Many critics praised the overall presentation and gameplay, as well as the large amount of content, the new features, and the developers' ability to still introduce positive changes after many previous installments.

[5] The pre-game, halftime, and post-game shows are hosted by Ernie Johnson with punditry from Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith.

[6][7] Meanwhile, the game commentary is performed by Kevin Harlan with Clark Kellogg and Greg Anthony, while Doris Burke is the sideline reporter.

Some of the 25 EuroLeague teams include Olympiacos Piraeus, Panathinaikos Athens, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Real Madrid, Alba Berlin, and CSKA Moscow.

MyTeam mode was first introduced in NBA 2K13,[25] and is based around the idea of building the ultimate basketball team, and maintaining a virtual trading card collection.

Starting NBA 2K16, cards have different levels that are indicated by their overall rating including: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Amethyst, and Diamond.

Similar to previous games' Crew mode, players customize team logos, colour schemes, court designs, jersey styles, and certain other basketball related aspects.

Lee also said the experience of video game development was "unique", and stated that he felt he could "push the boundaries of innovative storytelling".

The full body scanning improves details in players' tattoos as well, something that has been criticized in past NBA 2K games.

[54][55][56] A second official trailer, titled "Beyond the Shadows", was released on August 10, 2015; it features Spike Lee narrating a summary of Stephen Curry's basketball career, and showcases some gameplay footage.

[14][63] Another gameplay trailer, titled "Living World", was released on September 2, 2015; it features several of the game's developers discussing the improved presentation.

[70][71] If players purchase the special edition of the game, they receive the Michael Jordan cover, several physical items, such as a poster, and many in-game bonuses.

[72][73][74] When players purchase the retail version of the main game, they receive one of three different cover arts; distributed randomly, players will receive a cover featuring either Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans, Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, or James Harden of the Houston Rockets.

He scored it a 9.0/10, praised the overall presentation and gameplay, and stated: "Games like NBA 2K16 will tend to overreach in how it chooses to occupy your time outside of the virtual arena.

Still, NBA 2K16 remains a refined technical masterpiece that rewards rookies and veterans alike with a showcase that belongs in the basketball hall-of-fame.

He scored it a 4.0 out of 5 and praised the "fantastic" presentation, the amount of depth, the "great" soundtrack, and the involvement of Spike Lee.

Few sports games come close to providing a more authentic and fun virtual representation of the real thing, and even if this is the least user-friendly entry in years, I can't stop playing it.

"[84] GamesRadar's Rich Grisham scored the game a 4.5 out of 5 and wrote: "NBA 2K16 is absolutely brimming with content; so much so that it's virtually impossible to experience it all.

Its core basketball experience is spectacular, and it takes big chances with an expansive story mode, a multitude of online options, and a presentation that is second to none in the sports game space.

The only lingering doubt is its ability to keep its online infrastructure up and running from Day One, as many of the game's features are tied to the 2K servers being operational.

"[85] Michael Huber from GameTrailers scored the game an 8.5 out if 10 and wrote: "Visual Concepts has done a commendable job with just one year of development.

Although the microtransactions devalue certain aspects of the game, and Pro-AM has connection issues, the on-court changes and additions are worth checking out for basketball enthusiasts.

Developer Visual Concepts continues to raise the sports simulation bar by completely retooling its silky-smooth gameplay, adding brand-new physics systems, and refining its traditional game modes.

Not all of the changes work as well as others, most notably the Spike Lee-themed MyCareer mode, but it doesn't take away from the impressive overall package."

[87] Matt Whittaker of Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 3.5/5 and wrote: "Evaluating NBA 2K16 as a whole is actually an interesting challenge.

On one hand, this is arguably the most mechanically sound sports game on the market and the gameplay improvements that Visual Concepts made are downright superb.

The issue here lies with the decision to make Livin 'Da Dream the focus and backbone of MyCareer falling flat.

There are some moments throughout Spike Lee's in-game film that might bring a smile to your face, but this story doesn't lend itself to this franchise's gameplay or the video game medium itself.

Yes, basketball fans will likely have a great time playing NBA 2K16 for hours on end, but there are too many small steps back here that can't be ignored.

[89] Within its first week of release, NBA 2K16 shipped over 4 million copies, making it the fastest selling game in the series.