NBA 2K23 hits another smooth jumper, starting with the Jordan Challenge

Just when it started to become easy to forget how great the NBA 2K franchise has been, the gaming company releases 2K23, taking you to the rim with the finesse and power of a Michael Jordan dunk.

And speaking of his Airness, the must-play game mode starts and ends with the re-release of the Jordan Challenge.

When it was introduced in 2K11, the Jordan Challenge was a huge hit. Fast forward past “The Last Dance,” and the latest version makes the original feel like kids playing on a Nerf hoop.

It’s not just the smoothness of playing as Jordan, but the cosmetics of the era depicted in each challenge. That’s where 2K23’s genius is on display.

Whatever filters the makers used, playing as Jordan in 1982 during his North Carolina days and facing Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown team in the national championship game feels like 1982. It’s not just a video game, it’s a history lesson.

The newest Jordan Challenge gives the player three goals to accomplish — against the Hoyas, it was to win the game, score 16 points and grab nine rebounds — before moving on to the next one.

Where 2K earns some extra credit is in the details put into the game.

In the Jordan Challenge and MyNBA Eras, not only does the game transport you to 1983, 1991, 2002 or 2022 visually, but the creators focused on the NBA rules and playing style from each of those eras.

Want to hand-check? Jump back to ’83 and hand-check away.

Want to be a “Bad Boy” and play with some physicality? Start a team in ’91 and tackle guys as they go in for layups.

That’s the strength of this latest version of the franchise. If 2K released a game with just the Jordan mode and MyNBA Eras, threw the $59.99 price tag on it and said, “Here you go!” it would warrant an A.

But there’s also the Franchise mode, WNBA and MyCareer.

It’s a difficult game to get bored with.

But now the negatives.

This is either the boomer in me or a sign of the times, but the MyCareer mode is getting to be sensory overload.

The gist of it remained the same. Create a player, bring him through a well-acted storyline and get his NBA career going or in some multiplayer game action.

Along the way, however, there’s too much focus on making sure he stays atop the -social-media game. Obviously, 2K23 wants to capture a younger audience with that -mindset, but sometimes ballers just want to ball.

Exploring the city on a skateboard was -irritating enough, but shouldn’t my agent and camp be taking care of these endorsement meetings and tweets?

Then there’s the ongoing debate about microtransactions. Spending real money to power up your player should be an option, but it shouldn’t be unbalanced. The game missed that balance this year. You need to pay to play, at least at a higher level.

I don’t spend a lot of time playing in The City, so it’s not an issue. But purchasing VC bucks to buy a pair of black sweats that look like they were left in a Walmart fitting room isn’t my idea of building my player’s style.

When that’s the only criticism of a game, the franchise can sleep well at night.

It’s a must-get game for any basketball fan and deserves a solid A grade.