NBA 2K23 is capitalizing on LeBron James recently claiming the NBA's all-time scoring record by offering a challenge and special reward. Part of what's made modern sports games so successful is their effort to tie into ongoing events in their respective leagues. The NBA 2K franchise has been particularly effective at this. So when LeBron James recently overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's highest career scorer, NBA 2K23 was quick to respond.
It was a record many believed might never be beaten. When NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired in 1989, he left behind the staggering record of 38,387 points scored in his NBA career. He'd long passed the previous record, set by Wilt Chamberlain, of 31,419 points. And his record would last from 1989 until February 7, 2023, when LeBron James would pass Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record and place his own name at the top of the list.
It wasn't long before social media accounts for NBA 2K23 were mentioning LeBron James' accomplishment and sharing graphics featuring him and previous leading scorers. It's a record many thought would never be broken, but the writing has been on the wall for some time. Everyone knew LeBron James was taking the crown. As such, NBA 2K23 was able to quickly launch a new challenge for players to dive into, near immediately after James had set the record.
The MyTeam challenge is relatively straightforward. It tasks NBA 2K23 players with defeating four of LeBron James' "iconic" teams, plus preventing him personally from averaging 27 points per game. Those who manage to accomplish the challenge will receive an HOF Option Pack and can pick 10 from 15. Together, it's nothing ridiculous, but it's still something special for the occasion and a smart way to get NBA 2K23 players back in-game and earning packs.
There are positives and negatives regarding the situation, of course. The positive is that NBA fans want to see crossover between what they watch week-to-week and what's in their game. It makes being an NBA fan feel interactive. On the other hand, NBA 2K has taken what fans want and have tied it into its most heavily-monetized content. Of course, for fans of MyTeam, that's nothing but a positive.
The LeBron James scoring record challenge is unfortunately only available for a limited time. It was released on Tuesday and limited to just 48 hours, meaning NBA 2K23 players have until later tonight to finish the challenge and claim its reward. Even without the reward, though, it's a fun way to celebrate James' record and encourage players to go up against the NBA superstar while playing NBA 2K23.
NBA 2K23 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
