There is a new entry into the NBA 2K23 lineup this season. On Thursday, NBA fans were treated to a surprise as multi-platinum rapper J. Cole was named as the latest cover athlete for the iconic video game franchise.
Cole will be featured in the exclusive "Dreamer's Edition" of NBA 2K23. He joins the likes of Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, NBA All-Star Devin Booker and WNBA superstars Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird as the cover athletes.
NBA 2K23 is set to release on Sept. 9 and fans will be able to grab the "Dreamer's Edition" at GameStop.
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The game will feature the return of the fan favorite "Jordan Challenge" that allows players to relive the iconic moments from his career. Cole will be featured in the "MyCareer" mode alongside Dreamville Records artist Bas and record producer Elite.
Introducing @JColeNC as our #NBA2K23 DREAMER Edition Cover Athlete ??
Coming this Fall pic.twitter.com/OgtaMV735f
"NBA 2K has long been a place to discover new musical talent through their game and continues to be a gold standard for showcasing all things basketball culture," Cole said in a statement via NBA.com. "It's been an amazing journey to not only appear on a cover of this year's game, but to be part of the MyCAREER storyline, soundtrack and bring the Dreamer brand into NBA 2K."
Cole has quite the basketball resume. He starred at Terry Sanford High School in Fayetteville, N.C. and was a former walk-on at St. John's University in college.
He also played for the Rwanda Patriots in the Basketball Africa League (BAL). Earlier this year, he suited up in Canadian Elite Basketball League for the expansion Scarborough Shooting Stars. Cole averaged 2.4 points per game with the Shooting Stars.
Off the court, Cole recently completed his "The Off-Season" tour with 21 Savage in May. He received four 2022 Grammy nominations for the album. His lone Grammy victory came in 2020 for his feature on 21 Savage's hit song "A Lot."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rapper J. Cole named cover athlete for NBA 2K23 video game 'Dreamer's Edition'