Michael Jordan was featured in a sidebar, promoting his first official appearance as a Legend. Shot from the 1994 NBA Finals, with Horry and Starks featured most prominently.Īn alternate cover featuring a shot from the 1995 NBA Finals - in which Shaquille O'Neal appeared with the Orlando Magic - was primarily used for the console versions. Durant would later be recognised along with other former cover players as part of the unlockable "Cover Players" team in EA Sports' NBA Jam: On Fire Edition. Kevin Durant was set to be featured on the cover of the re-branded NBA Elite 11, a game that was ultimately cancelled. The 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat featured three former cover players in Wade ( NBA Live 06), Shaquille O'Neal ( NBA Live 96) and Antoine Walker ( NBA Live 99).
In 2006, Dwyane Wade became the first player to win the NBA Championship in the same year he appeared on the cover of NBA Live.
Whereas the cover of EA Sports' Madden series is jokingly referred to as being "cursed" due to unfortunate injuries that have been suffered by NFL players who have graced it, NBA Live's cover players have generally avoided such misfortune. Beginning with Shaquille O'Neal in NBA Live 96, EA Sports have chosen a lone player to grace the cover of NBA Live, with the exeption of the French cover for NBA Live 07 that featured both Boris Diaw and Tony Parker as well as the Mobile cover for NBA Live 06 that didn't feature any player).
The very first NBA Live cover featured a shot from the 1994 NBA Finals, with Robert Horry and John Starks in the foreground.