Wayback Wednesday: Debuting in Games Before the NBA

This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at some examples of players debuting in video games long before tallying their first NBA minute.

Every offseason, there’s a new crop of players – both drafted and undrafted – that will make their debut in the real NBA and on the virtual hardwood alike. To that point of course, barring Summer League play, basically all NBA players will be debuting in games before the real NBA, and have done so as long as titles with updated rosters have been released before the season tips off. However, there are players whose real life debuts came well after their first appearance in a video game. For the purposes of this article, this is what I mean when I say “debuting in games before the NBA”.

This includes players that missed what should’ve been their rookie season, and future NBA players who made cameos through other means. These appearances can make it difficult to remember exactly when certain players debuted or were drafted, since we recall playing with them in video games much earlier. There are also fun examples of bonus content leading to pre-NBA cameos for players who would become noteworthy names, and in some cases, major stars. It’s a lengthy list, so settle in as we take a look back…way back…

Luka Doncic in NBA 2K16

Despite catching some flak this past season for being what Jeff Van Gundy might describe as a “disinterested defender”, Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA today. Indeed, along with Michael Jordan, he’s one of only two players to have averaged over 30 ppg in the Playoffs for their entire career to date! Doncic exploded onto the scene after being taken third overall in the 2018 Draft. Of course, by that point he’d already debuted for Real Madrid, who were among the EuroLeague teams in NBA 2K16. This meant that a teenage Luka made his video game debut the same year as 2015 Draftee Devin Booker, long before they locked horns in the real NBA.

Blake Griffin in NBA Live 10 & NBA 2K10

While Luka Doncic is an example of a player who made a cameo before he was even drafted, Blake Griffin is an example of a delayed debut. The first overall pick in 2009 – and cover player of NCAA Basketball 10 – ended up missing what would’ve been his freshman campaign due to a stress fracture in his left knee. At first it was hoped that it would only push back his debut, but a slow recovery led to surgery in January 2010, and 2011 becoming his rookie season. By that point of course, basketball gamers had already spent a year throwing down vicious dunks with Griffin in NBA Live 10 and NBA 2K10, and earning virtual Rookie of the Year honours ahead of the real deal.

Speedy Claxton in NBA Live 2001 & NBA 2K1

Although Blake Griffin is one of the most prominent examples of a player debuting in video games long before the real NBA due to injury – and one of the most successful – he’s far from the first. Craig “Speedy” Claxton, who is now the head coach at his alma mater Hofstra, was drafted 20th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2000. He had the misfortune to tear his left ACL in the preseason though, and was out the entire 2001 season. That obviously didn’t prevent him from appearing on their roster in NBA Live 2001, NBA 2K1, and other games released that year. Speedy only played one year for the 76ers before being traded to the San Antonio Spurs, where he won a title in 2003.

Carlos Delfino in NBA Live 2004

Speedy Claxton had fortuitous timing in being sent to San Antonio ahead of them winning the NBA championship. Carlos Delfino wasn’t so lucky, missing out on his chance to win a title in the league. The Detroit Pistons selected him 25th overall in 2003, the same year they took Darko Milicic with the second pick. While Darko made the jump that year and became the Human Victory Cigar, Delfino remained with his club in Italy. He signed with the Pistons shortly afterwards and can be found in the 2005 season games, but technically he does debut in NBA Live 2004, as he’s one of the hidden rookies from the Class of 2003 that can be unlocked via a cheat code.

International Players Debuting in Team USA Basketball

Team USA Basketball is actually part of EA Sports’ NBA Playoffs/NBA Live lineage, though it’s often overlooked seeing as it’s more of a spinoff (and exclusive to Sega Genesis to boot). Not only was it the first official appearance of the Dream Team, but several international players who would go on to play in the NBA made their first virtual hardwood appearances in it. This includes Dino Radja, Toni Kukoc, Arvydas Sabonis, Zan Tabak, Andrew Gaze, Sasha Danilovic, Zeljko Rebraca, and Antoine Rigaudeau. One American player also made an early virtual hardwood cameo in the game: Christian Laettner, the 1992 Dream Team’s token college representative.

