Before ESPN NBA 2K5 was released and NBA 2K22 MT released, the ESPN license was added to this series in a major way. This was a significant entry as it was the final NBA game produced by SEGA prior to when the company was bought by another company. The ESPN presentation was certainly the show-stealer however it was gone after this one. Ben Wallace was the first athlete to play the game, and he was also Allen Iverson's very first. The game had two modes: 24/7 and Association. Both received mixed reviews. Still, the experience was fantastic and only cost $20 tag, which made it the perfect value.

Four games are tied for an 87-rated rating. NBA 2K14 through 2K16 each scored the same and helped to show the consistency of the franchise. 2K14 featured the LeBron James: Path to Greatness mode as well as Euroleague teams. Also, it had a stellar soundtrack. 2K15 wasn't able to do a whole lot of innovative stuff, but it did add to what worked. 2K16 was a big success by introducing the idea of MyLeague which could be customized with relocation franchises. This allowed gamers to gain the feeling of designing completely exclusive leagues. MyCareer mode was also an experience that is unique at the time.

The fourth game that has an 87 rating is NBA 2K18. This game gets a spot alone, because its lowest score for Buy 2K22 MT any platform was the Nintendo Switch score of 74. This is higher than previous games' lowest scores. The latest installment has Kyrie Irving as the cover.