Gameloft has signed an agreement with the National Basketball Association to create and publish a couple of games for mobile phones.

The deal, announced yesterday, will capitalize on NBA's popularity with basketball fans nationwide. This is Gameloft's first agreement with the NBA.

"We wanted to offer gamers an opportunity to play their favorite NBA team rather than just one specific team or cover athlete," said Sanette Chao, spokeswoman at Gameloft, New York.

With this win, Gameloft adds to its roster of clients that includes Universal Pictures, Endemol, Ferrari, Paris Hilton, Viacom, ABC, Derek Jeter, Kobe Bryant and Warner Bros.

The first mobile game to launch this month is NBA Smash!, an arcade-style 2-on-2 street basketball game.

Actual NBA players feature in the NBA Smash! Game. Slam dunks and dribbling are included to help players put together combinations to better their score.

The same game's advanced career mode lets consumers create their own players, form and upgrade their teams and compete against all the NBA teams.

Gameloft is targeting males ages 12-35, basketfall fans and hip-hop culture enthusiasts with NBA Smash!

The second game is a 5-on-5 simulation-style game. It is slated for a market debut in September, just prior to the 2008-09 NBA season.

This game showcases all 30 teams and every NBA player. It also includes a full 80-game season and events from NBA All-Star.

A management feature within that game will let players manage their team rosters and select strategies to beat rivals.

This game targets a broader base of basketball fans.

Gameloft said both games will be available on all major wireless carrier decks for $5.99 to $7.99.

There will be no advertising in the games.