SGA Becomes Cover Athlete for NBA 2K26

After having one of the best seasons of all time for any player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander becomes NBA 2K26’s cover athlete. It comes as no surprise at all, as SGA won the regular season MVP, finals MVP, the league scoring title, best regular season team, and the NBA championship.

SGA Becomes the Face of the NBA and NBA 2K26

Summer of SGA: MVP award, league scoring title, an NBA championship, Finals MVP, a $285 million super max extension, first signature shoe release … and now Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will grace the new cover of NBA 2K26, per sources.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 8, 2025

To anyone who follows the NBA, there has been so much breaking news recently, as teams prepare for the next season. Trades are happening all around, but a surprising “Shams bomb” reveals that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, also known as SGA, will be the cover of NBA 2K26.

Shams 💣 https://t.co/LuN8tt89AC

— Ronnie 2K 2K25 (@Ronnie2K) July 8, 2025

The tweet was immediately confirmed by Ronnie 2K as soon as the news dropped. If the face of the NBA is still in question, SGA is here to be the answer as the Oklahoma City Thunder locks in to become a dynasty with their young core winning it all at such an early stage of their careers.

It is still too early to say who else will be on the cover of NBA 2K26, as other editions may feature different cover athletes. NBA 2K25 had Jayson Tatum (previous champion) along with A’ja Wilson and Vince Carter for the WNBA and Hall of Fame editions.

My guess would be Caitlin Clark, since she hasn’t been featured on the cover while being the biggest name in the WNBA. Carmelo Anthony could be the cover for the Hall of Fame edition, as he is one of the most prominent athletes inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2025.