Elite NBA players enjoy the 24/7 spotlight of national television, lucrative endorsement deals, and even occasional crossovers into Hollywood. But underneath this veneer of the charmed life are thousands of hours spent in gyms perfecting shooting strokes, honing dribbling moves, and sculpting...

is another rock-solid game in the franchise. It features worthwhile updates to the dribbling and shooting mechanics, and backs up those improvements off the court in ways that make me care about managing my team. All in all, I know NBA 2K17 will be in my gaming rotation for many months to come.

Presentation can make or break any sports game. Here, NBA 2K17 continues in the excellent tradition set by its predecessors. If you happen to pass by someone playing this game, you would swear they are watching a live game.

Incredible presentation; More focused career mode; Ridiculously deep franchise modes

Player faces are still creepy; Playing defense feels sluggish

NBA 2K17 feels like it was made by a team of people who live and breathe basketball. Everything from the meticulous presentation to MyCareer mode's practice drills exhibits the care and attention that only come from people who get whisked away in midday dreams of playing in the NBA--and that makes...

Excellent gameplay; MyCareer offers an engrossing campaign; Players and venues look fantastic; Exhibits authentic passion for the sport

2KU training doesn't provide useful feedback

While some may be annoyed with the initial 6GB patch before you begin, it's worth it for the final product. NBA 2K17 is the best basketball simulation I have ever played and yes, there's always room for improvement…but this year reduces the list of those dramatically and reintroduced me to the...

Welcome back B-Ballers! NBA 2K17 is here with the best basketball game currently on the planet for you to enjoy! For those who are already familiar with the series, you should be able to jump in and get going pretty quickly.

There is a particular recipe that only a fair few gaming connoisseurs know how to utilize properly. Year in and year out 2K Games proves that it knows exactly what it's doing with each annual release of NBA 2k, and 2K17 is no different.

For the better part of a decade - certainly since the explosively popular cultural touchstone that was NBA 2K11 with its legendary Jord...

Superb in-game presentation; Smooth; smart gameplay; Massively diverse options; Tremendous depth of skills and playcalling

Buggier than its predecessors; Overwhelming to newcomers; Has its hand out for money at all times

Despite a few minor irritations, such as the odd bug in a MyCareer training session or a slight oddity in the animations, NBA 2K17 is basketball at its absolute finest in gaming terms.

Man, I love this game. I've been playing since 2k on Dreamcast and buy it every year. Big fan!