ESPN NBA 2K5 was a Masterpiece 

2k just nailed it all around in 2005. NFL, NHL & NBA were all instant classics. It’s a shame their reputation has been tarnished developing the same endless greed as their biggest rival

This intro is something they need to bring back. First real 2k basketball game that got me hooked

2003-2006 was the peak of sport video games. There were still some gems after that but it slowly degraded from there.

This game had so much attitude and character. I would give anything to have this amount of love and detail in a sports game today.

2k5 was the blueprint. It’s like a hidden gem.

Being from Detroit, the Pistons winning the championship in 2004 and having Ben Wallace on the cover for 2K5 was a must-buy for me. I had so much FUN with that game.

I remember going to EB games and getting both NFL and NBA 2K5 for $40, $10 cheaper than one whole full price game. That was insane and the fact that these were great SPORTS!!!! games , the things we don't get anymore, blows my mind. I played both of these games for hours.

The fact this game included a 280 page reference guide is Legendary

0:14 The lyrics had be laughing so hard because he said "I'm like the Glove in his Prime taking the ball from you." Gary was in his prime with Seattle, but the footage was him with the Lakers 🤣

As a 25 year old pistons fan, I was playing this at around 7 years old. Amazing nostalgia.

NBA 2k3 and 2k5 had the the most exciting intros! Used to always get me hyped to start playing the game

everything 2K5 was a masterpiece

My mom bought this game instead of NBA Live, likely because it was cheaper. Best sports game I have ever played. One thing that still stands out to me is how realistic the auto-substitutions were. It really helps with the immersion when the distribution of stats and minutes closely mirrors a real-life stat line

This intro is one of the best BBall related raps I’ve ever heard(that alone shows how much more effort they put in back in the day)

In the 2000s we had some great Basketball games. NBA Ballers, NBA 2k, NBA Street and NBA Live. Now It's so sad to see how now little to no improvements are being made for the newer titles

That intro song got me hype as fuck. "I'm like the glove in his prime, taking the ball from ya" for as much nostalgia I have for this game, the franchise mode with the cap on is almost unplayable today lol even back then I don't think I did. End up with Dirk and Garnett in the free agent pool never to be signed and it's just eghhh

The Voices of ESPN NBA 2K5 - Bob Fitzgerald - Play By Play Bill Walton - Color Analyst Michelle Tafoya - Sideline Reporter Stuart Scott - Presenter

I remember that this game, along with Backyard Basketball 2004, were among the first NBA games I ever bought, and I was instantly hooked! It was a lot of fun playing through the game and the unlockables included were a nice touch (that Hieroglyphics team was really stacked). Oh, and that soundtrack was an underrated piece of work! A nice mix of alternative and underground hip-hop. I feel that 2K5, along with 2K11, were among my favorite installments in the NBA 2K series.

The 2K team was just so good back then. Feel bad for the kids they didn’t get to experience it. A better game for less than half the competition price

Soon as the intro started a rush of memories came back, this is the first basketball game I went and bought with my own money

Wallace with that braid and fro switch up blew my mind back then

2k5 was my first 2k game I personally had. Sooooo many hours were sunk into it and I remember I was only 8 grinding the association mode and 24/7. But then my disc got a ring on it 🥲 RIP 2k5 and Stuart Scott HOLLA AT YA BOY WHEN YA SEE EM IN THE STREET (real ones know that quote lol)

Man this was legit the first game I was heavily addicted to. I was so addicted to this game that I really never stopped playing it. 2K used to really care about their product and it's so sad what they have become over the years. Even playing this now is just a breath of fresh air, even with the super outdated graphics/rosters.

The facts NBA,NFL and NHL 2K5 were 20 dollars at the time it was released, was visionary. I copped all three and were both so fun to play.