Leon Smith in Fox Sports NBA Basketball 2000 & NBA 2K

The story of Leon Smith is one that’s often told from a point of ridicule and scorn, but is actually sad and sobering; especially now that mental health is rightfully treated far more seriously. Drafted by the Spurs in 1999, the 19 year old Smith was traded to Dallas, but never played for the Mavericks. He was eventually released in February 2000, not long after an infamous incident where he claimed to be “an Indian fighting Columbus” in the midst of a breakdown. He finally debuted with the Atlanta Hawks in 2002 – and also played a single game for the Seattle SuperSonics in 2004 – but his first video games were Fox Sports NBA Basketball 2000, and the original NBA 2K.

A Trio of Spanish Players Debuting in NBA Live 2004

This example is a combination of two previous ones: hidden players in NBA Live 2004, and cameos from international players! Spain’s national team was included in the Spanish version of NBA Live 2004 as a regional bonus, but they can also be unlocked in the English PC version via modding. That will allow you to play with Jose Calderon, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Jorge Garbajosa, before they made their NBA debuts in 2005, 2007, and 2007 respectively. Incidentally, Navarro is also an example of a single-season player who was a starter, while Garbajosa was close to being one. Calderon notably set a free throw record when he shot 98.1% back in 2009.

Raul Lopes in NBA Live 2003

Another player that you’ll find on the Spanish national team in NBA Live 2004 is Raul Lopez. Unlike his three teammates, that wasn’t an early cameo for him, as he was a rookie with the Utah Jazz that season and appeared on their roster in the game. However, the 2001 Draft pick had joined the team in September 2002, only to end up missing the entire 2003 season with an ACL injury. Since he signed his contract in time to appear in NBA Live 2003 PC, Lopez joined the list of players with an early video game debut. He was also made the cover player for the Spanish version of NBA Live 2004, and to this day is the only rookie cover player in the history of NBA Live.

Nerlens Noel in NBA 2K14 & NBA Live 14

In my ongoing NBA 2K14 MyCAREER, Nerlens Noel has become a solid big man, even earning All-NBA Third Team honours. He also played what was intended to be his rookie season, after being drafted sixth overall in 2013. In reality, Noel was out for all of 2014 due to a knee injury sustained in his lone year at Kentucky. He also peaked in his second season and was traded to Dallas in 2017, whereas he’s still a 76er as of Year 6 in my MyCAREER. Due to his injury, Noel was taken with the understanding that he’d be a big part of the 76ers’ future rather than their present, but that didn’t prevent him from making his video game debut in NBA 2K14 and NBA Live 14.

Joel Embiid in NBA 2K15 & NBA Live 15

Obviously, missing what should’ve been your rookie season due to injury doesn’t make a player unique on this list. However, Joel Embiid does stand out because he missed not one, but two full seasons before finally debuting in the NBA! In the meantime, he was already playable in video games thanks to his inclusion in NBA 2K15 and NBA Live 15. Due to being held out another year, Embiid only saw action in NBA 2K16 and NBA Live 16 as well. Since then he’s gone on to be a perennial All-Star, the cover player for NBA Live 19, an MVP, and the first centre to be a back-to-back scoring champ since Bob McAdoo…although, The Joker got the last laugh…

Ben Simmons in NBA 2K17

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. The Philadelphia 76ers – as part of “The Process” – draft a highly-touted prospect with a lottery pick, only to have him sit out what was meant to be his rookie season. Yes, the trifecta of bad luck in the City of Brotherly Love concludes with Ben Simmons, who was taken first overall in 2016, rolled his ankle and broke a bone during a training camp scrimmage, and was ruled out for the rest of the year in February. What followed was a promising rookie season in 2018, a disappointing lack of development, and a bitter parting of the ways in 2022 with yet another missed season. As for his lost rookie year, that can be played in NBA 2K17.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas in NBA Live 97

