We Have Our NBA 2K26 Cover Stars
It’s that time of year, folks, time to roll into the NBA 2K26 hype cycle with the annual announcement of the game’s cover stars and this year, there are a couple of obvious choices along with one not-so-obvious one. As has become the norm, there are multiple editions of NBA 2K26, and each has its own cover, so let’s go through who got the nod for each version.
The league MVP and championship winner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will grace the front of the standard edition, which is a pretty obvious call really. He has been in smoking hot form, and while he took his team to championship victory over my beloved Pacers, not even I can deny he is an absolute gun. I have to say that while he is an obvious choice, it is a well-deserved one, and it is nice to see a new face grace the game and not one of the old faithfuls like Steph, LeBron or Giannis.
On the WNBA edition, we have Angel Reese, forward for the Chicago Sky. Angel is a WNBA All-Star, 2024 All-Rookie Team member and NCAA Champion, yet despite all those accolades, she still seemed excited about making the cover. “Being on the cover of NBA 2K26 and debuting my first-ever signature shoe with Reebok on that cover, the Angel Reese 1, is more than a milestone—it’s a statement,” said Reese in a recent press release. “It’s about representation and showing young girls they can be confident, bold, and take up space unapologetically. To be cemented in NBA 2K history is a special honour that reflects not only my journey, but also all the veteran WNBA players who have paved the way before me and the growing impact of the league as a whole. I’m proud to be part of a game that continues to elevate women’s basketball and can’t wait for fans to see how NBA 2K26 brings our game to life like never before.”
On the Superstar Edition, we have 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, 10-time All-Star and 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist Carmelo Anthony. For those that don’t know, there is also an Australian connection here. Mello is the NBA’s ambassador (along with NBA2K commentator Kenny “the Jet” Smith) to the Australian NBL competition. He is hugely vocal about the quality of Aussie basketball, and it is widely rumoured that he and Kenny are looking to become franchise owners in the league.
Finally, there is the Leave No Doubt Edition, which will feature all three of these superstars on the cover. As a huge basketball fan and a (very) longtime NBA 2K player, I love these choices and all are very deserved cover stars. NBA 2K26 is coming to every console known to man on the 5th of September for standard editions and the 30th of August for the more expensive versions.
