NBA 2K9 taps KG for cover

With the Boston Celtics facing the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals tonight, 2K Sports announced just prior to tip-off that one of the sport's biggest stars would grace the cover of NBA 2K9 this fall.

Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett will front copies of the latest hoops sim from Visual Concepts and offer his input to the development team as it implements unspecified new features and upgrades to the long-running series. As with last year's edition, the game will appear on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360.

An 11-time All-Star and 2008 Defensive Player of the Year, Garnett is one of Boston's "Big Three" along with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. His nearly $24 million salary made him the highest-paid player in the league this year, but a championship earned against the Celtics' biggest rival would go a long way to justifying every penny of it.