Cover guy CP

The way 2K Sports has been teasing us all by showing just bits and pieces of NBA 2K8 throughout the summer, they definitely accomplished their goal of getting the whole Dime office geeked for when the game actually comes out. Yesterday, as I was headed out the door to NYC’s Tenjune nightclub for another 2K8 preview event — this time featuring Chris Paul, Baron Davis and Q-Tip — more than one person asked only, “When is the game gonna come out?”

Earlier this summer we got a look at the 2K8 dunk contest feature and a mo-cap session at Rucker Park. At Tenjune, myself and the rest of the assembled media got a look at the whole thing. And as sick as last year’s game was, this one is better. The movement is even more realistic, especially when guys are running off of screens and moving without the ball. There’s one feature where you can be controlling one player (i.e. Deron Williams) on offense and at the same time tell a teammate (i.e. Boozer) to either set you a pick, post up or simply “Get open,” and they’ll use screens and do whatever they have to in order to get a good look. Another thing I noticed that one of the playable teams is “Team Jordan,” which is made up of CP, ‘Melo, Joe Johnson, Josh Howard, Ray Allen and the rest of the Jordan Brand roster.

Baron was more into the game than anyone there — so much so that our scheduled sit-down interview turned into me and my questions battling with the video game for Baron’s attention. I’ll just say it was a split-decision and it was close, but the video game won. While Baron was playing as the ’01 Draft class and dropping buckets with J-Rich, I asked him about the Richardson-to-Charlotte trade. Baron was clearly not a big fan of the move, but he does think Golden State needed to get some length and size (hence Brandan Wright), so he’s hopeful it all works out. Baron also talked about all the traveling he’d been doing this summer, including a trek around Europe. “France has the best food, man,” he gushed. “All of it was good.”

Baron was even hyped while watching people play the game. While one of the game’s producers was showing off a new “play-caller” feature that actually diagrams plays for your on the court as you’re running them (obviously you would use this more against the CPU, not when you’re playing your boys), Digital Kobe nailed a jumper, drawing a “Jelly!” shout from Baron. When a demo mode of the dunk contest saw Chris Paul throwing down some ridiculous crams, Baron was reacting just like the guys on the sidelines would in a real-life dunk contest.

Chris Paul didn’t spend as much time on the sticks as Baron, and when he did he was more into the dunk contest than playing 5-on-5. After watching the digital version of himself throw down some crazy dunks in a demo mode, CP wanted to jump on and see if he could do that himself. He couldn’t. But as much as he says guys on the Hornets play video games, I’m guessing he’ll get it down eventually. “You’ll be at dinner on the road or something, and someone will call you like, ‘Gametime, 10 o’clock,’” CP said. “So you know you gotta hurry up and eat to get back and play.”

Seeing as part of the event was to talk about 2K8‘s soundtrack and other music/lifestyle elements, Q-Tip was in the house to talk about his contributions to the music end. Q also took the opportunity to announce that he and Common have formed a group that you’ll be hearing from soon. But the highlight of Q-Tip’s night seemed to be when Bounce’s own Bobbito Garcia showed up — Bob is the MC for the 2K8 dunk contest — and gave Q a pair of fresh Air Force 1s that Q had obviously been on him about.

There were four consoles hooked up to TVs so we could all try out NBA 2K8, but I held off. I don’t want to give anyone in the office the built-in asterisk of saying I have experience when I start raining on them as soon as we get the game in the office.

Now that I’ve seen the finished product, it’s just a matter of counting the days …

The classic rivalry…

The new C’s…

Baron on the mic (talking, not rapping).

Q-Tip was pumped about these…

And of course, whenever Bobbito shows up, everyone wants to see what kicks he’s rockin’.