Monday Tip-Off: 1996, 1997, or 1998 Rosters?
We’re at midcourt, and the ball is about to go up…it’s Monday Tip-Off! Join me as I begin the week here at the NLSC with my opinions and commentary on basketball gaming topics, as well as tales of the fun I’ve been having on the virtual hardwood. This week, I’m tipping things off with some reflections on whether to create 1996, 1997, or 1998 season rosters, as I consider future modding projects.
As I’ve said before, in order to stand the best chance of completing any major roster projects that I attempt moving forward, I need to pick an idea that I’m invested in, for a game that I want to play. When it comes to the games that I’d most like to play and mod, NBA Live 06 PC is definitely one of the frontrunners. As far as roster projects, I’d prefer something nostalgic over a current season update. This includes an Ultimate Jordan roster, various classic team rosters, and if I can assemble the appropriate assets and viable placeholders, at least one complete retro season mod.
To that end, I have a few seasons in mind. My work with NBA 2K6 for Xbox 360 has demonstrated how 2006 season games can be effectively rolled back a few years, and such projects can be made even better on PC with all of the modding capabilities. I’ll always be drawn to the idea of bringing the 90s into a 21st century favourite though, but that raises the question of which year. Being a 90s kid and Chicago Bulls fan, the 1996, 1997, and 1998 seasons are all prime candidates when mulling the possibilities for retro rosters. However, even if I were to create all of them for NBA Live 06 PC or another game, I’d still need to pick one to start with. So: 1996, 1997, or 1998 rosters?
The 1996 season basically feels like the default choice here. It’s the year that I truly became a huge fan of basketball, and a memorable campaign in NBA history. Part of getting into basketball was playing more basketball video games, and to that end, NBA Live 96 PC is one of the very first titles that I owned. It’s therefore no surprise that I’ve felt inspired to re-create the 1996 season in rosters for NBA Live 2001 and NBA Live 2004. Indeed, I do somewhat regret not working on a 1996 roster for NBA Live 06 when the game was at the height of its popularity, or still close to it. I think I’ll always be drawn to the 1996 campaign, whether through retro gaming or mods.
With that being said, for me, creating 1996 rosters for a newer game is treading very familiar ground. In short, it’s been done; twice, in fact! This has some advantages, as I’m familiar with the players that need to be created, and already have helpful roster listings and checklists from working on those previous mods. At the same time, while I’m still nostalgic for the 1996 season and more than eager to play with those rosters on the virtual hardwood, it’s not exactly a fresh idea. Creating 1997 or 1998 rosters would mean featuring some new players, including the next generation of stars. While that doesn’t rule out a 1996 mod, it’s a reason to consider 1997 or 1998 rosters instead.
So, let’s consider a 1997 mod. Obviously, it’s another extremely nostalgic year for me, as Chicago took home the championship once again. Even if you weren’t a Bulls fan, there was plenty to enjoy throughout the league that year. The 1996 offseason was wild, with several big names changing jerseys, and the top teams shoring up their rosters to take a run at the Bulls. We saw Shaquille O’Neal join the Lakers, while the Rockets traded for Charles Barkley. The Class of 1996 is one of the best and most exciting groups of rookies in history. The NBA also recognises 1997 as its 50th season, making it a milestone celebration. That’s all great for a retro roster mod!
From a modding standpoint, there’s more incentive to choose 1997 over 1996 when making retro rosters for a game such as NBA Live 06. The biggest advantage is that many of the necessary players were still active, and thus already in the game’s rosters. Additionally, some of the team branding that would be required for a 1997 mod was either still in use in the 2006 season, is present in the form of the game’s selection of retro jerseys, or the appropriate mods are available in our archives. Moving the mod up to 1997 reduces the workload, and thus increases the likelihood of finishing it. It also means including future star players who are far more well-known these days.
Mind you, those are also compelling arguments for creating 1998 rosters instead! Bring the project forward another year, and you’ve got the Class of 1997, which of course includes Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Chauncey Billups, and Keith Van Horn among others; all players who are right there in NBA Live 06. There were also more branding changes in the 1997 offseason that are either reflected in NBA Live 06 by default, or are quickly implemented with mods that are already available. Also, while the Hornets and Grizzlies would still be inaccurately referred to as being from New Orleans and Memphis, at least the Washington Wizards will be correctly-named!
