{"id":485450,"date":"2026-02-19T14:17:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:17:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/485450\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T14:17:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:17:11","slug":"michigan-state-basketball-stars-introduced-to-nba-2k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/485450\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan State Basketball Stars Introduced to NBA 2K"},"content":{"rendered":"

After the landmark O’Bannon v. NCAA decision regarding the use of player likenesses in video games, college football and basketball titles disappeared from the market. For years, fans wondered if they would ever return.<\/p>\n

That possibility became more realistic in 2021 when Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights were introduced into college athletics. With athletes now able to profit from their likeness, optimism surged that video game developers could once again produce college sports titles featuring real players.<\/p>\n

Electronic Arts (EA) answered that call on the football side, releasing two new college football games featuring real players and coaches. Now, many fans believe college basketball could be next.<\/p>\n

One company positioned to lead that return is Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of 2K Sports and publisher of the long-running NBA 2K franchise, which has been a staple in sports gaming since 1999.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/p>\n

Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo, left, talks with Jaxon Kohler UCLA’s during the first half on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King\/Lansing State Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Hints of a college basketball revival date back to 2020, when NBA 2K\u2019s MyTeam mode introduced cards featuring players known for their college careers, including LaMelo Ball, Cole Anthony, and Anthony Edwards. For many gamers, it signaled that a return to college basketball gaming might eventually follow.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to today, and NBA 2K26 is taking another significant step. Season 5 will introduce college-themed MyTeam content featuring players from 16 different schools. In total, more than 40 active college athletes will be included in the update.<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/p>\n

Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo reacts after Jordan Scott scores during the second half against Michigan on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King\/Lansing State Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

According to On3<\/a>, Season 5 will feature playable MyTeam cards and wearable jerseys in The City mode with 16 schools being represented including Michigan State. <\/p>\n

Michigan State\u2019s Representatives\"Jeremy<\/p>\n

Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears Jr. celebrates after a Coen Carr dunk against UCLA during the second half on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King\/Lansing State Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Michigan State is among the featured programs in Season 5. Jeremy Fears Jr. and Grace VanSlooten will represent the Spartans.<\/p>\n

Fears<\/a> has emerged as one of the top point guards in college basketball this season. He is averaging a team-high 15 points per game while also leading both his team and the nation in assists at 9.3 per game. In his most recent outing against UCLA Bruins, Fears recorded 16 points and 10 assists while shooting 4-of-8 from three-point range.<\/p>\n

\"Grace<\/p>\n

MSU senior Grace VanSlooten (14) left the game against Illinois with an injury Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. | Robert Killips\/Lansing State Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

VanSlooten<\/a> has been equally impactful for Michigan State\u2019s women\u2019s program. She leads her team in scoring at 15 points per game and has elevated her defensive presence, averaging nearly two steals per contest. While her scoring efficiency has dipped slightly compared to previous seasons, her all-around contributions have helped anchor the Spartans on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n

Both players have played key roles in guiding Michigan State to 20-plus wins this season. The Spartans\u2019 men\u2019s team is currently ranked No. 15 in the AP Poll, while the women\u2019s team sits at No. 18 \u2014 further highlighting the program\u2019s national prominence.<\/p>\n

For players like Jeremy Fears Jr. and Grace VanSlooten, this represents more than just a digital cameo \u2014 it\u2019s a sign of how much the college sports landscape has evolved. And for fans, it may only be a matter of time before college basketball once again takes center stage in the gaming world.<\/p>\n

Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation,\u00a0WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE<\/a>,\u00a0and be sure to share your thoughts on Jeremy Fears and Grace VanSlooten being introduced into NBA 2k when you join our community group, Go Green Go White,\u00a0WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE<\/a>. Don’t forget to give us a follow on X\u00a0@MSUSpartansOnSI<\/a>\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Spartans when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news.\u00a0SIGN UP HERE NOW<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After the landmark O’Bannon v. NCAA decision regarding the use of player likenesses in video games, college football…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":485451,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,459,82],"class_list":["post-485450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485450","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=485450"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/485450\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/485451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=485450"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=485450"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=485450"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}