Two-time NBA champ Kevin Durant spent the whole of the 2019-20 NBA season recuperating from a serious injury. While he couldn’t help his Brooklyn Nets squad on the hardwood, that didn’t stop him from getting his fair share of NBA action, even if only on NBA 2K’s virtual courts.

And now, less than a month before his much-awaited return to the court, KD has announced that he has signed on for a “long-term” partnership with the premier basketball video game franchise. His media company, The Boardroom, describes the deal as a “first-of-its-kind” collaboration for 2K Sports and any of its partner athletes.

One of the first outcomes of the partnership is KD’s appearance as the new cover star for NBA 2K Mobile on Android and iOS devices. Durant graces the cover for the game’s third season, which tipped off on December 1.

Moving forward, Durant will be also extending his creative input into game development, as well as in creative campaigns for the massively popular video game series. Fans can expect exclusive in-game merch and original NBA 2K content created for The Boardroom in the future.

In addition, Durant will leverage the NBA 2K brand to assist basketball court renovations and offer STEM education programs for underprivileged youth through 2K Foundations and his own nonprofit organization, the Kevin Durant Charity Foundation.

“From playing 2K since I was 10 or 11 years old, to being on the cover, to now doing a lifetime deal, it feels like a full circle moment for me because I always wanted to be involved,” Durant said in an interview with Hypebeast. 

“The partnership is about capturing myself and my brand through a game that I’ve been loving since I was a kid.”

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