Let’s throw it back further for a moment, to Cavaliers Legend and two-time All-Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas. I remember Big Z being profiled as part of a quartet of promising Cavs rookies during the 1998 season along with Brevin Knight, Derek Anderson, and Cedric Henderson. He was also the MVP of the Rookie Challenge at the 1998 All-Star Weekend, when it was still using the East vs. West format as the big game did. Ilgauskas was actually a 1996 Draftee though, sidelined for the 1997 season with a broken bone in his foot. Since he’d signed with the Cavs in August, he was able to appear in NBA Live 97, alongside fellow Class of 1996 rookie Vitaly Potapenko.

Dontae’ Jones in NBA Live 97

Before we move on from NBA Live 97, I’ll also note Dontae’ Jones. A standout player in college, Jones’ NBA career is probably best known for its off-court trivia, which includes a connection to video games. Drafted by the New York Knicks in 1996, he missed the 1997 season with a foot injury, but was accounted for in the rosters of NBA Live 97. He was then traded to Boston in the offseason, which yes, makes him an example of a player who only suited up for a team in a video game. That trade also brought Chris Mills to New York, resulting in his phantom stint with the Celtics. It’s because of trivia like this that players such as Dontae’ Jones still stick in my mind!

Michael McDonald in NBA Live 96

More specifically, Michael McDonald can be found in the Super Nintendo version of NBA Live 96, and only if he’s unlocked via a code, similar to Carlos Delfino in NBA Live 2004. Drafted 55th overall in 1995, McDonald and his fellow rookies were left out of NBA Live 96 SNES due to the lockout. By the time the PC version came out with updated rosters, he’d become a training camp cut. McDonald finally made his NBA debut in 1998, playing one game for the Charlotte Hornets. That isn’t accounted for in any game however, so technically McDonald can boast an early cameo as an unlockable, while still counting as a player with no official video game appearances.

Curtis Borchardt in NBA Live 2003 & NBA 2K3

Whenever I compile a list like this, I wonder about including more obscure players that most people reading have likely forgotten, or never heard about. Still, how often do I get to talk about Curtis Borchardt? At least twice actually, since he also has a phantom stint with the Boston Celtics! Before he became an example of a player who only appeared on a certain team in a video game however, he was a player debuting in a video game long before he’d officially suit up in the NBA. Drafted by the Utah Jazz in 2002, injuries kept him on the bench until the following season…at least in real life. In NBA Live 2003 and NBA 2K3, Borchardt was banging in the paint a year earlier.

Greg Oden in NBA Live 08 & NBA 2K8

When I attended the NBA Live 08 community event, EA put us up in the same hotel that the 2007 Draftees were staying at. On the night of the Draft, I found myself in the elevator with Greg Oden, who became the first overall pick. Let me tell you, I’ve never felt so short at 6’3″! Sadly, rather than The Next Big Thing, Oden became The Next Player To Be Struck By The Blazers Curse. Microfracture surgery on his knee ruled him out of the 2008 season, though not in NBA Live 08 or NBA 2K8. Injuries continued to plague his career and ultimately cut it short, though he showed flashes of brilliance that left Blazers fans – and many hoop heads in general – to wonder What If.

Pablo Prigioni in NBA Live 08

At 35 years and 169 days, Pablo Prigioni became the oldest rookie in NBA history when he joined the Knicks for the 2013 season. His debut saw him included in the rosters of NBA 2K13, but he’d been playable in games much earlier than that. As a member of the Argentine national team, Prigioni had been featured as part of the FIBA teams that were added as bonus content in both versions of NBA Live 08. He continued to appear on Argentina’s roster through NBA Live 09 and NBA Live 10, and would’ve also appeared in the updated FIBA rosters in NBA Elite 11. Needless to say, I enjoy the intersection of a couple of tidbits of NBA and video game trivia here!

