Midway just announced the release of NBA Ballers: Chosen One on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in the second quarter of 2008. To accompany the press release, here are the first (colorful) screenshots of the game as well as a rather uninteresting featurette.

CHICAGO - January 14, 2008 - Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY), a leading interactive entertainment software publisher and developer, today announced that Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic will appear on the cover of NBA Ballers: Chosen One, the next installment in the popular NBA Ballers franchise that is scheduled to ship for the Xbox 360™ and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system in Spring 2008. Al Horford of the Atlanta Hawks will also be featured on the packaging.

"Dwight Howard and Al Horford are the perfect choices for NBA Ballers: Chosen One, which allows players to live the life of an NBA Superstar," said George Gomez, executive producer, Midway. "Dwight has already arrived as one of the best players in the NBA and looks to be a perennial All-Star, and Al is enjoying a fantastic rookie season after a stand-out collegiate career at Florida."

Howard, the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for both November and December, has established himself as one of the league's elite big men by averaging more than 20.0 points and 15.0 rebounds per game, and is currently leading all NBA centers in the 2008 NBA All-Star balloting program. Horford, the third overall pick in the 2007 draft and the NBA Rookie of the Month in November, continues to flourish by averaging near double-double figures throughout the early stages of his career.

In addition to the packaging of NBA Ballers: Chosen One, both Howard and Horford will be featured throughout the creative of the game's multi-million dollar marketing campaign.

About NBA Ballers: Chosen One
More than 65 of the NBA's top superstar athletes come to life as the NBA Ballers franchise continues its legacy as the graphical leader in the sports videogame industry. With an optimized next-gen graphics engine, NBA Ballers: Chosen One will continue to set the bar for graphic quality, with the most true-to-life athlete likenesses seen in a sports video game. NBA Ballers: Chosen One will put players up-close and into the action with new "action movie" style game cameras that highlight every move. Create-a-Baller and take on the challenge of the epic "Chosen One Tournament", brought to you live from the most exotic courts around the world. As you progress through the game, earn the right to use an NBA star's "Shut 'Em Down" Super Move or take your Baller online to test your playing skills against others.