The matches consist of 2 halves, which may vary depending on the game mode, and each half lasting two minutes.

[3] Also, unlike many other popular basketball games like NBA 2K, the players have infinite endurance allowing them to run and defend as much as needed.

Several variables can affect the chance of the ball going in, including the player's rating, the distance from the defenders and the hoop, or timing the shot well by making the bar as filled as possible.

The team's power determines which opponents it will play against, which cards can be unlocked, and the rewards the player can get from events.

However, to be able to train a card to a certain point, it needs to be at a specific tier, along with the high enough star level.

[13] NBA 2K Mobile released their game on the App Store and pre-register on Google Play with LeBron James as the cover athlete for Season 1.

They promised "Console quality graphics" and "Lifelike NBA 2K action" and praised the games ability to play on the go.

[1][14][15][16] Then, on September 5, 2018, NBA 2K Mobile released Season 2 with Zion Williamson as the cover athlete.

[17][18] On December 1, 2020, NBA 2K Mobile released Season 3, and partnered with Kevin Durant who was the cover athlete for the game.

Giorgio Melani from Multiplayer.it praised the graphics as "simply impressive", citing the scalability between the performance and complexity with the power of the device's hardware.

Melani thought of the achievements in terms of quality as truly remarkable, and found the style aiming to be realistic without many simplifications.

[5] The auto mode has been criticized, with Harry Slater from Pocket Gamer noting that it is easier to play with, achieving better results than the player would by manually controlling the teams.