Let Sandro Mamukelashvili Play as Himself in NBA 2K22

Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesOne of the silliest exercises each year is the uproar over NBA 2K player and team ratings, although I have to credit 2K for turning it into such prominent fodder for offseason social media squabbling. There’s nothing quite like quibbling that a Milwaukee Bucks player should be rated incrementally higher in their athleticism. In truth, I haven’t played an NBA video game all that much since NBA Live 2005 (shoutout to the dunk contest feature in that one), but I enjoy seeing the discourse nonetheless, especially when players weigh in themselves. But every year, there’s a much sadder story lurking behind those ratings releases. It’s a dream deferred for so many young players. I’m talking about the absence of fringe roster players from NBA 2K’s initial team rosters upon the game’s release. And yes, this can formally be considered an in-kind donation to Sandro Mamukelashvili’s campaign to officially be added to NBA 2K22.

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