Michigan High School Graduates on Covers of Video Games

One of the biggest ways to show recognition to professional and collegiate athletes is to put them on the cover of video games. The player on the cover is always someone who performed at a very high level that previous season to be remembered on the cover. We'll review the few Michigan players who have had the distinct honor.

NCAA Football 12:
Mark Ingram - Flint Southwestern - Alabama
EA Sports has quit producing the popular game due to lawsuits but the former; Flint Southwestern and Alabama RB Mark Ingram was selected for the 2012 game, just 3 years before the series folded. In 2009 and 2010 the game featured numerous players on the cover depending on the platform but 2011's version was all Tim Tebow due to no one else being able to resemble his resume. Then when 2012 hit, it was easily Mark Ingram for the choice. While winning the Heisman Trophy and National Championship with the Alabama Crimson Tide, no one could stop Ingram and his season will go down as one of the most dominant seasons of all-time.

During his Alabama career, Mark Ingram had 572 carries for 3,261 yards and 42 touchdowns. Ingram also in his 3 years tallied 60 receptions for 670 yards and 4 touchdowns.

NCAA March Madness 2002:
Shane Battier - Country Day - Duke
EA Sports Basketball series was unable to meet demand and discontinued in 2010, fortunately for them because as you read above, the company and NCAA are currently tied up in lawsuits. The former Country Day stud, Battier would win an NBA title with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, but his image will be forever embedded on this NCAA video game. Shane Battier is the only player to ever win both the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award (1997) and the Naismith College Player of the Year (2001). In 2001, Battier led the Duke Blue Devils over Arizona to win the National Championship. His #31 jersey is retired by Duke.

During his Duke career, Shane Battier played in 146 games during his 4-year career. Battier averaged 13.6 points per game. The number rose from; 7.6, 9.1, 17.4, to 19.9 during his 4 seasons at Duke where in 2001 he was awarded mostly every player of the year award in the NCAA. Battier perhaps will always be known best for his solid defense and ability to draw charges.

Major League Baseball 2K5-7:
Derek Jeter - Kalamazoo Center - New York Yankees
It will go without debate that anyone who is alive hasn't witnessed a bigger icon in the game of Baseball than Derek Jeter. The Yankees longtime Shortstop had an unbelievable career and one cannot even to start with the career highlights of Jeter. Jeter retired following the 2014 season. As for the video game itself. MLB 2K5 was the first installment of the series and Jeter would remain on the cover for the next 2 seasons until 2008 when Mets SS Jose Reyes was selected to be on the cover. During the 2006 season, Jeter exceeded 2,000 career hits and was top 3 all 3 seasons in American League Batting Average. Jeter also was runner-up for the MVP award in 2006.

During his New York Yankees career, Jeter appeared in 2,747 games, finishing with 3,465 career hits, a career batting average of .310, and 260 career home runs. Jeter won the Gatorade Player of the Year Award while at Kalamazoo Central before winning Rookie of the Year Award in 1996. Jeter also was a 14 time all star, 5 time World Series Champion, and 1 time World Series MVP. Jeter led the AL in Hits in 1997 and 1998, Runs scored in 1998 and hits in 1999 and 2012.

NHL 97:
John Vanbiesbrouck - Bishop Gallagher - Florida Panthers
The first Michigan high school graduate to be on the cover of a US major sports video game is; John Vanbiesbrouck. NHL 97 was most popular on PlayStation 1, SEGA Saturn, and Microsoft Windows. The Panthers inaugural season was 1993 and Vanbiesbrouck was the team's goalie after he selected in a draft that the Panthers had the first overall pick. In 1995, the Panthers made a run to the Stanley Cups Finals but lost to the Colorado Avalanches. The following year, Vanbiesbrouck was on the cover of the video game.

Vanbiesbrouck also holds the NHL all-time record for most Victories (374) and Shutouts (40) among American born goaltenders. Vanbiesbrouck was a 3 time All-Star, 1986 Vezina Award winner (top goalie award), and inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007.

