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We are almost at the halfway point of the WNBA season, and the gifts keep on coming for Hawkeye and Indiana Fever fans.
After essentially missing a full season of Caitlin Clark last year, it has been a roller coaster for fans this season. After a hot start, Clark cooled off, largely due to injury management and a back injury that has plagued her since the offseason. Then came all the off-court drama with Clark and Alyssa Thomas, and the WNBA trying its best to ostracize one of its biggest stars. Even with all the recent negativity surrounding her, Clark just received a massive honor.
Clark will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K27's Deluxe Edition
Clark continues to elevate her game as the season progresses, earning the June Eastern Conference Player of the Month and being named the AP Player of the Week. During her most recent hot stretch of play, Clark averaged 25.0 points on 63 percent shooting to go along with 7.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game, including a 45-point explosion against the Seattle Storm. After such a dominating stretch, it couldn't get any better for the Fever star, right? Wrong!
NBA 2K announced that Caitlin Clark will be the cover athlete for the NBA 2K27 Deluxe edition, scheduled to drop worldwide on September 4. Clark (Deluxe), San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama (standard), and Derrick Rose (Ultra) are the three cover athletes this year, with the Deluxe edition costing $99.99. The Deluxe Edition comes with 100,000 VC, as well as multiple jerseys and skill boosts for the MyCAREER mode. NBA 2K SVP and GM Zak Armitage stated that all three athletes have "altered the trajectory of the game," with Clark "redefining" the women's game entirely.
Clark not only plastered a photo of the cover across her socials but also said that being on the cover is special because it reaches fans all over the world. Clark continues to be one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet, and NBA 2K is taking advantage of her talent and popularity by making her the first WNBA player to receive her own cover. The WNBA should take a page out of 2K's playbook and learn how to market her better so they can continue pushing the league's brand forward.
Regardless of what most of the WNBA feels about Clark, she continues to drive viewership, popularity, and sales for the league, and being named the NBA 2K cover athlete is just another way she is growing the game.
Today's best reads
- Caitlin Clark's jaw-dropping performance silenced critics in the most epic fashion
- Caitlin Clark continues to prove why the outside noise doesn't affect her
- Chalk up another 'fastest in WNBA history' achievement to Caitlin Clark's resume
- The Caitlin Clark-Alyssa Thomas saga added a new wrinkle after a shocking revelation
- Caitlin Clark's All-Star team selection shoves a budding rivalry into the spotlight
This article was originally published on dearoldgold.com as Hawkeye fans got an unexpected surprise courtesy of the iconic NBA 2K franchise.
