NBA 2K26 Announces MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Cover Star

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the guard from Oklahoma City Thunder, has had an exceptional season in the NBA, bordering on perfection. He not only received his first MVP award for his outstanding regular season play but also guided the young Thunder team to their first championship since they moved away from Seattle. In the finals, he was named MVP with impressive stats of 30 points, six assists, and two steals per game. Although the series was closer than anticipated due to a tenacious Indiana Pacers team, Shai’s season had few flaws. Now, he is set to add another achievement to his list as he will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K26 when it gets released later this year by the 2K Sports team.

In the recent announcement, the creators didn’t reveal much about what we might anticipate. Given that 2K tends to be secretive about their projects, this isn’t too unexpected. You likely won’t hear much regarding gameplay or modes until early next month, assuming NBA 2K26 follows the series’ usual schedule and releases in September.

Nonetheless, this achievement marks a significant step for SGA and the Thunder, as he follows in the footsteps of Kevin Durant who graced the covers of 2K13 and 2K15. In essence, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander now shares the distinction of being the second athlete from Oklahoma City to be featured on a 2K cover. To delve into the minutiae, Chris Paul did appear on the cover of NBA 2K8, but his team at that time was the New Orleans Hornets, even though they temporarily played in Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina. However, his jersey still indicated New Orleans.

It’s important to mention that James Harden and Paul George, once prominent members of the Oklahoma City Thunder, were playing for the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers respectively, when they graced the cover of 2K. Notably, Oklahoma City has been frequently featured on 2K covers, which isn’t surprising considering the team’s history of producing MVPs. Most recently, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is just another success story for Sam Presti and his staff.

It’s somewhat unexpected that NBA 2K26 hasn’t featured Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic on its cover yet, given his remarkable five-year reign as the world’s best player and his historic title win in 2023. Despite his unparalleled achievements, it seems that the 2K team has not shown him much recognition, often choosing other players for their covers. It’s possible that they invited Jokic to a cover shoot during the off-season, but he declined in favor of spending time with his cherished horses instead.

Setting humor aside, it’s fantastic to notice that NBA 2K26 showcases another talented young athlete yet again. Last season, Jayson Tatum from the Boston Celtics graced the cover, with Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors appearing on the Hall of Fame edition. This year, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Given that Melo briefly played for the Thunder, there’s a possibility we might see him in one of the deluxe editions soon.

At the moment, we’re in a holding pattern, needing further details from 2K. The release of NBA 2K26 is scheduled for later in the year, available on PlayStation, Xbox, and personal computer systems.

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2025-07-08 22:43