Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi are the next athletes to cover NBA 2K23.
Appearing on the cover of the WNBA Edition, Sue Bird—point guard of the Seattle Storm—and Diana Taurasi—point guard of the Phoenix Mercury—will grace the cover of 2K Games’ next iteration of NBA 2K. Bird and Taurasi’s inclusion will mark the second cover in NBA 2K history to feature a WNBA athlete. In addition, the NBA 2K23 WNBA Edition includes Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird’s jerseys as in-game bonus content for players to acquire for their MY Player.
Taurasi spoke about the importance of inclusivity, their decision to include the two future Hall of Famers, and the significance of having a WNBA Edition of NBA 2K23.
“It really is an incredible feeling to see your hard work memorialized on the cover of a game like NBA 2K23,” said Taurasi. “There are so many kids that dream of pursuing a professional basketball career, and they can now also dream of being on the NBA 2K cover, whether they want to play in the NBA or WNBA.”
Along with snagging the cover of NBA 2K23, Bird and Taurasi have partnered up with 2K Games to pledge $100,000 to Every Kid Sports, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping children play recreational youth sports, which will allow kids the opportunity to join youth basketball programs across the country. In addition, the partnered donation will cover registration fees for kids from low-income families.
Bird talked about the partnership with 2K Games and the honor of being included on the cover of the upcoming basketball game.
“It’s an incredible feeling to see myself on the cover of a video game with such a cultural impact,” Bird said. “And by partnering with NBA 2K and Every Kid Sports, Diana and I have the opportunity to open doors to hundreds of young girls in this country who want to express themselves on the court. I’m honored to be on the cover, and even more honored to use my legacy to provide these opportunities for the next generation.”
Executive Director and Co-Founder of Every Kid Sports Natalie Hummel expressed their excitement to work with 2K Games and the WNBA legends as they increase “equity in sports providing a pathway for underserved girls to reap the benefits of play.”
Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi join Michael Jordan as the NBA 2K23 cover stars. 2K Games plans to reveal another major cover athlete announcement on Thursday (July 7).