Wayback Wednesday: My NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise
This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! From retrospectives of basketball games and their interesting features, to republished articles and looking at NBA history through the lens of the virtual hardwood, Wednesdays at the NLSC are for going back in time. This week, I’m taking a look back at my Sacramento Kings Franchise in NBA Live 2002 for the PlayStation 2.
It recently occurred to me that while I have mentioned my NBA Live 2002 Franchise with the Sacramento Kings in previous articles – including a re-creation of it for our 20th Anniversary of NBA Live content – I’ve never actually profiled it for Wayback Wednesday. Writing about it as an example of a failed basketball gaming idea, and in a handful of other features, had me thinking that I’d already covered it in detail. That really isn’t the case though, and since I’ve reflected on my other memorable season, franchise, and career mode games, it’s only fair that it gets a proper retrospective, too!
On top of that, on a recent dig through my archives, I unearthed some screenshots and an article from my “coverage” of that NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise, similar to the story topics in our Forum. Not only is it a blast from the past to see those again after all this time, but for the purposes of a retrospective like this, they also allow me to recall some details that have slipped my mind over the years. What I haven’t forgotten though is how much fun that NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise was, at a time when I definitely sought distractions…even when I probably shouldn’t have been! Let’s take a look back…way back…
NBA Live 2002 was naturally a controversial release in a community that had always been PC-oriented. Years later, we have more insight into why it only came out on console, as well as why NBA Live 2001 PC had been delayed and wasn’t everything we’d hoped it would be. At the time, all we knew was that not only had we been let down by NBA Live 2001 on PC, but now we wouldn’t be getting NBA Live 2002 either. Of course, some people were into console gaming as well, particularly the new PlayStation 2 and Xbox. I didn’t expect to be among them, but then my Mum actually suggested it as a Christmas present. I’d get to play NBA Live 2002 PS2 after all!
Like its predecessor, NBA Live 2002 does have its issues, but I nevertheless warmed up to it. I’d instantly become a fan of Franchise mode when it was introduced in NBA Live 2000, so it was inevitable that I’d begin a game in NBA Live 2002. The question was who would I choose? Despite being my favourite team, the Chicago Bulls weren’t a very appealing option at that time, and the absence of top picks Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry didn’t help matters. And so, I eventually opted for the Sacramento Kings. As you may recall, that squad featured Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, and Bobby Jackson, as well as some quality role players.
It’s fair to say that in the early 2000s, the Sacramento Kings were a “cool” team. The Los Angeles Lakers were arguably still the most popular team in the NBA, but many hoops fans enjoyed cheering against them as well. As is the case with most defending champions, there were fans of other teams who had grown bored of them, and wanted to see them fall. As an up-and-coming squad that seemingly stood a good chance of challenging the Lakers’ might, the Kings were an easy team to get behind, even if they weren’t your favourite club. They played an exciting brand of basketball, and were fun to use in video games, too. There’s a reason they became a classic team in NBA 2K!
And so, I tipped off the 2002 campaign on the virtual hardwood, playing on console rather than PC. Historically, I’d started my Franchises using a current roster update – either my own or someone else’s – but as I was on console with its limited in-game editing, I simply used the default rosters. I also decided to take a break from my usual approach to Franchise mode, and not make any fictional trades. Once again, the 2002 Kings had a deep roster that was already fun to play with, so outside of the occasional change to the starting lineup, I didn’t feel like tinkering. This also meant that I kept Jabari Smith – that’s Senior, not Junior – instead of releasing him as the real Kings did.
It didn’t take long to be assured that I’d made the right choice in picking the Kings. C-Webb had developed into a perennial All-Star, and playing on twelve minute quarters, he was almost always good for at least 20 and 10. Although NBA Live 2002’s rubbery backboard physics were initially off-putting to my burgeoning sim head stubbornness, there was also something satisfying about them, especially when I had Webber blow past a defender for a rim-rocking slam. The whooshing sound effect on three-pointers was also too arcade-y for my liking, but it was more than tolerable whenever Peja or Bibby started knocking down long bombs. It was undoubtedly good to be the Kings!
