Fans have been asking for it for months since the death of Kobe Bryant occurred earlier this year, and today, 2K Games made it official.

Alongside Zion Williamson and Damian Lillard, Bryant will be the third and final cover athlete donning the box art of NBA 2K21 this year. The Mamba Forever Edition, which is the version of the game that Kobe will appear on, take the place of the Legend Edition, which is what it has been referred to in the past. This version of the game will be available on both current-generation console in addition to next-gen platforms later this holiday season. Additionally, the box art across both generations are unique as well.

2K Games also released a video today showing the artwork for each of Bryant's covers being created along with the following statement:

"Kobe Bryant holds a special place in the heart of every basketball fan - someone who truly left everything on the court, where his achievements range from legendary to seemingly impossible. The Mamba Forever Edition celebrates Kobe's lifelong pursuit of victory and legacy and immortalizes him with two unique custom covers honoring the span of his career. For the current generation version of the game, Kobe is shown wearing #8 – from his days as a bold and brash rookie. In the next-generation cover art, he is shown wearing #24, the number he played his final game in: his iconic 60-point performance."

While Kobe's announcement as the third cover athlete this year might be the biggest news for some, 2K also revealed the launch date for NBA 2K21 as well. When it comes to the current-gen versions, which include those on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and Stadia, you'll be able to pick the game up on September 4, 2020. Meanwhile, the PS5 and Xbox Series X iterations still don't have release dates because, well, the consoles themselves do not have street dates yet.

While 2K has yet to show us any actual gameplay of NBA 2K21 this year, we should be seeing a whole lot more in the coming weeks and months, so stay tuned.