NBA 2K26 Cover Players, Screenshots, & More

The preview season for NBA 2K26 is officially underway! Although we’re likely at least a few weeks away from in-depth previews and developer insights, we do have some early information on NBA 2K26 from the cover players and pre-order bonuses for all of the editions, to the release date and information about features such as crossplay, cross-gen progression, and so on. A few First Look screenshots have also been released, along with an announce trailer.

First of all, NBA 2K26 will be released globally on September 5th, 2025. Four editions are available: the Standard Edition featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the cover, the Superstar Edition with Carmelo Anthony on the cover, the WNBA Edition featuring Angel Reese on the cover, and the Leave No Doubt Edition featuring all three NBA 2K26 cover players together. All four editions are already available to pre-order.

Obviously, there are still many details that will be revealed during the course of the preview season. However, the Steam Store page includes a preliminary features list that mentions ProPLAY, an all-new MyCAREER journey in a streamlined City, collecting past and present players in MyTEAM, a deep franchise experience in MyNBA, and unique storylines in MyGM. It’s fairly generic as you’d expect, but it confirms the presence of staple modes and features.

Interestingly, the pre-order bonuses aren’t as generous as previous years, with the Standard Edition and WNBA Edition only offering 10,000 VC if you pre-order. The game will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, the Nintendo Switch, and the Nintendo Switch 2. The ninth gen consoles will have cross-play, MyTEAM will have cross-gen progression once again, and as usual the VC wallet will be shared between consoles in the same family.

A summary of what we know so far can be found below. Check it out, along with the First Look screenshots, cover art, and announce trailer for NBA 2K26! Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, as well as join in the discussion in our newly-opened NBA 2K26 Forum. I’ve also created a page for NBA 2K26 here in our Wiki, and as always, any help in keeping it up to date would be most appreciated. Stay tuned for more news and previews in the coming weeks!

What We Know So Far

• NBA 2K26 will be released globally on September 5th, 2025.
• There are four editions of NBA 2K26, namely the Standard, Superstar, WNBA, and Leave No Doubt editions, featuring cover players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Carmelo Anthony, and Angel Reese respectively (all three appear on the cover of the premium Leave No Doubt edition).
• The Superstar and Leave No Doubt Editions are digital-only. The WNBA Edition is a physical release available exclusively in the United States at GameStop.
• NBA 2K26 will be available for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
• The Gen 9 (aka Next Gen, aka New Gen) version will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
• Crossplay will be available between the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions.
• Cross-gen progression for MyTEAM will be available between consoles in the same family (i.e. PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S). The VC wallet balance will also be shared between generations.
• PlayStation and Xbox offer dual entitlement, i.e. if you purchase the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S version, you’ll also receive a digital copy for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, and vice versa. Digital purchases will add the copy for the other generation to your account automatically, while physical copies will include a code to redeem a digital copy for the other generation.
• The 7-day Early Access pre-order bonus will begin on August 29th, 2025 at 9 AM Pacific Time.

Pre-Order Bonuses

Standard Edition

Virtual Currency

• 10,000 Virtual Currency

PlayStation Store Pre-Order Bonus Content

• 2x MyTEAM Promo Packs
• MyPLAYER Gamerplate

Superstar Edition

The Superstar Edition is digital-only and includes the pre-order bonuses of the Standard Edition, plus:

• 100K Virtual Currency
• 7-Day Advanced Access (from 9 AM PT, August 29)

MyTEAM

• Full Series 1 Team Selection
• Triple Threat Park Free Agent Pack
• 5x Series 1 Packs
• 2-Hour 2XP Coin

MyCAREER Content

• 25x 6 Types of Skill Boosts
• 25x 3 Types of Gatorade Boosts
• 2-Hour 2XP Coin
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Cover Jersey

Leave No Doubt Edition

The Leave No Doubt Edition is digital-only and includes the pre-order bonuses of the Standard Edition, plus:

• 135,000 VC
• Season 1 Pro Pass
• Summer Pass (Season 7-9 Pro Passes)
• Up to 7-Day Advanced Access (from 9 AM PT, August 29)

MyTEAM

• Leave No Doubt MyTEAM Pack
• Full Series 1 Team Selection
• Triple Threat Park Free Agent Pack
• 5x Series 1 Packs
• 2-Hour 2XP Coin

MyCAREER

• 25x 6 Types of Skill Boosts
• 25x 3 Types of Gatorade Boosts
• 2-Hour 2XP Coin
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Cover Jersey
• Puffer Jacket

WNBA Edition

Physical copies of NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition are available exclusively at Gamestop in the United States.

Virtual Currency

• 10,000 Virtual Currency

Preliminary Features List

The following preliminary features list was posted on the Steam Store page for NBA 2K26 with the launch of pre-orders:

Bragging rights are on the line in MyCAREER, MyTEAM, MyNBA, The W, and Play Now. Showcase your bag of moves with hyper realism, Powered by ProPLAY, and challenge your friends, or rivals, in NBA 2K26’s competitive modes—and leave no doubt that you wear the crown.

POWERED BY ProPLAY

Dominate every possession with immersive technology that directly translates NBA footage into realistic gameplay. Feel more connected to every dribble and crossover with revamped size-ups and experience fast-paced, dynamic movement with all-new ProPLAY features.

SQUAD UP IN THE CITY

Build a transcendent MyPLAYER and climb the competitive ranks to reach the pinnacle of NBA stardom in an all-new MyCAREER journey. Team up with friends in a stunning, streamlined City, earn recognition and increase your REP, and battle rival squads for Park supremacy.

UNITE STARS IN MyTEAM

Collect and compete with past and present legends of the game in MyTEAM. Assemble a star-studded roster, put your dream team to the test in new single-player and multiplayer modes, and acquire new cards to make your MyTEAM fantasy a reality.

YOUR TEAM, YOUR STORY

Lead an NBA franchise as a General Manager in MyNBA. Choose from all 30 teams, experience 30 unique MyGM storylines with real-world inspiration, and chase the ultimate goal: to win a championship. Influence the future of the sport and leave an indelible mark on the league.

NBA 2K26 Cover Art

NBA 2K26 First Look Screenshots

NBA 2K26 Announce Trailer

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