NBA 2K18: Missing big names on the All-Time Teams

Reggie Miller and Charles Barkley are among the notable fan favorites omitted from NBA 2K18 All-Time teams due to licensing issues.

For fans who spent the summer eagerly awaiting news about NBA 2K18 game updates, Christmas came early. This year fans can have the option of choosing an All-Time Team for all 30 NBA franchises. The All-Time Team update includes the lifelike graphics and highly disputed player ratings fans have come to love.

Everybody has their reasons for including or excluding a player from their favorite franchise’s All-Time squad. For fans, money doesn’t usually factor into the ranking process when they start cataloging their favorites.

Intellectual property and licensing agreements won’t be an issue for fans unless their favorite player is someone like Reggie Miller or Charles Barkley. The NBA 2K franchise hasn’t been able to acquire licensing agreements for everyone fans want to see in the game. The licensing forced some notable omissions from the game.

Miller (Indiana Pacers), Barkley (Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets) and Rasheed Wallace ( Portland Trail Blazers, Detroit Pistons) are among the most notable missing from the game due to licensing issues.

Check out all 30 of the All-TIme rosters and see if your favorites made the cut.

Charles Curtis of USA TODAY Sports spoke with the executives at 2K Sports and explained the omissions.

"The gaming company has an agreement with the National Basketball Retired Players Association, which gives them the rights to use the likenesses of former players, but not all of them. Some players actually choose to opt out of the RPA agreement. Those who aren’t a part of it can sign a separate deal with 2K Sports if that want to be included in the game."

Additionally, their agreement with the NBA Retired Players Association doesn’t cover the likenesses of deceased players. The estate of players like Moses Malone would have to enter into separate agreements with 2K Sports for their loved ones to appear in future versions.

Blended teams

There are worse fates than not being able to play with your favorite player. Though fans of the Seattle SuperSonics can play with icons such as Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton, the catch is they have to wear Oklahoma City uniforms.

The Oklahoma Thunder acquired the licensing rights to the Seattle SuperrSonics when the team was purchased. Since the NBA recognizes the Thunder and Seattle as one team the SuperSonics fall under Oklahoma City.

Dylan Buckingham of KFOR in Oklahoma City posted the NBA 2K18 All-Time roster for the “Oklahoma City Thunder” players.

The announcement drew immediate reaction from Q13 the Fox affiliate in Seattle Washington.

"“They took the Sonics from us.“And now they’re trying to take our history?!“The latest iteration of a popular NBA video game has transformed Seattle SuperSonics legends into Oklahoma City Thunder players. The news came when NBA 2K18 announced its all-time team rosters on Thursday.“Since the team moved to Oklahoma ten years ago, some of the Sonics history has apparently moved with it.”"

Sounds like they are still a little salty and wounded in Seattle. Truthfully though, the NBA and Thunder could’ve made an exception and let SuperSonics greats play as SuperSonics instead of the  Thunder. Can Seattle be great one last time, OKC?

The game designers did a great job of pulling together the All-Time rosters for the players they held agreements with. We can’t have cake and eat it too, but with the new All-Time rosters, additions maybe we can have cupcakes and them too.

Next: Ranking the 10 NBA teams who have 'next' after the Warriors

NBA 2K18 is scheduled for release on Sept. 19, 2017. Let us know who your favorite All-Time players and teams are, and happy gaming!