10. Sam Cassell
NBA Shootout (PSX, 1996)
Shootout
NBA Shootout
9. Dontrelle Willis
MLB Slugfest (Xbox/PS2, 2006)
Slugfest
8. Bernie Williams
MLB 98 (PSX, 1998)
maybe
7. Joe Forte
NCAA Final Four 2002 (PS2, 2001)
NCAA March Madness 2010NCAA
6. Rob Van Dam
Wrestlemania X8 (GBA, 2001)
Wrestlemania X8
5. Eric Chavez
MLB 2005 (PS2, 2004)
MLB 2005
4. Marcus Camby
NBA In the Zone (PSX/N64, 2000)
In the Zone
3. Keith Van Horn
NBA Jam ’99 (N64/GBC, 1999)
NBA Jam
2. Kendall GIll
NBA Action (Genesis, 1994)
1994 was actually a good year for basketball. Hakeem Olajuwon was leading the Rockets against the Knicks, and Patrick Ewing (who, by the way, is the only superstar center from the ’90s era to never appear on a gaming cover), David Robinson, and Charles Barkley were in their primes. All were great game faces, but who does Sega choose on its cover?
Some guy named Kendall Gill shooting a lame half jump-hook.
Sure, Gill wasn’t a bad player—the smooth 6-6 swingman averaged more than 20 ppg twice in his career. But he was hardly a star. We could maybe see if he was delivering a YouTube-worthy cram over some nascent shotblocker here. You know, something to grab our attention. But he’s shooting a JUMP HOOK. No wonder the Genesis fell out of favor a few years later.
1. Kordell Stewart
NFL ’97 (Saturn, 1996)
NFL Blitz (N64, 1998)
Don’t hate on Sega too much, though. After all, just two years later, after an even bigger "breakout" year that included 21 TD passes and 17 interceptions, a digitally muscled-up Stewart landed on the cover of NFL Blitz. It was his last major gaming endorsement, and just as bad as his first one. The worst part of it all? NFL games typically do a great job choosing cover athletes, going with big names and taking few risks. Except for Stewart. And Hillis....
