🔥 Confirmed! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is NBA 2K26 Cover Athlete — Carmelo Anthony & Angel Reese Complete the Lineup
NBA 2K26 cover stars revealed! Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the way, with Carmelo Anthony on the Legends Edition and Angel Reese repping the WNBA. Get the full story, fan reactions, and how to preorder your copy and VC today.
NBA 2K
7/9/20254 min read
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Confirmed: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Is the NBA 2K25 Cover Athlete — Plus Carmelo Anthony & Angel Reese Join the Roster
Grab your game and gear now:
A New Era for NBA 2K: SGA, Melo & Angel Reese Take Over
It’s official — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the smooth MVP from the Oklahoma City Thunder, is your NBA 2K25 cover athlete. But 2K didn’t stop there — they’re showing love to every corner of the game this year: Carmelo Anthony is getting his flowers on the Legends Edition, and Angel Reese is locked in as the WNBA cover star.
I’ll be real — I was hoping Jalen Brunson would snag the main cover after the monster season he just had carrying the Knicks. But seeing Melo on the Legends cover still hits home. Knicks fans know. And while I personally thought Caitlin Clark would be a no-brainer for the WNBA slot, Angel Reese is a beast on the court and deserves every bit of shine she’s getting.
Why Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Deserves This Cover
SGA’s journey is all about quiet grind and serious buckets. From Hamilton, Ontario to Kentucky to OKC, he’s become one of the league’s coldest scorers — all without ever being the loudest in the room. He led the Thunder back to the playoffs, dropped 30+ points a game, and capped it all off with an MVP trophy.
Putting Shai on the NBA 2K25 cover shows real love to the players who do it their own way — the small-market stars who prove you don’t need bright lights to build a legacy. His game is exactly what makes 2K so fun: shifty handles, hesitation moves, euro-steps, midrange mastery, and fearlessness at the rim. You know everybody’s gonna be trying to recreate that bag in MyPlayer this year.
OKC’s Hero: Small-Market Greatness on Display
When OKC landed Shai in that Paul George trade back in 2019, a lot of people thought they’d be in rebuild mode for years. Instead, they built around SGA — and look at them now. One of the youngest, most electric squads in the West, with real playoff dreams. It’s a testament to loyalty, development, and a player who lets his game do the talking.
Fans React: ‘Finally, Small-Market Guys Get the Spotlight!’
When the news dropped, NBA Twitter/X and Reddit went wild. Thunder fans have been begging for respect — and now they’ve got it. One fan summed it up perfectly: “SGA’s cover is for every small-market team that never gets the love. This is for us.”
Even rival fans can’t hate — everybody knows SGA’s skillset is tailor-made for 2K. Expect to see signature animations, new dribble packages, and half the park spamming euro-steps all year.
Honoring Carmelo Anthony: A Legends Cover That Hits Different
Knicks fans, we needed this one. Carmelo Anthony on the Legends Edition is a well-deserved thank you. Prime Melo was a walking bucket: jab step, pump fake, net. Pure poetry. He made the Garden electric again and gave us classic nights we’ll never forget.
Yeah, it stings that Jalen Brunson didn’t get the main cover after that insane playoff run. He earned it. But seeing Melo get his shine makes it worth it — a true scorer’s scorer, immortalized in 2K forever.
A Big Year for Women’s Basketball Too
NBA 2K25 also puts a spotlight on the WNBA, with Angel Reese on the cover. Angel’s energy, game, and confidence have made her a rising superstar. She backs it up every night and brings new eyes to the league — that’s the type of player that grows the game.
Do I still think Caitlin Clark deserved it? 100%. She’s changed the game and brought millions of new fans to women’s hoops. But Angel’s putting in the work and deserves her moment. More eyes on the W is a win for all hoopers.
What to Expect in NBA 2K25
This lineup says a lot about where 2K is heading:
✅ Signature SGA Moves: Expect slick size-ups, smooth hesitations, and euro-steps front and center in new dribble packages.
✅ Revamped MyPlayer Builds: Rumors say you’ll finally be able to create taller guards who can slash, shoot, and defend — just like Shai — without sacrificing all your badges.
✅ Park Upgrades: Leaks hint at new small-market themed courts — maybe even a Thunder-inspired outdoor park that brings that OKC energy to the blacktop.
✅ Special Legends & WNBA Content: A Carmelo collector’s edition or exclusive Angel Reese park courts? Don’t be surprised if 2K rolls those out to keep the hype alive.
Don’t Miss Out — Lock In Now
Covers like this don’t come around often. If you’re planning to run the park, Pro-Am, or MyTeam day one, don’t get caught slipping. You’ll want that VC stacked so you’re not pulling up in brown shirts with no drip. Preorder your copy now — and grab your VC gift cards so you’re ready for all the new gear, animations, and Locker Codes.
Final Thoughts: Past, Present, and Future in One Game
This year’s covers hit all the right notes:
✅ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, repping the new generation and the small-market dream.
✅ Carmelo Anthony, a bucket-getting legend forever part of the Knicks legacy.
✅ Angel Reese, showing that women’s basketball is here to stay and only getting bigger.
It’s not exactly what I expected — Brunson deserved a shot, no question — but seeing these three on the covers still feels right. It’s a reminder that 2K is bigger than the big markets. It’s about hoopers everywhere.
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Get Your NBA 2K25 Essentials
Ready to run? Make sure you’re loaded up:
Legends, MVPs, rising stars — it’s all here this year. See you on the virtual court. 🏀🔥