The fun also translated into success on the virtual hardwood, which soon became a winning streak. As I racked up more and more wins, I became extremely invested in keeping the streak going! This led to an interesting phenomenon where the games felt as though they were getting harder with each victory. To this day, I still wonder if that was technical or mental. Was NBA Live 2002 programmed to artificially boost the challenge if you went on a winning streak in Franchise mode, did I get complacent and overconfident after a few blowouts, or did I psych myself out with the pressure? As I’ve experienced the phenomenon in other games, it may well just be mental!
Regrettably, that obsession with keeping my winning streak going – and eventually challenging the all-time mark of 33 set by the 1972 Lakers – led me to do something that I believe we’ve all done at some point: ragequit. I can’t remember the opponent, but as the streak was getting longer, I found myself in a tough battle that I couldn’t overcome. I recall feeling frustrated that the AI wasn’t playing fair. The game ended, and so did the winning streak…except, it didn’t, because I quit and erased the result, allowing me to re-play the game and pick up the win. It wasn’t the first or last time that I’ve done that in a franchise game, and honestly, I hate that I’m able to say that.
Yes, it is just a video game at the end of the day, and the CPU doesn’t care if you’re a poor sport. All the same, one of my philosophies with franchise, season, and career mode play is that you accept the results even when they’re bad, and look to bounce back. It’s all part of the experience. Unfortunately, frustration can get the better of us, especially when the CPU has pulled a few strings and dirty tricks to hand you the loss. I can say that I haven’t refused to accept an undesirable result too often, but I’m not proud that “gamer rage” has led to it happening a few times over the years. When I suffered my next loss, I accepted that I’d been outplayed, and took the L as it were.
Naturally, it was easier to accept losses at the hands of tough teams with superstar players, and in my NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise, no opponent was tougher than Shaquille O’Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers. In my first showdown with the Lakers – a 30-point loss – Shaq dropped 72 on me, despite throwing everything I could at him. “Holding” him to only 50 points in our second matchup – a win – actually felt like a major accomplishment! In hindsight, I should’ve made better use of double teams, as well as the handcheck button to send him to the line more often. Of course, he likely would’ve made most of his free throws; one of those perennial CPU middle fingers!
My struggles against Shaq and the Lakers actually concerned me, and whether I’d be able to defeat them in the seemingly inevitable Playoff clash was a looming question throughout the regular season. Generally speaking, an experienced basketball gamer can make the unlikely and impossible happen as far as guiding their chosen team to a virtual Larry O’Brien Trophy, but playing that NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise on a higher difficulty setting, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get by the Lakers if we met in the postseason. As fun as it can be to feel unbeatable on the virtual hardwood, that nagging concern and feeling of vulnerability made that franchise game compelling.
That brings me to my “coverage” of my NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise. Oddly, I didn’t ever post it on the NLSC, but instead made it part of a personal website that so many of us created back in the day (once again, shout out to services such as Yahoo! GeoCities). I guess I felt it wasn’t worth dedicating resources to as an NLSC feature, and franchise stories hadn’t really gained traction in the Forum yet. As such, it was something that I mostly just did for myself, and a couple of people in the community that I shared it with. When I reached the All-Star Game, I decided to expand upon the narrative, and also take the experience beyond the confines of NBA Live 2002 PS2.
Since I was the coach of the Kings in this reality, I inserted myself into the story, trading friendly barbs with Shaq. This culminated in a write-up that I won’t post here because it’s not my best effort, though it is better than the ones I whipped up for my NBA Live 95 PC season! The article did make call backs to that game though, making it canon in my NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise. To summarise, Shaq and I had a 1-on-1 game in NBA Live 2001 PC – it’s not like I could take screenshots on PS2 back then – and my created player also donned a #34 Lakers jersey in tribute, as well as a #44 Kings jersey to tease the idea that I’d be joining the team as a player-coach.
