10 Real Life Features That Should Be In Basketball Video Games

The absence of these features in games is a technical foul.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Basketball video game designers take great care in capturing the intricacies of the NBA game. Over the years, one-button passing, shooting, and dribble moves have been replaced by complicated patterns of button mashing that allow gamers to control contests down to the muscle twitch. But for all the realism in basketball games, something's missing. Let's call it "the fuckery." Or, if that's too blue for you, the male soap opera. Because, let's be real, we watch the NBA as much to see Carmelo Anthony go ham for a scoring title as we do to see Kevin Garnett get under Melo's skin by telling him what cereal his wife tastes like.

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, Complex takes a closer look at the details of what's going on, both on and off the court. Eyeballs warmed up and stretched? 'Cause it's time to blow the whistle on 10 Real Life Features That Should Be In Basketball Video Games.

Written by Justin Monroe (@40yardsplash)

RELATED: 25 Reasons Why Madden NFL Has Lasted 25 Years
RELATED: The 50 Most Dominant Madden Characters
RELATED: The 15 Most Violent Sports Video Games 

LIKE COMPLEX VIDEO GAMES ON FACEBOOK

Blinding Press Conference Outfits

Not Available Interstitial

Comical Flopping

Not Available Interstitial

NBA players aren't gifted actors. It's true on the big screen (Dennis Rodman makes Jean-Claude Van Damme look like Paul Newman in Double Team) but also on the hardwood, where flops intended to draw fouls calls grew so ridiculous that the league implemented anti-flopping rules in 1997 and, for the 2012-2013 season, started issuing fines to those who went down like gangsters paid them to throw a fight.

The jab step was a great addition to a gamer's offensive arsenal, but you'll want to think twice about executing one when the defender on you is prone to jerking back like he's been struck by an assassin's bullet in Call of Duty.

Ridiculous Celebrations

Not Available Interstitial

One of the parts of the FIFA series is user-controlled goal celebrations. What exactly is the point of hitting a big shot in a hoops game if you can't use a combination of buttons to do Sam Cassell's "big balls dance"?

Ball Hogs

Not Available Interstitial

The Kobe Stare

Not Available Interstitial

Offensive Trash Talking

Not Available Interstitial

Fake Fights

Not Available Interstitial

Booing Courtside Celebrities

Not Available Interstitial

Refs Stealing the Spotlight

Not Available Interstitial

Sad and/or Overly Exuberant Benchwarmers

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Pop Culture