Game Name:

NBA Ballers Phenom

Video Game System:

PlayStation 2

Release Year:

2006

ESRB Rating:

E

Genre:

Music

Publisher:

Midway

Developer:

Player Count:

1 player

UPC Number:

031719269020

SKU:

fb9875ffcac25729f8d1

Condition:

Good

Has Manual:

Yes

Condition Notes:

Cover art has damage and is yellowing on the white side.

Game Description:

NBA Ballers Phenom (PlayStation 2, 2006)

NBA Ballers Phenom on PlayStation 2 is pure mid-2000s flex culture in game form: chrome rims, chains, drama, and some actually solid streetball under all the bling.
Released in 2006 by Midway as the sequel to NBA Ballers, it ditches “season mode” vibes and goes full story-driven, following your created baller in a messy rivalry
with real-life street legend Hot Sauce, who not only steals your shine but also runs off with your girlfriend. Subtle, this game is not. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

The heart of Phenom is its story mode set in a stylized Los Angeles. You build your own baller and roam divided zones like Hollywood, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills,
and the airport areas, bouncing between tournaments and off-court hustle. Some neighborhoods are fully explorable hubs where you jog around as your player,
grab side quests, talk to randoms, find hidden diamonds, and hit distractions like Peja’s Hot Hoops or even a freestyle rap battle with MC Jin if you buy a ticket
from the local stand. It’s part basketball game, part “PS2-era hip-hop reality show.” :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

On the court, Phenom keeps the over-the-top 1-on-1 half-court streetball from the first game and adds 2-on-2 full-court play that feels like a flashier, licensed spin
on NBA Jam. You’re stringing together ankle-breaking crossovers, off-the-glass alley-oops, and ridiculous signature moves to humiliate opponents more than just beat them.
Under all the flash there’s still a legit combo system, with timing and meter management deciding whether you look like a highlight reel or a blooper clip. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

Customization is where it really leans into fantasy. Phenom brags about roughly 20,000 clothing and accessory combinations, from haircuts and headgear to watches,
backpacks, jewelry, knee pads, and more. Your baller’s look evolves as you grind tournaments and side gigs, and you can even design your own court and mansion,
turning the game into “create-a-brand” as much as “create-a-player.” Celebs like Ludacris, MC Jin, Hot Sauce, and Trikz show up as playable ballers or story characters,
locking this thing firmly into the 2000s streetball mixtape era. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Phenom supports single-player, couch multiplayer, and online play through the PS2 network adaptor, letting up to two players go head-to-head online and up to four share a
screen locally for bragging-rights sessions. Some copies even shipped with a bonus soundtrack disc, because of course a game this obsessed with image needed its own album. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

1. The open-world LA setup isn’t just window dressing: Beverly Hills and Venice Beach are explorable hubs where you run around as your baller, find hidden diamonds,
   take on random tasks for cash or gear, and buy tickets to special events like the freestyle rap battle with Jin. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
2. The story lets you choose what kind of success you chase: prove yourself on court and become the NBA’s number one draft pick, or lean into off-court grind and build
   an empire with a clothing line, record label, and movie deals instead of just chasing rings. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
3. Character creation goes beyond height and position – you can tweak body type and then layer on a ridiculous amount of fashion options, with around 20,000 possible
   combinations across hair, headgear, tops, bottoms, shoes, jewelry, backpacks, pads, watches, and glasses. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
4. Phenom introduces 2-on-2 full-court games to the series, giving you a mode that plays closer to a high-energy arcade title like NBA Jam while keeping the Ballers focus
   on style moves and one-upmanship. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
5. A fun bit of physical-release trivia: some versions included an extra disc with the game’s soundtrack, turning the package into both a streetball story and a mini time capsule
   of mid-2000s hip-hop flavored sports gaming. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

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