A look at every Kobe Bryant NBA 2K avatar over the span of 20 years

On Thursday, 2K announced the NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever edition which features two NBA 2K21 Kobe Bryant covers. The company is yet to reveal the official Kobe Bryant NBA 2K avatar for the NBA 2K21 Mamba forever edition, which will retail at $100. The first Kobe Bryant NBA 2K avatar is from way back in 1999. 

Also read | NBA 2K21 Pre order, Release Date, Price and other new details about the game

Kobe Bryant 2K21 legend: Kobe Bryant NBA 2K avatar from 1999 to 2016

Kobe Bryant through the years in NBA 2K 🙌 @ESPN_Esports

(via NBA 2K/YouTube) pic.twitter.com/Xe4wW40tT7

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter)

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Kobe Bryant made his NBA 2K debut in 1999 when Allen Iverson was the cover athlete. Bryant has since featured in the editions, his avatar evolving as the game released with better graphics. He was the cover athlete in NBA 2K10 and NBA 2K17 legends edition. Bryant won his fifth and final NBA championship for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010, while the NBA 2K17 game was released after he retired in 2016. The five-time NBA champion played with the Lakers for 20 years, where he won two NBA Finals MVP awards and made 18 NBA All-Star appearances. After his tragic death on January 26, fans demanded 2K keep Bryant as their cover athlete to honour the NBA legend. When Damian Lillard was revealed as NBA 2K21's first cover athlete, many athletes called out the company for not honouring Bryant. 

Kobe Bryant 2K21 legend: Kobe Bryant NBA 2K avatar for the NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever edition 

Mamba Forever 💜💛 A closer look at the covers

We love and miss you Kobe #NBA2K21 pic.twitter.com/Jf1M5kUewx

— NBA 2K21 (@NBA2K)

Also read | NBA 2K21 pre order begins: Price, Release date and cover athletes for the new addition

What will the Mamba Forever edition include?

The Mamba Forever edition will have two covers – one with the No. 8 jersey and one with the No. 24 jersey. The current console will feature the No. 8 jersey as he wore it during the first half of his career, and the next-gen covers will have his No. 24 jersey which he wore in the second half. According to reports, the special edition will also include 100,000 VC (in-game currency) and 10 MyTeam tokens along with 40 MyTem packs. The first ten packs will be included during the launch, while ten more will be added every week for three weeks after the game releases. Sapphire versions of Damian Lillard and Zion Williamson will also be available and can be used in the MyTeam mode. A Sapphire-level Kobe MyTeam card, a Mamba MyPlayer uniform and Black Mamba custom MyTeam jerseys will also be part of the special edition. 

2️⃣4️⃣ Legend. Leader. Champion. We honor Kobe Bryant as our Cover Athlete for the Next Gen Mamba Forever Edition 💜💛 #NBA2K21 pic.twitter.com/OOONVibhvX

— NBA 2K21 (@NBA2K)

Also read | NBA 2K21 Kobe Bryant cover: Kobe Bryant nba 2k avatar, NBA 2K21 Mamba forever edition, Kobe Bryant 2K21 legend

8️⃣ Relentless. Driven. A true competitor. We celebrate Kobe Bryant as our Cover Athlete for the Current Gen Mamba Forever Edition 🐍 #NBA2K21 pic.twitter.com/1wfH4kTPPN

— NBA 2K21 (@NBA2K)

Kobe Bryant NBA 2K avatar: NBA 2K21 pre order and release details: When will NBA 2K21 Mamba Forever edition be released?

• NBA 2K21 release date for Current Gen – September 4, 2020 (Pre-orders available from Thursday)
• NBA 2K21 release date for Next-Gen – Holiday 2020

(Image source: NBA 2K official YouTube channel)