The keys to a successful basketball video game are its controls, artificial intelligence, and pacing. NBA Courtside 2002 excels in all three areas, with only a few problems. One is the defensive AI, which often leaves itself open to dunks and fast breaks, and is generally a slouch when it comes to rebounds. This can be remedied with the higher difficulty levels, but that makes the computer a flawless shooter, even from behind the line.

The controls are good, but take some getting used to if you've spent a lot of time with other basketball simulations. Players use the C stick on the controller to pass the ball. No button pressing is necessary; just point the stick at the desired player and the ball is away. Unfortunately, this same system is used to select defensive players, and that can be difficult, especially if the action is moving fast and furious. The game does feature quite a few game modes: practice, exhibition, season, and even an interesting mode that takes place on top of the roof.