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Screens & Info Updated: 10/7/2003

While stars dominate on the court, it doesn't matter if basketball is played on the playground blacktop or the hardwood of the association - it's still a team sport. And when you get to the level of the NBA, it takes more than just the high-profile players on the court to succeed as a franchise. There's whole set of elements - drafting the right players from college, making the right trades, calling the right strategies, and keeping your players healthy - in order to maintain a successful season in the NBA.

For this year's Franchise mode, virtual general managers will have all these variables at their disposal to mold their own winning basketball dynasty. In ESPN NBA Basketball's Franchise mode, gamers will be able to manage three key people in the team's personnel that have an immediate impact on the success or failure of the franchise:

- Assistant coaches: Strengthen your head coach's philosophy or balance it out with the hiring of quality assistant coaches. Assistant coaches will be able to affect the playing style and fundamental mechanics for the team; you can choose to have the assistant coach follow the same style of the head coach or balance out the head coach's influence on a team's performance.

- Scouts: With a high-priced scout, you'll be able to get much more information when your scout sizes up the incoming draft class in their workouts.

- Trainers: A good trainer will not only prevent athletes from getting injured, but a good trainer will be able to have that athlete recover faster than a mediocre trainer.

Also new to ESPN NBA Basketball are CPU initiated trades; now the CPU will not only look at the trade value of its own teams, but will make "guesses" on how likely you will accept trades. Savvy CPU trade logic, combined with the new personnel management decisions make ESPN NBA Basketball's Franchise mode as challenging as getting past a tenacious defender.

So far, you've seen the visual difference, learned about the innovative IsoMotion system, experienced street-balling styles, and taken a glimpse at the ESPN presentation. But for today's Tip-Off Tuesday, we'll delve into a brand new feature for ESPN NBA Basketball - 24/7 mode. In ESPN NBA Basketball's 24/7 mode, the world is literally a playground. Create your own b-ballin', shotcallin' persona down to the most minute details - arm bands, knee pads, arm & leg tattoos, hairstyles, and much more. But it's too early to get caught up in your looks; battling on the streets takes a lot of skill and hard work. Start training your baller in several exercises that will increase attributes in shooting, dribbling, defense, passing, and more. Once you've got some skill with the rock, take your player to the basketball battleground as you contend with various NBA players in different street modes throughout the country.

Sound easy? Well, you better set your clock cuz your on it 24/7 - featuring a real-time clock system, unique opponents and basketball events only appearing at certain times of the day based on your video game system's clock. So if you want to challenge the NBA elite, you better set up your 'appointments' and train hard. Win on the battleground and if you do it with style (i.e. shut out your opponent), he'll give you his cell number, just in case you need a partner for two-on-two games. Better yet, you might win a new item to equip on your player.

When we talk about items, we're not just talking about a new watch or headband. Choose from over 200 unique items to equip on your player. These items will include new basketballs, combat boots, messenger bags, backpacks, motorcycle helmets, retro jerseys, SEGA-themed accessories, and much more. Show off the items you've earned to your friends or better yet, go online to show your wears! Nothing is more humiliating than getting dunked on in a street game by a player in bunny slippers.

With the number of "street" basketball titles available on the market nowadays (NBA Street, Street Hoops), plus the upcoming NBA Ballers and NBA Jam titles in the pipeline, there's no way ESPN and Sega could come less than correct with NBA 2K4's streetball mode - and they haven't. No wacky gamebreakers and impossible jumps here - just rugged and raw street hoops, breaking the game down to its pure essence. No blood, no foul, you know?

In Street mode, it's all about respecting the game, whether it's in the half-court, full-court, 1-on-1 or 5-on-5. Better yet, take on three other opponents in some old-fashioned "21". Play all around the country in our very detailed outdoor courts, but don't get too caught up in the beauty of your surroundings; IsoMotion takes on a whole new meaning in the Street game. Hone your skills and humiliate your adversary on the blacktop. Check out the pile of new screenshots on the next page to see exactly what we mean.

When you think of the worldwide leader in sports, you think of the highest standard of sports broadcasting. To attain this level, you'll need a respected commentary team that offers exciting insight, the proper camera work showing the emotion of the game, and slick overlay presentation to compliment a sports broadcast. Anyone can keep track of the points, rebounds, and assists, but you expect the highest quality with ESPN.

To this end, ESPN NBA Basketball delivers a basketball video game experience rivaled only by the high-quality real-life ESPN broadcasts. From the opening team match-ups hosted by ESPN's Kevin Frazier, you'll hear his insight on what players to watch and who's got the edge. For commentary, ESPN NBA Basketball features the veteran talents of Bob Fitzgerald and Tom Tolbert to provide intelligent and entertaining observations to compliment the intense action as you play ESPN NBA Basketball.

When you reach the level of the NBA, you're talking about the upper echelon of basketball skill and talent. Players in the NBA demonstrate ball-handling abilities, pinpoint accuracy, and aerial feats like no other professional athlete. It's not just how the performance on the court thay counts, but it all has to be done with great finesse. No sport combines exciting athleticism with amazing style like the NBA. To capture the realism of professional basketball, ESPN NBA Basketball spares no expense to recreate all the visual splendor that the game has to offer. Whether it's the technology that allows our virtual players to sweat, creating unique heads models for every single player in the NBA, or our exciting new cloth simulation technology that allows for realistic animations on each player's jersey and shorts, ESPN NBA Basketball is, without a doubt, one of the best-looking basketball video games ever!

Visual Concepts sent over some hot and sweaty new screens of ESPN NBA 2K4, specifically showing off the impressive new visuals. It certainly looks like we'll be playing a mighty fine looking game of b-ball it is this year.