From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #630 of the NLSC Podcast!
Entering 2026, we had some plans and goals for the virtual hardwood. Since we’re rapidly approaching the middle of the year – no, don’t ask us where the time went – we decided to check in on how those plans are going! To that end, this week we’re joining the community in discussing our basketball gaming habits so far in 2026, from the selection of titles that we’re playing to the modes that have kept us hooked. We also recap a fun Parsec session with the Snes9x Super Nintendo emulator featuring a five-player co-op game of NBA Live 95 that was an absolute blast, and an intense four-player head-to-head showdown in NBA Hangtime that was ultimately decided in overtime.
Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 52:14 — 36.2MB)
To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!
It’s always great to see new modding tools being released in the community, especially when they’re free of charge! To that end, SexCurryBeats has released 2KVenueLab, a comprehensive utility that includes tools for NBA 2K11 right through to NBA 2K26.
As per the description, the key features of 2KVenueLab are as follows:
IFF viewer/exporter
POD/mobile file support
Archive tools
Package staging/restore
OBJ export
Browser previews
Roster editor tools
For NBA 2K11-2K26
Pick it up here in our Downloads section! Shout out to SexCurryBeats for providing this modding resource, and several other mods and contributions throughout the years.
Also, thanks as always 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.
If you aren’t subscribed to our YouTube channel…well, first of all, why not?!? Secondly, there’s a good chance that you’ll have missed Dee’s latest uploads, featuring highlights from NBA the Run and the PlayStation 2 version of NBA 2K11. If so, here’s your chance to catch up on those videos!
Dee had the opportunity to take part in the closed beta for NBA The Run this week, and he put together a reel of Anthony Edwards highlights from his session with the soon-to-be-released game. Be sure to tune into the next episode of the NLSC Podcast, as Dee will be providing his in-depth impressions of NBA The Run.
As we mentioned in Episode #628 of the NLSC Podcast, Dee and I recently revisited the PlayStation 2 version of NBA 2K11. The session produced a handful of exciting highlights – including one that made this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays – and so Dee assembled a five-minute reel spotlighting the best moments.
Check out both of those videos below! Once again, we invite you to subscribe to the NLSC YouTube channel if you haven’t already. In addition to the Top 10, podcast, and gameplay highlight reels such as these, we also post game retrospectives and other video essays from time to time. As always, feel free to hit us up with suggestions for games that you’d like to see us play, as well as discuss in future episodes of the NLSC Podcast.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
A couple of games are making their debut in the NLSC Top 10 Plays this week, including a title that won’t be out until June! A high-flying highlight from NBA The Run soars into the countdown, courtesy of the closed beta that took place this week. You’ll also find the flashy play that Dee and I discussed in Episode #628 of the NLSC Podcast, which came from our session with the PlayStation 2 version of NBA 2K11. Additionally, five other games provide the goods with poster dunks, breathtaking alley-oops, and clutch shots. Let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
It’s always great to see new mod releases for a classic like NBA 2K11, irrespective of platform. To that end, SodaBig has returned with an update to the Prime Roster for the Wii version of the game, and you can pick it up at the link below.
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.
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how the battle between passion and burnout can make it tough to walk away from modding.
Like thousands of others over the weekend, I watched Norman Caruso’s farewell video for The Gaming Historian. After some 15 years and so many wonderful gaming documentaries, Norman is officially ending the channel, though all of the videos will remain available. In his farewell, he reflects on he felt burned out after releasing his video on The Oregon Trail, and how that made it difficult to find the passion to begin work on the next project. After initially planning on a part time schedule in the hopes of reigniting his enthusiasm, he’s ultimately realised that it’s time to move on.
