Kobe Bryant honored in NBA2K21 special covers


Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard, Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson join Bryant in covers

LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant, the late Los Angeles Lakers star killed in a January helicopter crash, will be among three NBA standouts featured on the NBA 2K21 video game cover, manufacturer 2K said Thursday.

Bryant, a five-time NBA champion and 18-time All-Star guard who won two Olympic gold medals, died at age 41 along with his daughter Gianna and seven others in the California crash.

Bryant will be on the cover of the current and next-gen Mamba Forever editions of the game, playing off his "Black Mamba" nickname.

Bryant, a two-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player and 2008 NBA season MVP, was also featured on the covers of NBA 2K10 and the NBA 2K17 Legend edition of the game.

Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard and New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson are also featured on new NBA2K21 covers.

Lillard is featured on the current generation cover on PS4 and Xbox One editions of the game. Williamson, the next-gen cover athlete, will be seen on PS5 and Xbox Series X editions.

No release date for the game was announced.