NHL 2K11 and 2K(14):
Ryan Kesler - Livonia Churchill - Vancouver Canucks/Anaheim Ducks
The 2K series started in 2000 but wasn't until 2011 that Livonia Churchill's Ryan Kesler made the cover, becoming the first Michigan High School player to make the 2K series for Hockey and second overall for Hockey as John Vanbiesbrouck was on the cover of NHL 1997. 2K paused the series from in 2011-2013 and resumed the series in 2014 but named the game, "2K" which was only available on iOS and Android devices. A year before the game was released in 2009, Kesler finished with his best points season with 25 goals and 50 assists. In 2010, Kesler reached his 100th career goal and first career hat trick. He finished 2010 with 41 goals. In 2014, Kesler was traded to Ducks and signed a 6-year extension.

So far in his career, Ryan Kesler has scored 202 career goals and 19 career goals. Kesler only appeared in one Stanley Cup finals when the Canucks lost the series 4-3 to the Boston Bruins who led in goal by Davison grad, Tim Thomas.

FIFA Soccer 95:
Alexei Lalas - Cranbrook-Kingswood - US Soccer
The Cranbrook-Kingswood graduate was the first Michigan High School player to be on a cover of a major sports game as Alexei Lalas appears in FIFA Soccer 95 in the Red, White, and Blue representing the US National Soccer team. There is some uncertainty of the cover, as records indicate the cover of Lalas appeared only in some versions. The game itself was only available on Mega Drive/Genesis. Lalas was also a captain on Cranbrook-Kingswood Hockey team which won a state championship.

During his career, Alexei Lalas played on 4 different MLS teams in 7 years and played on the US National team from 1991-1998 where he appeared in 96 games and scored 9 goals. Lalas a defender scored 16 times in his MLS career. Lalas while at Rutgers was awarded the Hermann Trophy which goes to the top Male and Female collegiate players. Lalas also won the MLS Cup with the LA Galaxy in 2002.

NBA 2K12:
Magic Johnson - Lansing Everett - Los Angeles Lakers
The 2012 version allowed fans to purchase from 3 covers including; Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson who graduated from Lansing Everett High School. If you didn't know all 3 players are retired from the NBA and the theme of 2K12 was because of a new feature called, "NBA's Greatest Mode," which featured all-time greats in the game. In Johnson's career, he had 17,707 points scored (19.5 PPG), 6,559 Rebounds (7.2 RPG), and 10,141 Assists. (11.2 APG)

During his career, Magic Johnson was drafted #1 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and stayed with the Lakers before retiring in 1991 but 4 years later Johnson returned to play in 1996 before retiring again. Johnson was known best for assists, as he led the league four times and holds the NBA record of 11.2 assists per game. Magic Johnson was also a 5 time NBA Champion and also won a National Championship with Michigan State, winning the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament too. Johnson was also a 3 time, NBA MVP, and NBA Finals MVP. Johnson accolades also include; 12-time all star, 2-time all star game MVP, and 9-time 1st team all NBA. Johnson would win a Gold Medal on the US Olympic "Dream Team." Johnsons's #32 is retired by the Los Angeles Lakers.

NCAA Final Four 2001:
Mateen Cleaves - Flint Northern - Michigan State
The 989 Sports brand died out in 2004 as it failed to keep up with it's rivals counterpart EA Sports. Just one year after leading Michigan State over Florida in the Men's NCAA Basketball National Championship, Cleaves found himself on the cover of Final Four 2001. The Flint Northern graduate was awarded the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four and the year prior was a consensus 1st team All-American. In 1998 and 2000 Cleaves was a consensus 2nd team All-American. Mateen Cleaves also finished as the Big 10 Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999.

Mateen Cleaves was drafted #14 overall by the Pistons in 2000 but he could never continue his collegiate dominance as he played on 4 different NBA teams till 2006, before Cleaves skipped around to Greece and D-League teams before calling it quits in 2009.