Through “NBA’s Greatest” mode, gamers can relive professional basketball’s most memorable rivalries with 15 historic NBA teams and their greatest players, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius “Dr. J” Erving among other basketball icons.

Gamers will now have the ability to take Larry Bird’s sweet stroke against Julius Erving’s legendary above-the-rim offense, or pit Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” offense against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls to see which iconic teams and legends would dominate in an ultimate showdown. By recreating the historic matchups of basketball’s fiercest rivalries, NBA 2K12 pays tribute to the teams and heroes that defined them -- in doing so, players will be able to unlock these legendary athletes and teams to create matchups against any current NBA franchise.    

Finally, the debate among diehard basketball fans as to which team - past or present - would rule the hardwood will be settled in NBA 2K12. “NBA’s Greatest” mode will allow fans to match Jordan’s Bulls against the Miami Heat’s “Big 3” of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh; Bird’s Celtics against the Lakers’ with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol; and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Lakers against the Orlando Magic with Dwight Howard.

Each of these 15 basketball legends has been meticulously recreated with an uncanny level of detail, including period-specific depictions of their arenas, team uniforms, signature moves, and even historically accurate broadcast presentation styles in NBA 2K12. Gamers will now tap into the legacy of these legendary athletes by utilizing their signature moves, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s unstoppable skyhook, to rule the virtual hardwood.

“Fans across the country were ecstatic to see Jordan, Bird, and Magic on the cover of NBA 2K12, and have speculated for weeks about who would fill out the rest of the ‘NBA’s Greatest’ roster,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “These 15 legendary athletes will allow sports fanatics to create the NBA’s most storied matchups – and lock in bragging rights for their favorite teams in NBA 2K12.”

“NBA’s Greatest” legends in NBA 2K12 include: 

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar;
• Larry Bird;
• Wilt Chamberlain;
• Julius Erving;
• Patrick Ewing;
• Magic Johnson;
• Michael Jordan;
• Karl Malone;
• Hakeem Olajuwon;
• Scottie Pippen;
• Oscar Robertson;
• Bill Russell;
• John Stockton;
• Isiah Thomas;
• Jerry West

Bonus Gift with Purchase – Customers who purchase their copy of NBA 2K12 for the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoftor PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systemearly will receive two bonus, historic NBA teams featuring their own NBA greats – the 1990-91 Golden State Warriors and the 2001-02 Sacramento Kings. Bonus content will be available on launch orders only, while supplies last.