His candid and understandable explanation really resonated with me. While I won’t compare my dabbling with video content to what he and other fulltime YouTubers do, I’ve experienced similar feelings as I approach 25 years of running the NLSC. No, this isn’t me announcing my retirement! However, it did get me reminiscing about how I stopped creating roster updates for NBA Live, and my unsuccessful attempts to make similar mods for NBA 2K. Burnout is a roadblock for creative endeavours, but your lingering passion and sense of dedication encourages you to persist. At some point though, you’ll come to realise that it’s time to channel your energy into a new venture.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
As is often the case, the Legends are out and strutting their stuff in this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays! Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant both make multiple appearances in the countdown, with MJ getting a little fancy in the Jordan Challenge and Kobe pulling out a truly wild slam for the top spot. From poster dunks to a swat off the glass to an alley-oop thrown from midcourt, there’s a little bit of everything on display this week. Highlights from seven different hoops titles are ready to hype you up for a weekend on the virtual hardwood, so let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
The WNBA and its players recently came to a new agreement, so it’s only appropriate that there’s a WNBA highlight in this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays! It’s joined by a selection of spectacular plays from current NBA players, stars from the recent past, and all-time greats alike. Indeed, with this week marking the 31st anniversary of Michael Jordan declaring “I’m Back“, you’ll also find a signature Air Jordan move performed in NBA 2K11’s Jordan Challenge. Ten entertaining plays from seven different titles are ready to get you hyped for a weekend on the virtual hardwood, so let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on being hooked on history and nostalgia with my current basketball gaming habits.
Many years ago, we were discussing the most recent WWE video game in the Forum. Sauru – a long-time member who had a few years on most of us – was wistfully noting the lack of wrestlers from the Golden Age/Hulkamania Era. As somewhat of a lapsed pro wrestling fan, he was far more interested in playing with his nostalgic favourites than the contemporary wrestlers. I understood his disappointment and agreed that a larger selection of Legends would be great, but noted that a majority of the userbase were more interested in the current WWE; a point that Sauru did concede.
Of course, all these years later, I find myself relating to Sauru’s disinterest when it comes to basketball and basketball gaming. His stance isn’t just understandable, but now very relatable! Indeed, it’s one of those “It’ll happen to you!” moments that The Simpsons warned us young viewers about back in the 90s. As I’ve grown disillusioned with the modern NBA and the disrespect for the history of the league – to say nothing of my issues with recent NBA 2K games – I’ve doubled down on my nostalgia. And so, these days I find far more satisfaction in going back to older titles that still hold up, discovering new favourites, and playing with Legends and other nostalgic lineups.
Get ready for more fantastic highlights from the basketball gaming community in the NLSC Top 10 Plays of the Week, curated by Dee! New and old games alike are featured in this celebration of spectacular moments on the virtual hardwood. To submit your clips, post them in this topic, send Dee a message, or hit him up on X.
One thing’s for sure: the slams you’ll find in this week’s NLSC Top 10 Plays are far more exciting than the 2026 Dunk Contest! Sure, that’s a low bar to clear, but the community soars far above it with some spectacular jams on the virtual hardwood. It’s not often that you’ll see NBA Live 07 for Xbox 360 in the countdown, but even it was able to put this year’s contest to shame with some wild stuff from Tyrus Thomas! However, the top spot goes to another clutch bucket from a gamer with a knack for crazy finishes. Seven different games are featured this time around, from NBA Live 2003 through to NBA Bounce. Let’s get to the action!
What was your favourite highlight this week? Sound off in the comments below, and once again, get in on the fun by sending us your best plays! Remember, as long as it’s a basketball game, it’s eligible for the countdown. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube for more basketball gaming videos.
From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #619 of the NLSC Podcast!
It’s Michael Jordan’s 63rd Birthday, so we’re taking the opportunity to have an in-depth discussion about His Airness! This includes listing some of his biggest accomplishments, and recalling our favourite memories of watching him with both the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. We also discuss MJ’s interesting history in video games, as despite a common reputation of never appearing on the virtual hardwood, he was in fact a fixture of early releases. Of course, we also have to touch on modding him into so many later titles! We also read out some of the community’s favourite real life and video game memories of Michael Jordan, and unsurprisingly, there are some familiar stories!
Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:02:48 — 43.5MB)
To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!
From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #618 of the NLSC Podcast!
Another NBA trade deadline has come and gone, and it’s inspired us to reflect on some of the most notable midseason swaps. To that end, this week we’re reacting to Complex’s list of the Top 20 trade deadline deals in league history. Needless to say, we don’t necessarily agree with all of their rankings, and we also have a rather significant correction to make to their list! We also join the community in recalling some of the most memorable deals that our favourite teams have made – as well as moves that we wish they could’ve pulled off – along with some of the franchise mode trades that we can’t believe we got the CPU to agree to. It would seem that a few of us have some familiar trade targets!
Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:10:01 — 48.4MB)
To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on finding basketball gaming’s answer to Tecmo Super Bowl.
Tecmo Super Bowl is undoubtedly an iconic video game. Fully-licensed NFL teams and players, well-designed gameplay, stat tracking, and the dominance of virtual Bo Jackson, all helped cement it as a legendary release. That legend has only grown over time, thanks to emulation facilitating a modding scene that has kept the game dutifully updated and enthusiastically played right through to today. When it comes to a cult following in the retro gaming and modding scene, Tecmo Super Bowl is right up there with the original Doom games.
Basketball is my sport however, so I’m left wondering: is there an equivalent retro hoops title to Tecmo Super Bowl? For that matter, could there be? Obviously, there are a handful of old favourites still being updated, but these days those titles rarely approach the same vintage as Tecmo Super Bowl. It stands to reason. It could be argued that sim basketball games that hold up decades later didn’t come along until the mid 90s, or even the mid 2000s. Once they evolved to that point, we ended up with several great releases that remained moddable and playable years later. With that in mind, which titles could potentially be basketball gaming’s Tecmo Super Bowl?
It’s been exciting to see Paxson-for-3 producing new retro season mods for NBA 2K11, with the latest release being a 2005 roster. Please note that the project is for the PC version of the game, and cannot be used with the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 releases. Paxson-for-3 has indicated that there will be further updates to the mod, but for now, it’s still quite a comprehensive retro roster.
In addition to rolling NBA 2K11 back to the 2005 season, the roster includes cyberfaces, portraits, jerseys, logos, and courts. Paxson-for-3 has paid close attention to detail when it comes to jersey numbers and player accessories, and will be making further updates to player ratings for more accuracy. He’s also on the lookout for additional art updates to enhance his retro roster mods, so if you can lend a hand there, please check out this topic for more details.
For now though, you can download the 2005 roster for NBA 2K11 here! I’d also recommend checking out Paxson-for-3’s 1992, 1997, 1998, and 2000 rosters for NBA 2K11. Congratulations to Paxson-for-3 on the latest release, and a big thanks once again for making the rosters freely available to everyone! It’s great to have a dedicated retro modding scene in our community, and we’d love to see more of it throughout 2026 and beyond.
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some thoughts on how challenging it can be to accurately rate a fading star in basketball video games.
Since they became a visible part of basketball video games, player ratings have been a contentious issue. We’ve rarely been completely happy with the ratings in the official rosters, sometimes for very good reasons; particularly when it comes to the historical players! Developers have also shared stories about players arguing about their ratings when they come in for motion capture or face scans. On a lighter note, when Hassan Whiteside returned to the NBA for the 2015 season and began turning in some good performances for the Heat, he joked about doing it to get his NBA 2K ratings up.
As someone who used to maintain current roster updates for NBA Live on PC, there were certainly ratings in the default rosters that I disagreed with. At the same time, I also sympathised with the producers who were responsible for those official rosters, because it’s impossible to please everyone. We all have different views on how certain players should be rated – with bias often being a factor – as well as how player ratings should be handled across the board. All roster makers end up settling on a system of some kind, me included. Even so, some players have proved particularly challenging to rate over the years, and a fading star will generally be among the most difficult.
NLSC Your source for basketball video games.
