The game received "universal acclaim" according to video game
review aggregator Metacritic. In another
GamePro review, Kilo Watt said, "The game is not perfect, but at the end of the day it's still a very satisfying experience. The franchise mode is fantastic, and the inclusion of the all-time greats, special uniforms, and street courts really pushes
NBA 2K1 into primetime territory. The online play has its own nuances that just have to be accepted, but the fact that it works as well as it does is pretty impressive. The DC hoop crown looks to be firmly in the hands of Sega Sports right now." The game was a runner-up for the "Best Multiplayer Game" and "Best Sports Game (Traditional)" awards at
GameSpots Best and Worst of 2000 Awards, which went to
Quake III Arena and
NFL 2K1, respectively.
Game Informer ranked it at 95 on its top 100 video games of all-time list. The staff praised the developers for maintaining the quality gameplay of its predecessor while adding online, new settings, and a Franchise mode. According to
PC Data,
NBA 2K1 sold 500,000 units in 2000. ==Notes==