The 2k5 intro just unlocked a lot of damn code memories. Those were the days man

This is my favorite 2K of all time and ppl always ask why. This game was ahead of it’s time comparing it to some of the later 2K’s that came after it. Like 2K 8,9,10,11. The removed a lot of things that were in this game. Things that made this game legendary.

nothing beats the ESPN presentation from the 2k5 games, it's so good. only FIFA and 2k eras do anything close to it now

Loved this game as a kid. Was able to revisit this classic when I bought it again at a classic game store near me in Philly. This game still holds up along with live 05

Brings back memories, arguably the best year in sports gaming ever.

I loved this game on Xbox when I was a kid. The 24/7 mode was great and I enjoyed going through Association with my favorite team. I always tried making my players happy when they came to me.

I love this game so much. When I got my PS2, this was one of the first titles I picked up. The soundtrack is so good. I find myself turning this on while I'm playing the current 2k.

So much nostalgia hit from watching that intro. Tried going bar for bar 😂 I played 2K2-2K4 but I was 8 when this came out and still was a Live baby. 2K5 really started to shift the game though.

Was a cool game. I still preferred Live 2005 at this time, but started liking 2K more after this one. In Association mode, LeBron use to always get traded to the Bobcats lmao. Who else remembers?

Game was a pillar of my childhood the nostalgia i felt during the intro

“Okay, Player. Pull up a chair. I’m Aceyalone, and I’m running for mayor. That’s just the intro, as if you care. 🙄” 😂 that song and Live 05’s “I Mean Business” were some childhood bangers 🔥🔥

I'm so glad you covered this game, it's such an underrated classic from 2K; the first of its kind to feature MyCareer, the presentation was awesome, gameplay was awesome, had a good franchise mode, etc!!! I rlly hope you cover NASCAR 07 next!!!

This game was more than just a masterpiece 🙌 it was a way of life 🙌 🙏🏽 I am blessed among many others who have had this game & still have it to this day🙏🏽

Ben Wallace's pistons were the "going to work" pistons, not the bad boy pistons. Other than that, fantastic video as always.

I remember playing with my older sister on summer days and during the school year we’d play outside during the school year. God I miss being a kid

The first 2k I ever played. Every ESPN 2k5 is at minimum a damn good game, whether it was MLB NBA or of course NFL. We got blessed with a bunch of great sports games in the ps2 era and now nothing that comes out compares to what we used to have, except MLB imo.

Man that intro brings back so many memories 😢❤

They put heart and soul into these games!

The opening track hit so hard. This game is amazing!

Used to play both 2k and Live, and always had 2k football growing up til 2k5. These games are really classics

2005 had to be the best year of sports gaming ever. Live 2005, March Madness 2005, Madden 2005, NFL 2K5, College Hoops 2K5, NBA Street 3 all masterpieces

as a pistons fan, it’s nice to see when we didn’t suck 😭😭💀

So glad this gem is getting a due. One of my favorite 2ks. And that intro song? Oh man.

The intro brought back some great memories.

I miss those 2K intros so much

Love this game. Actually the first nba 2K i ever played, and still do on occasion. The intro remains a banger, and i always get both hyped and a bit sad hearing stuart scott break down a key player before the tipoff. R.I.P

This was the nba game i played first! So addictive. Me and my brother always play until 3am. Hope i can feel the same way again

I had NBA 2K5 & NBA Live 05 and this was the first time I began playing a basketball game more than live for franchise/career modes. I grew up on NBA Jam, NBA Live, NBA Courtside, NBA 2K, etc so there was never a shortage for good casual basketball games with friends. However Sega Sports completely took over the sports video game market in 2004. It was amazing being a sports fan

I remember these games costing only $10-20 new at launch. Later on you'd find them together in a value package with pool and bowling games for like $10.

