NBA 2K16's MyCAREER Details and the Influence of Spike Lee

When two powers collide, often times the ramifications are so great that someone -- or something -- ends up getting hurt in the process.



But when the powers collide to create one of the most intriguing collaborations known in the sports gaming industry, it becomes a potential win-win for everyone. This is what we’re hopefully about to get with Spike Lee’s #BeTheStory MyCAREER mode in NBA 2K16.



Lee is famous for his parading courtside at New York Knicks games, decked out in blue and orange from head to toe. His characteristics and youthful exuberance become water cooler chatter for any NBA fan. So when it’s time to translate those characteristics to the forefront of the critically acclaimed NBA 2K franchise, what comes out?



The ultimate version of “He Got Game.” Or perhaps, “You Got Game.”



Jeff Thomas, vice president of sports development at Visual Concepts, the studio behind NBA 2K, first met Lee at the NBA 2K15 launch party. The two spoke for only a brief moment, but one thing was clear: Lee wanted to be involved with NBA 2K.



“I want to tell a story, but one that starts at the very beginning with somebody young and on the way up,” Lee told Thomas. “When he makes it (to the NBA), I’m done.”



“Spike is an incredible storyteller, and he has an incredible passion for basketball,” said Thomas. “This story is a departure of what we’re used to doing. This is a true story with an added edge.”



And if the story is a shift from what NBA 2K is used to delivering, the production also changed just as much. Lee calls MyCAREER a “movie.” The director wrote every line of the mode’s dialogue. He casted each of the cutscene actors. He chose specific cameras to be used for filming. He made everyone start the day with a dance party (for real, though). He refused to use anything but a light blue sharpie pen. He did it all, just as he did when he originally filmed “He Got Game” in 1997.



“Making these two worlds come together -- the technology of 3-D and Spike’s world of filming, lighting and backgrounds -- was a huge challenge,” Thomas continued. “It was a tough year for our team, but it paid off. We put tons of effort into this content.”



The film starts in a high school setting, with the star preparing to make his mark on the game of basketball. The gym setting will give you flashbacks to the glory days, enjoying the painted bricks being covered by District Championships. From there, you’ll make your college choice. Visual Concepts licensed 10 major colleges for the game (Texas is the only one confirmed). Next up is the NBA Draft.



Along the way to that point is the real ride, and 90-minutes worth of cutscenes. #BeTheStory is about the consequence of making bad choices and risking it all when you feel like you have nothing to lose. Lee leaves no stone unturned when telling his story, which includes all of the drama of being a basketball star on the rise. From family, friends, business and teammates, chaos will surround you. There were even lines in the initial trailer removed at the NBA’s request, though they weren’t cut from the game itself. The story apparently gets that real. It’s Spike Lee, guys.



“You can’t go to someone like Spike Lee and put him in a box,” Thomas said. “He’s telling the story the way he wants to express it. It’s an engaging story...it makes you feel alive.”



So it will be up to you to decide how you want to live out your career. Each decision will have consequences. Good or bad.