheduled content, but at long last, V1.0 of the roster is done!

The roster adds missing Legends to the All-Decade teams, including Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and John Stockton. All players have proper faces, sourced from old roster projects. On top of that, I’ve gone through all of the original Legends and fixed their ratings and tendencies, a majority of which were copy-and-paste, or in the case of the tendencies, flat out missing/not properly assigned. All of the lineups and rotations for the All-Decade teams have been updated to accommodate the new Legends. I’ve also cleared all of the injuries, and fixed a couple of ratings for the current players. Full release notes can be found below.

Download the fixed final official NBA 2K10 roster here! You can also find a release/support topic here in the Forum. This project is intended to enhance NBA 2K10 for retro gamers who like to dust off old favourites, as well as potentially facilitate some new retro modding projects by serving as a base. All I ask is that you give credit for the roster, as well as leave the credits for the included faces intact. I hope that you enjoy this fixed roster for one of the earliest NBA 2K releases on PC!

Read More »

While there’s been plenty of discussion about sim and arcade basketball video games over the years, not enough attention has been given to the sim-arcade hybrid subgenre. I’ll actually be talking about it in a future Monday Tip-Off article, but in the meantime, why not check out one of those games in action? That game is the PC version of Slam ‘N Jam featuring Magic & Kareem.

Dee recently played a game of Slam ‘N Jam using Magic & Kareem’s All-Stars against Atlanta, and put together a highlight reel for our YouTube channel. As you can see, the game combines simulation elements as far as 5-on-5 play with NBA rules, but leans in an arcade direction with a fast pace and soaring dunks, without going full NBA Jam. It’s a very similar style to Konami’s games such as NBA Give ‘n’ Go, and as these highlights demonstrate, that approach to the virtual hardwood can be just as fun as games that are strictly sim or arcade. See for yourself!

I’ve previously profiled Slam ‘N Jam in a Wayback Wednesday retrospective, which you can check out here. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more gameplay highlights, as well as retrospectives, video essays, and other content, including the weekly Top 10 Plays curated by Dee, which has just entered it’s third year. As always, feel free to hit us up with any suggestions for games that you’d like to see us play!

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at the NBA Finals series that can be portrayed by NBA 2K14 on PlayStation 4.

The time I’ve spent with the PlayStation 4 version of NBA 2K14 is one of the longest retro basketball gaming kicks I’ve ever been on. It’s been extremely rewarding to play through four full seasons in MyCAREER, leaving me with a save file jam packed with memories that I can pick up again whenever the mood strikes. I also played a number of exhibition games with retro teams and then-current 2014 rosters alike. In short, I was making up for not spending that much time with NBA 2K14 when it was released almost ten years ago.

Much like my extended NBA Live 10 kick in 2021, I’ve felt inspired to continue to explore NBA 2K14 through some Wayback Wednesday features. Today, it’s a look at all of the NBA Finals series that can be portrayed through NBA 2K14 screenshots. As with my features looking back at the players in NBA Live 10 whose rookie jerseys were included as retros, as well as the makeshift classic teams that could be created and using it to reflect on “What If” scenarios, it was an interesting challenge to see just how many NBA Finals series I could represent using NBA 2K14. Let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

Episode #384 of the NLSC Podcast is out now! Derek (aka Dee4Three) and I are your hosts for this weekly podcast that’s all about basketball gaming.

The cover players, release date, and pre-order bonuses for NBA 2K22 have been revealed, confirming leaks and speculation, and drawing some boorish comments about one player in particular. Unfortunately, the PC version will be a prior gen port once again this year, and we have some thoughts to share on that. Despite the remarks of one wannabe content creator, PC gamers have a right to be dismayed…and to play NBA 2K, for that matter. The lack of a demo on all platforms is likewise disappointing. Elsewhere, a Tweet mentioning a partnership between LeBron James and EA has people talking, though we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves (again). We also touch on Steam Deck, and some listener responses to last week’s mailbag topics.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:15:29 — 52.2MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Join in the conversation in the comments below, or here in the Forum! Additionally, feel free to hit us up with any feedback on the episode, as well as mailbag questions and topic suggestions for future shows. For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. The show also comes out on our YouTube channel, so be sure to subscribe for future episodes and other video content.

The preview season for NBA 2K22 has officially tipped off with the reveal of the covers, and it turns out the leaks were accurate! Luka Doncic will appear on the standard edition cover of NBA 2K22, while the NBA 75th Anniversary cover will feature Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Durant. Additionally, a cover featuring Candace Parker will be a GameStop exclusive.

NBA 2K22 will be coming out September 10th, 2021. The game is already available to pre-order, and this year’s bonuses have been revealed. As in previous years, the pre-order bonuses include VC, MT, MyTEAM packs, and boosts and gear for your MyPLAYER. See below for the full breakdown of the bonuses for each edition.

Unfortunately, it’s been confirmed that the PC version of NBA 2K22 will be a Prior Gen port (i.e. identical to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One), and will not include any Next Gen features. On a more positive note, while there won’t be any cross-platform play, MyTEAM progression will carry across on the same console family, as was the case in NBA 2K21.

Check out the NBA 2K22 covers below, leave your thoughts in the comments, and join in the discussion taking place here in the Forum! I’ve also created an article for NBA 2K22 here in our Wiki, and as always, your help in keeping it up to date would be appreciated. Let the preview season begin!

Read More »

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at ten longevity records players have set on the virtual hardwood.

