: The game featured the virtual debuts of stars like LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards , allowing fans to play through their first seasons before they became real-world All-Stars. Technical Legacy and Longevity

: Upon release, players were frustrated by a revamped shooting mechanic that was notoriously difficult. This led to a wave of "how-to" guides and community patches to fix what many felt was a broken system.

NBA 2K21 was the bridge between console generations, launching on both PS4/Xbox One and PS5/Xbox Series X.

: Some reviewers noted that while it lacked major improvements, the on-court gameplay remained a "keystone" for the franchise, maintaining a high level of simulation quality.