NBA 2K22 puts professional basketball at the center of a broad collection of modes. Players can take control of real NBA and WNBA teams in authentic settings, or shape their own path through MyCAREER, which frames play as a personal rise to the NBA. For a different kind of involvement, MyGM and MyLEAGUE cast players as executives, while MyTEAM turns roster-building into a fantasy contest spanning stars and legends from different eras.
On the court, the game emphasizes a tactical contest between offense and defense. Its listed actions include skill-based dribbling, shooting, dunking and alley-oops, countered by blocks and contests. The PC-focused 2K22 Neighborhood adds a social setting called the Cruise, where players can create a MyPLAYER, progress for rewards and express themselves through play and style. That mix of match-based basketball, player progression, team collection and management gives NBA 2K22 a wider identity than a straight team-versus-team simulation.
