Duke's Paolo Banchero becomes 1st college player featured in NBA 2K

Duke freshman Paolo Banchero is making history as the first college basketball player to appear in the NBA 2K video game series.

Banchero has signed a first-of-its-kind deal with 2K Sports that will make him a playable character in NBA 2K22 and allow him to create additional content for the game during the upcoming season, according to Boardroom's Sam Dunn.

Banchero's deal comes just over two months after the NCAA passed its interim name, image, and likeness policy permitting student-athletes to profit off their likenesses.

The 18-year-old was one of the highest-rated recruits in the 2021 class and is projected as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.