How big a deal is the return of NBA Jam? ESPN’s NBA insider Marc Stein took an edition of his “Daily Dime” column exclusively to talk about the highly anticipated arcade-style basketball title.

Stein is not some sportswriter looking for an easy way to fill space. He admits to pouring more quarters than he cares to think about about into the 1993 original.

Los Angeles Lakers’ star and 2009 NBA Finals’ MVP Kobe Bryant is the cover boy for Take-Two’s NBA 2K10. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, he makes a pretty effective pitchman as well.

Bryant told the LA Times this latest incarnation of digital basketball is so realistic it’s “like practicing without getting hurt.” The superstar comes from a family of gamers as he said his father, uncle, sister and six of his cousins all played the NES classic Double Dribble back in the day. That game had no NBA license and players with virtually no distinctive characteristics. These days, designers can make incredible replicas of our favorite athletes and Bryant’s game representation reflects his unique mannerisms. The virtual Bryant even juts his jaw out during crunch time the same way the real All-Star guard does.