Flat earther Kyrie Irving is the cover star of NBA 2K18

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Kyrie Irving has been named as the cover athlete of NBA 2K18, 2K today confirmed.

“It is well known that I’m an avid player of this series and I am honored to be the cover athlete of NBA 2K18,” Irving said of the news. “It’s surreal to be featured on the cover and I can’t wait to dominate on the virtual court with all of my fans this fall.”

On the court, Kyrie’s accomplishments include the Rookie of the Year award in 2012, NBA All-Star Game MVP in 2014 and the 2016 NBA championship.

Off the court, Irving has made news of late by coming out in support of the flat earth theory.

“I’m telling you, it’s right in front of our faces. They lie to us,” Irving said on the Road Trippin’ podcast. “There is no concrete information except for the information that they’re giving us. They’re particularly putting you in the direction of what to believe and what not to believe. The truth is right there, you just got to go searching for it.”

Are you pleased with 2K’s decision to highlight Irving as NBA 2K18‘s cover star, or do you think his antics off the court should have impacted his inclusion?

Legends cover star, Shaquille O’Neal, also made headlines when he jokingly said he believed in the flat earth theory.

“The first part of the theory is, I’m joking, you idiots. That’s the first part of the theory,” Shaq later told the Art of Charm podcast.

“The second part is, I said jokingly that when I’m in my bus and I drive from Florida to California, which I do every summer, it seems to be flat. When I’m in my plane, and we’re getting ready to land, and I open up the window, and I’m looking at all the land that we’re flying over, it seems to be flat. But this world we live in people take things too seriously.”

NBA 2K18 heads to Switch, Windows PC, Xbox One and PS4 on 15 September.