Last week Spike Lee was enlisted by 2K Games to announce that Kobe Bryant had secured himself the honor of being the cover athlete for the upcoming NBA 2K10, calling on fans to decide which of four covers should be the final one (I have voted for the Knicks jersey). Today, EA has tried to one-up the competition by naming Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard as the cover star for their own NBA licensed game NBA Live 10. Remember, Bryant and Howard are now facing off head to head in the NBA Finals with the series currently standing at a Lakers two games to one lead (game four is tonight in Orlando).

The cover seems to continue the new EA Sports aesthetic, seen first in Fight Night Round 4 and then later in Madden NFL 10, of a pixelated blur dissolving into the cover athlete. Granted, this is very similar to the look that Capcom used for the cover of Street Fighter IV, so maybe it's just the new hot design thing.

Dwight Howard, a former first round draft pick right out of high school, was generous enough to give EA's PR people the following quote, "It’s an honor to be named as the cover athlete for NBA LIVE 10. This year has been a crazy ride and this is a cool way to cap it off. Of course - there is one more thing I’m on the hunt for that would complete it.”

With the spreading influence of basketball in Europe, EA has decided to name regional cover athletes for France, Germany, Spain and Italy, but those names will come at a later date. Today belongs to Dwight Howard, and I'm guessing Magic fans are hoping tonight will as well.