If we’re talking nostalgia and sentimentality, then 1998 rosters also have a strong case. Even before the documentary that broke Scottie Pippen (and so many shills/talking heads and young fans alike), The Last Dance was an iconic season. It’s one that I was able to follow closer than ever before, as my family finally got the internet in August 1997, which allowed me to read the news and check the scores and stats in between watching the Game of the Week and NBA Action. Despite their record and eventual title win, it’s the most vulnerable that the Bulls felt during the second threepeat, which was nerve-wracking but exciting! It was undoubtedly the end of an era in many ways.
When it comes to deciding whether the 1996, 1997, or 1998 season is my favourite, my answer will vary depending on the day. It was exciting to see them return to glory in 1996, setting a record that stood for some twenty years. The 1997 title was special, with iconic moments such as the Flu Game, gamewinning shots, and other fun events as the league celebrated its 50th Anniversary. And of course, while it marked the end of their dynasty, 1998 was an incredible conclusion to the trilogy. The core remained basically the same throughout the threepeat, outside of a new face here and there. As such, the Bulls’ success isn’t the best metric for deciding between the three seasons!
That’s why I have to look at the league as a whole, and the scenarios that are gained and lost when you choose each. 1996 leaves some future stars out of the rosters, but you’ve got Shaq and Penny together, which isn’t the case in 1997 or 1998. The 1998 season breaks up the duo of Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, though Kemp becoming a Cavalier was an interesting situation. As I noted when I looked back at the NBA Live 96 rosters, 1996 saw some short-lived lineups and duos that are definitely a lot of fun to play with. Then again, as my look back at Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside’s rosters demonstrated, an end-of-year 1998 mod would also feature some intriguing teams.
Appropriately enough, a 1997 roster would split the difference in a way. Yes, it’d lose Shaq and Penny, but it’d still have The Reignman and The Glove. There’d be fresh, new-look teams with Shaq in Los Angeles and Chuck in Houston, but also familiar lineups in Chicago, Seattle, Utah, and Indiana. Some of the young players who were abruptly traded in the 1997 offseason or during the 1998 campaign would still be on their original teams. Some prominent names from the 80s are still around and almost at the end of their careers, but with the aforementioned Class of 1996, there are some players who will soon become a huge deal. It’s an enjoyable blend of two generations.
Being in the middle as it is, the 1997 season would also be a viable starting point to then roll the rosters back to 1996, or update them to 1998, eventually having all three to play with. Indeed, this is something to consider for retro roster projects regardless of the game you’re working with. If you look at the Classic Seasons project for NBA 2K19, picking an iconic campaign that you can branch out from in both directions has proven to be a solid approach, and one that I’m obviously keeping in mind. The 1997 season would be something slightly different for me to tackle, while also setting up a base for 1996 and 1998 rosters down the road. That may be the deciding factor here.
There are tasks that need to be finished before I attempt any retro rosters for NBA Live 06, be it a mod for 1996, 1997, or 1998. I’d like to complete my base roster with missing Legends that lends itself to just about any project you can think of. I want to comb through the archives and make sure that I have ample assets to use (or convert for use) with any full retro season mod, and note which one would require the least amount of placeholders. I’m also already working on an ABA roster, and throwback rosters for NBA 2K6 for Xbox 360. To that point, I may be getting ahead of myself here, but I’m still focusing on ideas that are viable, and that I’m keenly interested in.
Needless to say, 90s rosters for NBA Live 06 – or any games of a similar or later vintage – aren’t going to be perfect. The presence of the Charlotte Bobcats presents some issues in franchise play. The names and locations of a few teams have changed. Steve Kerr will be on commentary at the same time he’s an active player. Marv Albert will at least be accurate for the 1996 and 1997 campaigns, though he was infamously absent in 1998. And yes, there will be other imperfections here and there, because of limitations to what we can change. Of course, roster projects such as retro season and classic team mods are more about the things that we can do, rather than what we can’t.
Once again, I wish I’d made 1996, 1997, or 1998 rosters for NBA Live 06 at or closer to the height of its popularity. However, when it comes to modding and any content for that matter, I’m not about chasing clout; especially by doing something I have no interest in. I’m just focusing on the games that speak to me, creating rosters that spice up my sessions, and sharing any substantial project with the community…for free, of course. As I’m a creature of habit, we’ll see if I make it a threepeat with yet another 1996 mod, or whether I’ll be drawn to 1997 or 1998 rosters. I’m open to suggestions from my fellow retro gamers, but ultimately, I’ll go where my nostalgia takes me.
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