Marc Gasol in NBA Live 08

Prigioni’s video game appearances and NBA career obviously offer up some fun trivia. However, if we’re talking about the most notable player debuting with an early cameo thanks to NBA Live 08’s FIBA squads, I’d suggest that distinction belongs to Marc Gasol. Pau’s younger brother was a Class of 2007 Draftee, but he remained in Spain for the 2008 campaign. Thanks to the addition of their national team in NBA Live 08, we could still use him to own the virtual paint. Of course, Marc Gasol was still relevant in the NBA that season, as his Draft rights were involved in the trade that sent brother Pau to Los Angeles, immediately turning things around for the Lakers.

Patty Mills in NBA Live 09

Sometimes, I’ll erroneously recall Patty Mills as having been drafted in 2008, and debuting in the 2009 season. He was in fact drafted in 2009, and subsequently debuted in the 2010 campaign. The FIBA teams in NBA Live 09 are likely the source of that occasional confusion, since he’s on the Boomers there. I was excited to see Australia join the ranks of national teams in NBA Live 09, and even got to play with them early at a community event (incidentally, Mario aka Clueminati soundly defeated me with Team USA). Unfortunately, Patty Mills was one of many FIBA players with a generic face, which carried over to NBA Live 10 even as he made his NBA debut that year.

Matt Barnes in NBA Live 2003

Journeyman Matt Barnes ended up having a noteworthy career, being recognised as a tough defender who could also chip in with some buckets throughout his 14 seasons in the NBA. You may also remember him attempting to make Kobe Bryant flinch, and his altercation with Derek Fisher. What you may not recall is that Barnes was set to debut with the Cavaliers in 2002, which is why you’ll find him on their roster in NBA Live 2003. He was cut in October and finally made his NBA debut with the Clippers in 2004; a stint that doesn’t appear in any video games. It wouldn’t be until the 2005 season that Barnes was active both in real life and on the virtual hardwood.

Stephen Jackson in NBA Live 98

Not only did “All the Smoke” hosts Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes play together on the Warriors in 2008, but the former teammates share the distinction of debuting in video games well before the real NBA. Jax’s rookie season came with the New Jersey Nets in 2001, but he was originally a second round pick of the Phoenix Suns in 1997. The Suns released the 19 year old rookie from Butler County Community College right before the season tipped off, which was late enough for him to be included in NBA Live 98. You can be forgiven for not recognising him without seeing his name though, as he had no portrait, and was hastily assigned a generic, bald cyberface!

Ersan Ilyasova in NBA Live 06 & NBA 2K6

Turkish forward Ersan Ilyasova had an interesting NBA journey. Drafted in 2005 by the Bucks, he signed his rookie contract in August, allowing him to appear in NBA 2K6 and the Xbox 360 version of NBA Live 06. He was assigned to the D-League and remained there for the entire 2006 season, making him a rare player that missed what should’ve been his rookie season despite being healthy. After debuting for the Bucks in 2006-2007, he left the NBA to play in Spain, before returning in 2009 and spending the next six years in Milwaukee. Ilyasova then bounced around until 2018 when he rejoined the Bucks again, and finally ended his career with the Jazz in 2021.

Etan Thomas in NBA Live 2001 & NBA 2K1

Although a toe injury kept Etan Thomas out of action after being drafted by the Mavericks in 2000, he’s perhaps best remembered for two other maladies. After finally debuting in the NBA in the 2002 season following a trade to the Washington Wizards, an inadvertent collision with Michael Jordan contributed to the knee issues that MJ was already suffering. Thomas himself made an inspiring comeback after being sidelined when he underwent open heart surgery in October 2007; his second season on the shelf. As for Etan’s phantom stint, lost rookie season, and video game debut with the Dallas Mavericks, you’ll find it in NBA Live 2001 and NBA 2K1.

