You also need to maintain a positive image with both your fans and your own team, which can improve chemistry and boost performance on the court. Skill challenges earn you cash while training will actually boost various stats based on the lessons you learn. Like last year, you’ll want to improve your character between games by taking part in various skill drills and training. Everything from the player setup to the various game modes are meticulously reproduced, and as I began the process of creating my sneaker-squeaking avatar, playing the showcase game, going through the lengthy unskippable draft, and playing the first few months of my new career everything seemed identical to last year from gameplay to Sprint sponsorship, to the post-game interviews. With the exception of a few minor additions, NBA 2K14 is last year’s game in a new box, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if you don’t already own NBA 2K13. It was truly a landmark achievement in basketball video gaming, and I was on the edge of my seat with anticipation as I fired up NBA 2K14 to see what they could have possibly added to the mix. I broke it out when friends came over for game night, and I spent countless hours immersed in the career simulation. Let me start this review by saying I played NBA 2K13 a lot…a LOT.