It's like Oregon Trail for basketball fans!

Multiplayer. Retro. Ruthless.

0
SIMS IN PROGRESS
240
SEASONS COMPLETED
343,432
GAMES PLAYED
4,260
PLAYERS LOADED

// WHY 2005?

Three RetroLive founders rendered in NBA Live 2005 style, wearing The Gin Mills jerseys

Back in college, a bunch of us would crowd around a single PS2 and burn entire weekends on NBA Live 2005 — running franchises, simming through seasons, trash talking after every blown lead, and chasing rings. The 04–05 season is frozen in time for us: KG in his prime, Iverson and Carmelo doing Carmelo and Iverson things, a young LeBron just starting to take over, Nash & Dirk reinventing offense, and Pierce, Wade, and Duncan all on the same court at the same time.

RetroLive is our love letter to that era — and yes, the PS2 still occasionally comes out of the closet.

// WHAT IF…?

RetroLive isn't locked to one season. Pick a roster from 1996–97, 2004–05, or 2025–26 and run it through the same 2004-style sim engine: 30 teams, a fantasy draft, an 82-game schedule, and a playoff bracket — all played at your own pace.

What if a prime Jordan had to draft against today's league? What if 2026 Jokić dropped into the Iverson era? Pull a roster from any year we support and find out. More seasons coming.

// FEATURED PLAYER · 1996-97 69

Otis Thorpe

C/PF 6'10", 236 lbs
FG
55
3PT
0
FT
65
INS
93
DNK
71
STL
47
BLK
19
ORB
34
DRB
83
PAS
75
SPD
71
JMP
25
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