The screenshots you see above are from that article. Of course, there was no way to actually add me to the roster now that my Franchise game was in progress, but I was never serious about that. As silly as that was, and as embarrassing as it is to read something I wrote when I was 17, I’m also glad that it’s still in my archives. Looking back, it helped to develop my interest in creating the content that I do nowadays. Thinking back to setting up those screenshots, and the satisfaction in getting them to look the way I wanted, reminds me that I still find joy in doing that for my features today. It’s given me a deeper appreciation for that NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise.
Checking the date on the images and article – September 23rd, 2002 – leads me into the downer ending for this story. As you can tell by that date, I was still playing my NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise as the 2003 season and the release of NBA Live 2003 were on the horizon. I was also reaching the end of high school; in fact, that was my last week of regular attendance before sitting my HSC exams! The fact that I was a high schooler in my final year and couldn’t always play whenever I wanted explains why the first year in my Franchise had dragged on so long. Mind you, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t spend time with NBA Live 2002 when I should’ve been studying!
Sadly, I didn’t get too far into the second half of the 2002 campaign. I moved on to NBA Live 2003 when it came out, and somehow, the save file for that NBA Live 2002 Kings Franchise was deleted. I’m not sure why as I never traded in my original copy of NBA Live 2002 PS2. Perhaps I needed space on the memory card for a newer game that I was still playing, and having grown weary of NBA Live 2002, figured I’d never come back to it. As I’ve discussed before, I’ve lost a few old saved games due to that lack of foresight. I’d love to be able to revisit that Kings Franchise now, as even though my re-creation of it brought some closure, it could never truly be the same.
Nevertheless, though I regret deleting that save file before I could actually finish the season, it’s still one of my all-time favourite basketball gaming experiences. It was an enjoyable distraction from high school drama, and some other personal issues that I wouldn’t address until years later. 2001 had been a tumultuous year: in March I lost my grandmother who I was close to, in August I took over the NLSC which was both exciting and challenging, and I battled a desire to drop out of school because I was fed up with it. That’s just scratching the surface, but there are details that I’d prefer to keep private. Also, some of it was just teenage angst, which most of us ultimately get over.
However, basketball and basketball gaming continued to be a refuge whenever I felt overwhelmed and in need of an enjoyable distraction. I believe it’s one of the reasons that I look back on NBA Live 2001, 2002, and 2003 with more fondness now, despite some of my frustrations with them at the time. Fresh eyes, nostalgia, and satisfaction with later titles are also factors here, but when I reflect upon those early 2000s games now, I can appreciate their strong points, and how they kept me hooked. Besides, I’ll take those rubbery backboard physics and an unrealistic ratio of offensive to defensive rebounds over any monotonous grinding and predatory recurrent revenue mechanics!
Above all, I appreciate the uniqueness of that Kings Franchise in NBA Live 2002. Using Sacramento rather than Chicago, keeping their real roster and only adjusting my starting five when I felt like it, having Michael Jordan officially in the game but going up against him rather than playing with him, Shaq and the Lakers being a real threat on the virtual hardwood…it wasn’t like my previous Franchise games, and that made it special. It also led to a brief obsession with acquiring Mike Bibby to be my point guard in subsequent Franchises, and solidified the 2002 Kings as a team I have tremendous nostalgia for. Again, I’m glad they became a classic team in NBA 2K.
While I didn’t even finish the first season out of a possible ten, that Sacramento Kings Franchise in NBA Live 2002 unquestionably had a profound impact on me. The fact that I can still remember it – perhaps not all of the numbers, but certainly big moments – speaks to how much fun it was. Completion is what you make it when it comes to sim basketball games, and although it’s a thrill to finish a full season playing every game on twelve minute quarters, getting through 60 or so games with some stories to tell is hardly a wasted effort. Like the real 2002 Kings, there may not be a storybook ending, but twenty years later it’s still one of my most memorable Franchise games.
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