This shit was legendary. I put so many hours into this, NBA Ballers, NBA Street V2 and 3, and NBA Live 05

This video is spot on ! I was 15 years old in 2005 , I remember buying NBA 2K5 simply because Ben Wallace was my favorite center in the NBA at the time , I’m sitting with my dad who was smoking a joint with my uncle Alex and they laugh at me when I turn to them to say that 2K was going to take over and would eventually become better then NBA Live , at that young age I pay so much attention to every minor details, and 2K even back then with its limited technology had this authenticity about it that’s hard to explain , the presentation and even the form of how players would shoot that pretty fadeaway , plus the 24/7 Mode which was literally MyCareer before my career was fantastic I saw the promise even tho NBA Live 2005 was slightly better I saw the promise with 2K and I actually played 2K5 a lot more then NBA Live 2005

that intro was Fire, brings back soooo many memories 😢😢😢😢

I preferred NBA Live 05 but we got blessed with so many classics in the PS2/Xbox/GC era

man this game meant so much to my childhood

this was my first 2k, i was 8 years old and it made the pistons my favorite team at the time. the 24/7 mode used to make me rage lol

I love this game, even almost two decades after this release. Very fun game and the exemplary 24/7 mode!!! The soundtrack was great and IMO, even better when you add your own songs on the OG XBOX version (my main one that I play the most, despite also owning the PS2 version). It’s definitely on my top five NBA 2K’s ever

fun fact: if you score as ben wallace on the pistons court, the game will play the big ben gong sound.

From Dreamcast in 99 to 2k5 in 04. These were the greatest sports years ever. I still keep those years as a reminder that sports were once a top tier genre.

These games were revolutionary in offering that different gameplay. Definitely takes me back to a time and place.

Man 2k back then was so much fun! U didnt have to tune all these sliders for more realism, and you had less glitches like the ball going thru your body. Idr which Live it was, but one thing Live outdid 2k on was team chemistry. One of the years each player had an individual chemistry for each of their teammates. If they didnt like them, it affected how they played together. Best feature ive ever seen in a franchise mode. You couldnt just go get all the superstars, you had to get ppl who would play well together.

05 was probably the greatest year in the history of sports games. Definitely for basketball games. Both NBA live 05 and this were masterpieces in their own way. Overall Live 05 was the greatest basketball game ever. A huge improvement on the older shootout games. But 2k5 was better looking and had very in depth Sim features. Like choosing how many shots a specific player will take for the quarter. Really wish they would bring that back to the "super Sim" feature.

The lakers team still had Shaq and Kobe in they prime and had plenty of people in their prime or on the rise to pick from. But the detail was insane as well! Also importing draft classes from college hoops if you were doing a career there is a underrated feature I think nowadays but it showed the level of attention the games had!

Yes. This. This game was my jam back in the day. I said on your College Hoops video that I love how when you drove to the basket, the defender stayed on your body and you had to shed them or finish through contact to score at the rim. Only criticism of this game and College Hoops 2K5, was that it was too easy to steal the ball from the computer. Even on Hall of Fame/M.O.P. difficulty.

You keep hinting at NHL 2K5 being great. Take the plunge and play it, you'll love it

Loving the uploads SDTV. Appreciate you for the content 💯😎

Yes it was! The intro alone made it a heavy hitter.

My first NBA game, and what actually got me into the sport of basketball. Everything was so awesome in the game, the presentation, the music, the modes like 24/7... Complete package and no microtransactions... And it all cost just $20 new!!! 2K back when they weren't super greedy and provided a full experience for a fraction the price of their competitors. How times have changed.

The Mid-2000's were the PEAK of sports games.

24/7 mode was wild

After seeing the preview of this game in the NFL2K5 disc I had to just try this game out. Something about all of the 2K5 games just look visually amazing and it didn't take me long to pick up the controls for this NBA game thanks to the how to videos you can watch as mentioned in this video. Best part at the time of this post this game is dirt cheap! 😳 I found mine for only $2.99 on the regular X-box in my local area a few months ago. So if you love Basketball definitely check this game out. I was really impressed with it. ( One more side note since I've never really play NBA games since NBA Jam on SNES when it comes to this game compared to an EA games graphically for that era holy cow! 😲 After watching this video I never realized it was such a significant difference. To think this was made in 2004! Incredible! )

This game was amazing for it's time. Me and my old man always use to play each other on this and NCAA 2005. Much simpler times for video games

I like when Stuart Scott would say “holla at a playa when you see’em in the streets” in the pre game show

I remember loving this game, everything but the free throws.

