Last night, the NBA Finals began with the Boston Celtics taking Game 1 over the Los Angeles Lakers, 98-88. Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett finished the game with a double-double (24 points and 13 rebounds), and perhaps it was fated to be so -- last night, during ABC’s NBA Pre-Game show, a thirty-second commercial revealed that he will appear on the cover of this year’s installment of 2K Sports’ NBA 2K9.

Garnett seems unabashedly enthused about the quality of the yet-to-be-released game, as the press release (after the jump) says:

“NBA 2K is where it’s AT! End of story,” said Garnett, who is currently playing in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s the game I play, the game my friends play, and the game anyone in the league serious about videogames plays. NBA 2K is the real deal, and until 2K Sports find a way to plant an elbow in your chest, it’s the closest thing to actually being there on the court. I can’t tell you how pumped I am to be on the cover of NBA 2K9 – it’s a real honor. Now watch out! Because this fall 2K Sports and I are going to deliver the best basketball video game out there, period.”

Garnett, a 13-year NBA veteran, played his entire career for the Minnesota Timberwolves until he was traded to the Boston Celtics last July. His production dropped this year -- he only played in 71 games during the regular season -- but none of that will matter if he can lead the Celtics to an NBA title. Check out a few screenshots of KG in 2K9 below. The game will be out this fall on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2.

2K Sports Announces Superstar Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics as Cover Athlete for NBA® 2K9

The most popular and top-rated basketball game seven years in a row* gets even better this year

New York, NY – June 6, 2008 – 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), today announced that 11-time NBA All-Star and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics will be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for this year’s most highly anticipated basketball video game, NBA 2K9. After leading the Boston Celtics to the greatest single-season turnaround in NBA franchise history, Garnett will lend his unmatched passion and on-court intensity to provide dedicated fans with the most fun and riveting basketball simulation experience available.

“NBA 2K is where it’s AT! End of story,” said Garnett, who is currently playing in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s the game I play, the game my friends play, and the game anyone in the league serious about videogames plays. NBA 2K is the real deal, and until 2K Sports find a way to plant an elbow in your chest, it’s the closest thing to actually being there on the court. I can’t tell you how pumped I am to be on the cover of NBA 2K9 — it’s a real honor. Now watch out! Because this fall 2K Sports and I are going to deliver the best basketball video game out there, period.”

Garnett was drafted out of high school in 1995 from Farragut Academy (IL) and has redefined the forward position as one of the most talented and versatile players in NBA history. Known to fans by nicknames such as “The Kid”, “The Big Ticket”, or “KG”, Garnett is the only player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, ten rebounds, and five assists per game for six consecutive seasons. He has also been voted MVP (2003-04); named to 11 All-Star teams, nine All-NBA Teams and nine NBA All-Defensive Teams; and, this past season, named NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

“Kevin Garnett is one of the most popular and skilled players in the NBA today, and he represents everything we love about basketball. He’s a charismatic leader who is truly passionate about the game, and plays his heart out every time he steps on the court,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “With KG’s ongoing support and invaluable input during the development process of NBA 2K9, dedicated 2K Sports fans will be treated to a host of exciting new gameplay features and upgrades this year for an even deeper and more realistic basketball experience than ever before.”

Developed by 2K Sports’ Visual Concepts studio, NBA 2K9 is not yet rated by the ESRB and will be available this fall for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. For more information, please visit www.2ksports.com.

*The NBA 2K series developed by Visual Concepts outranked competitors based on GameRankings.com average scores of 2001-2007 NBA video games.