Patrick Ewing Jr. in NBA Live 09

You know what made me feel old, long before Wayback Wednesday? When the sons of players that I grew up watching started making it to the league! Of course, not all of those second generation hoopers panned out. Patrick Ewing Jr. was picked 43rd Overall in 2008; a far cry from his father’s status as a number one selection. He was taken by the Kings, but ended up in New York by way of Houston, and even received a warm reception at Madison Square Garden in the preseason. Pat Jr. didn’t make the final cut, and wouldn’t debut until the New Orleans Hornets gave him a shot in 2011. He’d already debuted in a video game though, via an official update for NBA Live 09.

Tibor Pleiss in NBA 2K11 or NBA 2K14

I realise that on the surface, this doesn’t make sense. Strictly speaking, Tibor Pleiss can’t make his video game debut in NBA 2K11, and then debut again in NBA 2K14; not without misunderstanding the definition of “debut”, anyway! It depends what you count as an appearance, though. As a 2010 Draftee, Pleiss was included in the roster of NBA 2K11, complete with a real face, ratings, and proper bio data. He was never activated in an official update however, since he didn’t come to the NBA until 2016. He has a more tangible cameo in NBA 2K14 thanks to the inclusion of Laboral Kutxa Vitoria among the EuroLeague teams. Either way, he debuted earlier in a video game.

Nemanja Bjelica in NBA 2K11 or NBA 2K15

Like Tibor Pleiss, Nemanja Bjelica was a second round pick in 2010 whose rights were traded on Draft Day, and remained overseas before finally debuting in the NBA during the 2016 season. He too technically debuted in NBA 2K11, tucked away in the rosters and never activated by an official update, while also making an early cameo thanks to the array of EuroLeague teams; albeit in NBA 2K15 rather than NBA 2K14. Unlike Pleiss, Bjelica played seven NBA seasons rather than just spending one year in the league, and won a championship as a bench player for the Golden State Warriors in 2022. The former EuroLeague MVP has since returned to his old club in Turkey.

EuroLeague Players Debuting in NBA 2K14

Needless to say, the inclusion of EuroLeague teams in NBA 2K led to a number of pre-NBA cameos on the virtual hardwood. I’ve individually spotlighted a couple of players because they’re big names or the circumstances are otherwise noteworthy, but for the sake of completion, let’s run through some other examples beginning with NBA 2K14. Nikola Miritic, Zoran Dragic, Bojan Bogdanovic, and an erroneously right-handed Joe Ingles, all made an early cameo in NBA 2K14, just one year before debuting in the NBA in the 2015 season. Marcelo Huertas came to the league a year after that, in the process becoming the second-oldest rookie in NBA history to date.

EuroLeague Players Debuting in NBA 2K15

The selection of EuroLeague teams expanded in NBA 2K15, in turn providing more opportunities for players to make virtual hardwood cameos before their NBA debut. Seven of those players are still in the NBA today, namely Boban Marjanovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Daniel Theis, Furkan Korkmaz, Cedi Osman, Dario Saric, and Moritz Wagner. An eighth player – Sasha Kaun – only played one season in the league, but it made him one of the oldest NBA rookies, and gave him a championship as a member of the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. On top of that, Kaun has the distinction of being the final player ever drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, as the 56th pick back in 2008.

EuroLeague Players Debuting in NBA 2K16

I’ve already noted that a teenage Luka Doncic debuted in NBA 2K16 as a member of Real Madrid, but there were seven other future NBA players that appeared courtesy of the EuroLeague teams. They are Isaiah Hartenstein, Frank Ntilikina, Dragan Bender, Willy Hernangomez, Davis Bertans, Tomas Satoransky, and Milos Teodosic. Bertans, Hartenstein, Ntilikina, and Hernangomez are still in the league as of 2023. Satoransky last played in the NBA in 2022, while Teodosic – another 30 year old rookie – left in 2019. Bender meanwhile became one of the biggest NBA busts in recent history, playing just four unremarkable seasons after Phoenix took him fourth overall in 2016.