With the Atlanta Hawks’ 2020 season officially over, Vince Carter has officially retired after 22 seasons in the league. The player once dubbed Half-Man, Half-Amazing, has certainly had a wholly amazing career. Beyond his breathtaking dunks, 360 layups, and other highlights, Carter set new marks for longevity, not only by playing the most seasons in NBA history, but also becoming the first player to appear in four different decades. Not bad for a player who briefly gained a reputation – albeit one that was somewhat overblown – for being fragile and constantly injured!

Needless to say, Vince Carter’s lengthy NBA career has set a few records in video games as well. However, he’s not the only player who holds some longevity-based distinctions on the virtual hardwood. I ran through these in Episode #329 of the NLSC Podcast, but I know that audio content isn’t for everyone, and it pays to have trivia like this written down as well. These records span many years of basketball gaming, so let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m reimagining NBA’s Greatest in NBA 2K12.

I had a lot of fun reimagining The Jordan Challenge back in June, so I thought I’d give the same treatment to NBA’s Greatest. As I remarked in my retrospective on NBA’s Greatest, it was a fantastic follow-up to The Jordan Challenge, and added new content to NBA 2K12 with the lockout of 2011 delaying the inclusion of the new rookies and updated rosters. The level of detail with the retro presentation was very impressive, and it’s a feature that would be really fun to have when playing with historical teams in future NBA 2K games.

However, as with The Jordan Challenge, NBA’s Greatest wasn’t perfect. Looking back, there are a few ways it could’ve been better, and teams that would’ve been preferable. As with my previous reimagining, this isn’t intended to disparage the work that Visual Concepts put into NBA’s Greatest, but rather consider what might have been if not for a few legal barriers, and how an already fantastic mode could be made even better. Let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »

Welcome to this week’s edition of The Friday Five! The Friday Five is a feature that I post every Friday in which I give my thoughts on a topic that’s related to NBA Live, NBA 2K, and other basketball video games, as well as the real NBA, and other areas of interest to our community. The feature is presented as either a list of five items, or in the form of a Top 5 countdown. This week’s Five is a countdown of the Top 5 NBA Legends that I’d like to see featured in NBA Live.

As NBA Live continues to evolve into a viable alternative to NBA 2K for basketball gamers seeking a sim experience, it’s important that it becomes a well-rounded title. This means that on top of quality gameplay that realistically depicts the NBA, modes must also be deep and engaging. It’s also important to include some additional content beyond the current NBA teams. NBA Live has obviously found a great hook in the global courts found in The Streets, as well as WNBA players, but one area where it could stand to improve is in its usage of historical content, specifically NBA Legends.

It’s tough to match what NBA 2K has done in terms of utilising Legends, not only with its historical squads but also the All-Time Teams. However, NBA Live could do a little more with the Legends that EA Sports has licensed, beyond simply featuring them in Ultimate Team. From Decade All-Stars to the ability to assign Legends to the current teams, there are ways that they could (and should) have a bigger presence in NBA Live. There are some prominent names missing however, Legends that I’d love to see in EA’s game once more. Licensing some of them is easier said than done, but should it ever be feasible, these are the Top 5 Legends I’d like to see in NBA Live.

Read More »

With June and the NBA Finals fast approaching, we’re inching closer to the preview season for NBA Live 19 and NBA 2K19. With NBA Live 19 having a presence at EA Play, we’ll likely hear some preliminary information, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the game, within the next couple of weeks.

Conversely, Visual Concepts has traditionally held back on releasing previews, trailers, and information for NBA 2K until quite late in the preview season, so we may not hear much until July, or even August. Of course, the Legend Edition of NBA 2K18 featuring Shaquille O’Neal on the cover was announced in early May last year.

Speaking of The Diesel, it seems as though we’ve received a small nugget of information about NBA 2K19, as the official NBA 2K Twitter account recently shared a photo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wearing motion capture suits. This would obviously suggest that the two Hall of Fame centres have recently participated in a mo-cap session for NBA 2K19. Shaq originally posted the photo here on his Instagram account.

Although new retro teams have been added in recent years, there has been a general feeling that 2K’s efforts with the historical content have been halfhearted at best. Several historical players were missing Badges at launch, and many of the placeholder players are blatant copy and paste jobs. A lot of faces are also strangely inferior to previous games, even going back to the previous generation. With Shaq and Kareem providing mo-cap, it may be a sign that greater attention will be paid to the retro content in NBA 2K19. If nothing else, we’ll likely be seeing some new post moves in the game, thanks to the two legendary Lakers.

Join us for Episode #250 of the NLSC Podcast later today where we’ll be discussing this, and other news from the past week. As always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m taking a look back at the PC version of Slam ‘N Jam.

Back in the 90s, there were quite a few basketball video games that only licensed the name and likeness of a lone NBA star. Games like Michael Jordan in Flight, Barkley Shut Up & Jam, and David Robinson’s Supreme Court, all featured their namesake player alongside fictional teammates and opponents. In 1995, Crystal Dynamics (the developer responsible for Gex and Tomb Raider) and Left Field Productions (makers of Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside) released a couple of games with the name Slam ‘N Jam. The first game, Slam ‘N Jam ’95, featured only fictional players. It was followed by a sequel in 1996, titled Slam ‘N’ Jam ’96 Featuring Magic & Kareem.

As the title would imply, the sequel licensed the names and likenesses of both Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. While the original game had been exclusive to the 3DO, the sequel was released for the original PlayStation and SEGA Saturn. It was also ported to the PC, simply under the title of Slam ‘N Jam. That’s the version I’m focusing on today, so let’s take a look back…way back…

Read More »