Basketball fans have plenty to look forward to with the reveal of new gameplay mechanics for the upcoming NBA 2K21. A playable demo of the game will also be released on August 24th, giving fans a chance to check out the game for themselves.

Gameplay director Mike Wang talked about the game’s changes in a new blog post.

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Gameplay Changes

Among the gameplay changes in NBA 2K21, they announced a rework of the ProStick for better dribbling in the game. The new way ProStick works is as follows

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Hold RS down = jump shot
Hold RS left or right = escape dribble moves
Hold RS up = signature size-ups
Tap the RS = quick 1-to-1 dribble moves
Tap the RS with Sprint held = quick momentum dribble moves

The size-ups are also getting plenty of new content, with real-life NBA players doing their iconic size-ups.

“Altogether, you can choose from a list of 14 Park and 36 unique NBA Size-ups,” the blog post says. “And when you factor in all the 1-to-1 size-up packages and new customizable escape dribbles, there’s really no limit to the types of combos you can pull off in NBA 2K21″.

The shot meter is also getting a rework, going from a timing-based system to a targeting-based one. How easy it is to make a shot will depend on the player’s skill, as well as your own mastery of the ProStick.

“If you can master shooting with the Pro Stick, you’ll have a higher ceiling for getting greens and making tough shots, so I’m pretty sure it’s going to be the shot method of choice for many competitive 2K players”.

Fans who preferred last year’s system need not weep though, as 2K confirms that last year’s timing based shots can still be used.

Of Defensive Options and Big Point Guards

It’s not all offense though, as 2K has improved many defensive features in the game. Block targeting seeks to make bigs in the paint much better, with a more natural-feeling approach to blocks. Mike Wang says this should also help stop overpowered setups.

You can also model your player’s defensive style after NBA greats such as Russell Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Pat Beverley, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Gre.

Dame Lillard, the cover athlete for NBA 2k21, also had input on the game. At his request, fans can now make oversized (6’8″) Point Guards in MyCAREER.

2K says they will be sharing more information regarding MyCAREER, and MyTEAM ahead of the game’s launch on September 4th.

While these changes are all available in current-gen versions of NBA 2K21, Mike Wang says to stay tuned for more news about next-gen content for the game.

NBA 2K21 launches on PC, XBox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch and Google Stadia on September 4th.