EuroLeague Players Debuting in NBA 2K17

NBA 2K17 marked the final official appearance of EuroLeague teams in the series, as they were essentially replaced by the All-Time Teams in NBA 2K18. Their inclusion meant that a couple more players ended up with video game cameos before making the jump to the NBA, specifically Maxi Kleber and Malcolm Miller. After removing his name from the 2012 Draft, Kleber went undrafted in 2014, but joined the Dallas Mavericks in 2017, and remains one of their key bench players. Miller was likewise undrafted, and spent time in the D-League before joining Alba Berlin, which saw him added to NBA 2K17’s rosters. His three years with the Raptors yielded a title in 2019.

Paul Grant in NBA Live 98

Alright, let’s leave the EuroLeague examples behind, and get back to some US-based players! Paul Grant was taken 20th overall by the Timberwolves in 1997 – and is thus playable in NBA Live 98 – but spent the entire season on the inactive list due to a foot injury. This made him one of only two rookies in the original rosters of NBA Live 99 along with 1996 Draftee Peja Stojakovic, who had signed with the Sacramento Kings before the lockout went into effect. Grant made his NBA debut for Minnesota in the abbreviated 1999 season, but played only four games for them before he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks in the three-team deal that sent Stephon Marbury to the Nets.

Corsley Edwards in NBA Live 2003

Drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the 58th and final pick of the 2002 Draft, Corsley Edwards was obviously a long shot to make the league. The Kings did sign him however, and in time for him to be included in the PC version of NBA Live 2003. He never played a game for them before being cut in December, making it a phantom stint preserved by a video game. Edwards would finally play 10 games with the New Orleans Hornets in 2004-2005, a stint that doesn’t officially appear in any rosters. Indeed, his early cameo is his only virtual hardwood appearance. As such, he was close to being another player appearing in more video games than real NBA games.

Derrick Zimmerman in NBA Live 2004

Here’s another player that not only debuted in a video game more than a year before finally recording an official minute in the NBA, but came close to only ever debuting on the virtual hardwood. The Warriors drafted Derrick Zimmerman 40th overall in 2003, and you’ll find him on their roster in NBA Live 2004. He’d already been cut by the time the game came out, and it wouldn’t be until the Nets signed him in 2005 that he’d see any court time, albeit in the final two games of the regular season. He doesn’t appear in NBA Live 06 or any other titles, thus as with Corsley Edwards, his only NBA stint that included any games played has no official virtual representation.

Patrick Beverley in NBA 2K10

Let’s wrap up this long (but I’d like to believe comprehensive) list of players debuting in games before the NBA with another active name. Although he was drafted in 2009 by the Los Angeles Lakers – and then subsequently traded to the Miami Heat – Patrick Beverley wouldn’t make his NBA debut until midway through the 2013 season, when the Houston Rockets signed him. Since he had signed on with the Heat during the 2009 offseason and was a late cut, Beverly was included in NBA 2K10’s rosters. He’s also in NBA 2K11, giving him two video game appearances before the stint that would finally tip off an NBA career that has spanned eleven seasons and counting.

And that’s the list! If you’ve made it to the end, thanks for reading! As always, it was fun to fire up games to check rosters and grab screenshots, and research the back story on all the players. Once again, while every NBA player technically debuts in a video game first, for some players there’s a much a longer wait between their first virtual hardwood appearance, and their real NBA debut. From big names to ones that we’ve forgotten (or perhaps never knew), a combination of injuries, temporary career setbacks, and bonus content has given us an early glimpse of several future NBA players through the lens of video games, and some fun Easter eggs in hindsight.

The post Wayback Wednesday: Debuting in Games Before the NBA appeared first on NLSC.