10 College Ballers we Want to See on the Cover of the Next "NBA 2K"

Forget Christmas—everybody knows March Madness is the most wonderful time of the year.

With the 2014 NCAA tournament upon us, we got to thinking: what if, instead of featuring superstars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant on the cover of the popular NBA 2K video game, what if the folks over at 2K Sports elected to feature a player fresh out of college?

It may sound crazy, but hear us out.

Sure, there are plenty of current NBA pros worthy of a spot on the 2K cover who have been overlooked thus far. However, given the quality of college players who are set to enter the league later this year, featuring an up-and-coming baller could be a refreshing take on a game that has be lacking in creativity as far as cover athletes go.

Given the franchise’s past, not to mention the logistics involved, the chances of this happening are fairly slim—we know this. Though, if it were to happen, here are the 10 current college ballers who would get our vote for a spot on the cover of 2K15.

Sorry, Melo.

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Team: Creighton Bluejays

Playing for Creighton, Doug McDermott doesn't quite get the same media attention as players like Duke's Jabari Parker or Kansas' Andrew Wiggins. However, in terms of shear basketball prowess, the senior small forward can hoop it up with the best of 'em.

McDermott, a two-time All-American, is the nation's leading scorer this season, and is currently seventh on the list of most points scored in D-1 history. With another monster 35-point performance against DePaul on Thursday, McDermott became the first player since OU's Wayman Tisdale to score at least 800 points in three consecutive seasons.

Impressed? You should be. McDermott has already secured a coveted spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated. An appearance on the cover of NBA 2K15 only seems right.

Team: Syracuse Orange

Sure, Tyler Ennis will likely embrace the position of a role player in the NBA, but his star power is not to be underestimated. Much of Syracuse's success this season can be attributed to the efficient play of the freshman point guard. He's got a knack for hitting big time shots-something he's proven on numerous occasions this year by hitting multiple game winners.

Realistically, not even Syracuse alum Carmelo Anthony got a NBA 2K cover right out of college, so Ennis' chances are virtually slim to none. However, if 2K decided to do one big spread with the top-10 draft picks for the next cover, Ennis would fit in perfectly.

Team: Kentucky Wildcats

NBA 2K covers are generally reserved for guys who can light it up on the offensive end of the court. Though, there still might be hope for a rebounding machine like Julius Randle. After all, Ben Wallace made it onto a cover, didn't he?

Team: Michigan State Spartans

Unless you follow college basketball closely, you're probably not familiar with the name Gary Harris. One of the least talked about players in this year's draft class, Harris' incredible scoring ability has him projected as a top-10 pick.

Few players can fill up the stat sheet like he can, and if there's one thing that we all love about playing 2K, it's putting up huge scoring numbers. 2K Sports should seriously consider putting Harris on the cover of the next title. After all, it's been a few years since a shooting guard has graced the cover (we see you MJ).

Team: Louisville Cardinals

Louisville guard Russ Smith may be small in stature, but he's about as clutch a player as there is in college basketball. Sure, the fourth-year senior sometimes has the tendency to force shots, but he never shy's away from the spotlight. As a basketball fan, you have to admire that type of courage.

For a guy who loves the spotlight as much as Smith does, a spot on the cover of NBA 2K15 is surely in order. Though, with so many great players in his draft class, Smith would probably be overlooked even if 2K Sports did in fact decide to feature a college player on the cover. Still, we're pulling for the guy.

Team: Arizona Wildcats

It's still early, but all signs point to Arizona's Aaron Gordon being the second coming of Blake Griffin. Part of a loaded freshman class, Gordon has flown somewhat under the radar for much of the season. Though people have started to take notice of his high-flying abilities as of late.

Gordon is sure to make waves at the pro level, thanks in large part to his hops and physical style of play. Due to the East Coast bias, Gordon doesn't have the same marketability as some of the other players on this list. But that's not to say he doesn't deserve a spot on the 2K cover.

Team: Kanas Jayhawks

Imagine both Joel Embid and Andrew Wiggins on the next cover of NBA 2K-that would be glorious. Along with fellow Kansas teammate Wiggins and Duke's Jabari Parker, Embiid is the third player in the running for the top pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Granted, he will probably end up being the third pick, but that doesn't make him any less worth of a 2K cover.

Embiid is a shot-blocking machine who can also puts in work on the defensive glass. How about some love for the defensive-minded players, 2K?

Team: Oklahoma State Cowboys

A year ago, not many people had heard of Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart. After a stellar freshman season, which has the Cowboys projected as a #9 seed in this year's NCAA tournament, Smart's draft stock has continued to rise.

At 6-4, he's the perfect size for an NBA point guard. Smart has a well-rounded skill set, which is anchored by his tenacious style of play. Following his run in with a fan (which lead to a four-game suspension), perhaps Smart still has some growing up to do to before he is deemed marketable enough to be put on the cover of NBA 2K15. But then again, Allen Iverson was no model citizen, yet he was featured on the cover-five times!

Team: Duke Blue Devils

Whether you're a Duke fan or not, there's no denying Jabari Parker's tremendous abilities on the basketball court. So far in his career, Parker has excelled on every level (from high school to college) of the game. His pro-ready 6'9" frame and incredible scoring ability, paired with a high basketball IQ have the freshman phenom projected as a top-three pick in the 2014 NBA draft, if not the first overall pick.

Parker's game should translate well to the pro's. He has the ability to make an immediate impact on whichever NBA team he ends up with, thus the reason why the folks over at 2K Sports should capitalize on his marketing potential ASAP.

Team: Kansas Jayhawks

If Jabari Parker isn't the first round pick in the 2014 NBA draft, then it's going to be Andrew Wiggins. The Kansas entered college with high expectations, and though he's shown some inconsistency, he's shown some flashes of brilliance. Naturally, pro scouts have taken notice. What needs to be understood about Wiggins is that he has the ability to put a team on his back. That type of potential is certainly worth of a spot on the cover of NBA 2K.