This was the game that caused me to switch from Live to 2K. The only downside was a timeout glitch that caused to CPU controlled team to not sub out their players. And the there was another glitch on the OG Xbox version that wouldn’t allow you to import the draft classes from College Hoops 2K5. I think there was a patch released online to fix them both.

i had this and NHL 2k5 and they were honestly some of the best gaming memories i had as a kid!

I played all the 2ks but this is where i fell in love with 2k. 2k hit it out the park that year in every sport. I had all of em NFL,NHL,MLB, and NBA.

Such an amazing game. Another great video, SD! Hope all is well!

This was such a peak time for basketball games. This brings back so many memories 🔥

Just a couple of months ago, I found a copy of NBA2k5 at my local antique store. It was mint condition, and only 5 dollars. Now I’m planning to play it for the first time after watching this video!

NBA 2k, 2k1, and 2k2 on the Dreamcast are still hands down my favorite pro basketball games of all time (and NBA Street Vol. 2)

The 2005 installments of sports games from SEGA/2K and even EA were legendary. Aside from a few missteps like NHL 2005 and MLB 2K5, it's probably the best and last great year of sports gaming history since the competition dwindled down thanks to either exclusive contracts or companies willingly leaving the market. I even have a list for the respective major sports that were out that year. Football - ESPN NFL 2K5 Baseball - ESPN MLB 2K5 (even though it's inferior to MVP Baseball 2005, the little features and gimmicks it has makes it supremely fun) Basketball - ESPN NBA 2K5 Hockey - ESPN NHL 2K5 Soccer - FIFA Soccer 2005 (I would have gone with PES 4 but I liked PES 5 more in my opinion) UEFACL - UEFA Champions League 2004-2005 (call it a separate add-on to FIFA since it didn't have this originally) Golf - Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 Tennis - Top Spin 1 Boxing - Fight Night Round 2 Autoracing - NASCAR 2005: Chase For The Cup If we can get times like this again in sports gaming, I'll die happy.

2K laid the gauntlet down in 2004. Football, basketball, hockey...all their best or near their best on the sixth generation. The NFL never should've allowed Madden to cop out and buy their license. Worst thing that happened to sports games in the last two decades, hands down.

I remember getting this for christmas . My brother and I stayed up late so many nights playing this game good times

I used to play this with my buddy back in the day when I was in middle school. Like a lot of people I was still on the NBA Live train around this time but it was great to have options. Competition made all the sports games of this era top notch.

No Microtransactions !!! Bill Walton !!! Career Mode Offline!!!

anyone else remember unlocking the hieroglyphics team?

NBA 2K6 on the PS2 and the original Xbox was also awesome too. The best sports video games to me were from 2004-2007!

I can’t wait for your “NHL 2K5 was a Masterpiece” vid 😂

The intro went so hard for NO reason

I spent so many hours playing this game. I’m glad it is still receiving the love it rightfully deserves. Great video. And I agree with your description of the free throw mechanic.

You bringing back great childhood memories. Always preferred espn 2k series over any other sports series. So unique. Very slept on!!!

This game was fire 🔥...and it was only $20😂

It’s crazy that the game’s graphics still look insanely good to this day

Memories!! I remembered getting this for my bday in 2004 played all night with a buddy.. Good times.

I appreciate you letting the games intro play out. Brought out the nostalgic vibes for me for real. Still have my PS2 and this game and to-date; is the only 2K I play.

Sir your videos are always spot on. I have agreed with your opinions on almost every game you have reviewed. I have even bought and played some of the games because of your reccomendation. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication you put into creating these videos!