Honestly, if you were a basketball fan back in the summer of 2017, you remember exactly where you were when the Woj Bomb dropped. It wasn't just a trade. It was a glitch in the matrix for the gaming world. 2K Games had just spent months—and probably millions—plastering Kyrie Irving's face on everything. He was the official Kyrie Irving 2k cover star, rocking the wine and gold of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then, everything broke.
Kyrie demanded a trade.
One of the funniest, most chaotic moments in sports gaming history followed. Usually, a cover reveal is the end of the marketing cycle's heavy lifting. For NBA 2K18, it was just the start of a nightmare.
The Chaos Behind the Kyrie Irving 2k Cover
It’s kinda wild to think about now, but 2K actually released a high-res screenshot of Kyrie in the new Nike Cavs jersey just two weeks before he was shipped off to Boston. They were so committed. The original box art featured Kyrie driving to the hoop, "CLEVELAND" sprawled across his chest. It looked great. It was classic.
Then the trade to the Celtics happened on August 22, 2017.
The game was scheduled to launch on September 19. If you’re doing the math, that’s less than a month to redesign, reprint, and redistribute millions of physical copies. 2K’s social media team basically tweeted "Whoops" and had to pivot instantly.
Why the "2K Curse" Became a Real Conversation
People started talking about a "curse" because this wasn't the first time. It started feeling like if you stood for a 2K cover photo, you were basically packing your bags.
- LeBron James (2K14): On the Heat cover, then went back to Cleveland.
- Kevin Durant (2K15): On the Thunder cover, eventually left for the Warriors.
- Paul George (2K17): Pictured as a Pacer, then traded to the Thunder.
- Kyrie Irving (2K18): The peak of the chaos.
Kyrie's situation was different because it happened before the game even hit shelves. Usually, the players wait a season. Kyrie didn't give them that courtesy.
How 2K Handled the Jersey Swap
They didn't just give up. Since the "Cavs version" was already in production and shipping to stores like GameStop and Best Buy, 2K decided to lean into the madness. They eventually released a second version of the Kyrie Irving 2k cover.
The new version showed him in a Celtics jersey, but the pose was different. Instead of a layup, he was just standing there, hands on his hips, looking somewhat stoic. If you have the original Cavs version sitting in your closet, keep it. Honestly, it's a collector's item now. Most of the copies that stayed in circulation long-term were the Celtics ones, or the digital icons that updated automatically.
The Rarity Factor
Collectors actually hunt for the original "misprint" copies. Because 2K moved so fast to switch to the Boston art for later shipments, the initial Cavs batch became a weird piece of NBA time-capsule history. It represents the exact moment the LeBron-Kyrie era in Cleveland died.
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Is Kyrie Still Relevant in 2K25 and 2K26?
We’re deep into the 2020s now, and Kyrie is still a monster in the game. In the latest rosters for NBA 2K26, his handles are still basically a cheat code. He’s usually rocking a 90+ overall rating with Hall of Fame badges like "Ankle Breaker" and "Layup Mixmaster."
Even though he hasn't been the main cover athlete since the 2K18 debacle, he’s a staple in MyTEAM. Last season in NBA 2K25, they dropped a "G.O.A.T." series Kyrie that was virtually unguardable.
The reality is that 2K loves Kyrie's game because it translates so well to a controller. His "Crafty Iso Savant" build is what every park player tries to emulate. He might have caused a logistical heart attack for the marketing department years ago, but his impact on the franchise's gameplay is permanent.
What You Should Do If You Own the Cover
If you’re sitting on a physical copy of 2K18 with Kyrie in a Cavs jersey, check the condition. While sports games usually depreciate faster than a used car, "error" covers or "transitional" covers hold a weird niche value.
- Check the Disc: Ensure it’s the standard edition, not the Shaq "Legend Edition."
- Look at the Jersey: If it's the wine/gold Cleveland jersey, you have the "pre-trade" version.
- Keep it Sealed: If by some miracle it's still in the plastic, don't open it.
The Kyrie Irving 2k cover saga remains the ultimate example of why developers are now much more careful with how they announce athletes. It's why you see more "multi-player" covers or "retired legend" covers nowadays. They don't want to be caught holding a jersey that doesn't exist anymore.
If you’re looking to play with Kyrie today, your best bet is jumping into the All-Time Cavs or All-Time Nets rosters in the current game. His 2K26 rating stays hovering around 94 for his prime versions, making him arguably the best pure ball-handler the game has ever programmed.
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Go check your old game stacks. You might be holding a piece of the 2K curse without even knowing it.
Next Steps:
Check the back of your NBA 2K18 case to see the manufacture date. If it was printed before September 2017, you likely have the rare Cavaliers variant. You can cross-reference the serial number on the spine with collector databases to see its current market value among sports gaming enthusiasts.