Now we can finally end the debate on which team is the greatest ever.

#NBA2K13 will feature the iconic ’92 Dream Team! Play as the greatest. Spread the word, tweet #NBA2K13 twitter.com/2KSports/statu…

— 2K Sports 2K12 (@2KSports) August 15, 2012

NBA 2K has been featuring classic teams since NBA 2K11 when Michael Jordan was on the cover and the “Jordan Challenge” was the big draw for the game.

NBA 2K12 stuck with the classic theme including Magic Johnson and Larry Bird on the covers as well and even more legends and classic teams.

One of the players that was most notably left out of NBA 2K12 was Charles Barkley. 2K Sports planned to have Barkley in the game and featured the 1985 Philadelphia 76ers and was also going to feature the 1993 Phoenix Suns but they couldn’t get him last year.

Barkley appears in the photo 2K released today standing with the rest of the 1992 Dream Team in digital form.

Scottie Pippen, however, will not be on the team which is a pretty big letdown. This also means Pippen probably won’t be on any classic Bulls teams which means maybe there won’t be many classic teams after all.

NBA2K13 game features every 1992 Dream Team player but Scottie Pippen. Couldn’t strike deal with ex-Bulls star.

— darren rovell (@darrenrovell) August 15, 2012

2K Sports hasn’t released other information about which classic teams will be on the game but there should still be some. They did say they would be focusing more on the future than the past as evidence by their new cover athletes, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin.

2K Sports also announced a few days ago a major change to the controls. The right stick will now be used to control dribble moves. This was how dribble moves were controlled in some of the old NBA Live games. 2K is promising this will be a better version of that in NBA 2K13.

NBA 2K13 continues to be innovative every year in finding ways to draw more fans. They have the best basketball product on the market but they don’t stop there.

Two years ago they included Michael Jordan and the Jordan Challenge in NBA 2K11. Last year they added even more legends by popular demand featuring Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on the game’s cover along with Jordan.

This year NBA 2K13 will be partnering up with Jay-Z who is coming on to serve as executive producer.

“This has been a unique opportunity to collaborate with 2K Sports and be a part of one of the best sports video games in history,” Jay-Z told 2K Sports. “NBA 2K13 will be the next evolution in sports and basketball culture, and I’m ready to usher in the new era of the franchise.”

The move to include a Hip Hop legend in Jay-Z was again a very savvy one by the 2K Sports team. With the Nets moving to Brooklyn for next season as well, it’s even more fitting.

“We aren’t content with just being the best, and we will continue to grow the NBA 2K franchise into one of today’s premier entertainment experiences,” Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports said. “Jay-Z’s role in NBA 2K13 represents a unique fusion of basketball, music, art, and entertainment, and illustrates the evolution of NBA 2K into something much bigger than simply the best basketball video game series ever made.”

2K Sports also announced today the soundtrack for the game which will include many songs by Jay-Z himself.

Credit: NBA 2K13 Facebook page

It was revealed a few weeks ago that Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin would grace the cover of the game. NBA 2K13 will release on October 2, 2012 in North America.

Durant, Rose and Griffin are three of the league’s hottest young stars which is clearly something 2K Sports is trying to sell with this year’s game.

The past two years, the NBA 2K series has focused on legends including Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. That was especially convenient for last year’s game which was released while the NBA lockout was going on. Reminiscing with the legends was a perfect cure for NBA lockout withdrawals.

Focusing back on the present and the future of the league was the right step for NBA 2K13. Durant, Rose and Griffin certainly represent that to the fullest.

This is actually the second time Durant has been on the cover of an NBA video game with the first time coming for NBA Elite 11, a game that was planned to release in 2010 but delayed and later canceled by EA Sports basically because they knew NBA 2K11 would blow it out of the water.

Many people thought LeBron should have been considered for the cover but the decision was obviously made awhile ago as to who would be selected. LeBron’s recent ascension as an NBA champion was unable to influence who NBA 2K13 chose for their cover.

Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin are clearly the “clues” we can take from the cover that 2K has given us so far.

We see a tarantula representing Kevin Durant for his nickname of “Durantula.” Then we see roses clearly hinting at Derrick Rose and then the gryffin which points to Blake Griffin.

Last year, NBA 2K12 focused more on the past and the legends with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird being on their covers.

This year it’s about the future of the NBA with Durant, Rose and Griffin.

NBA 2K13 will be released October 2, 2012.