Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander named cover athlete for NBA 2K26

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Following his victories in the NBA Most Valuable Player award, Western Conference Finals MVP award, an NBA championship, and NBA Finals MVP, Oklahoma City Thunder standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been chosen as the cover athlete for the upcoming NBA 2K26 game. The makers of NBA 2K confirmed this news on Tuesday afternoon, announcing its release this fall.

The Thunder star joins a list of the biggest global NBA stars to be named a cover athlete:

  • Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was the cover athlete for NBA 2K25.
  • Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was the cover athlete for NBA 2K24.
  • Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was the cover athlete for NBA 2K23.
  • Los Angeles Lakers star (then-Dallas Mavericks star) Luka Doncic was the cover athlete for NBA 2K22.
  • Then-Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard was the cover athlete for NBA 2K21.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s magical season

In the game NBA 2K25, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the standout guard of Oklahoma City Thunder, achieved a remarkable overall score of 98. This put him on par with two other stars – Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks – for the highest overall rating in the game.

At the beginning of the season, Gilgeous-Alexander held the fourth highest ranking in the game, with a score of 96. This was surpassed only by Jokic (97), Antetokounmpo (97), and Luka Doncic (97).

In the 2024-25 season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, star of the Oklahoma City Thunder, made history by being the highest scorer in the league, with an average of 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals, and one block per game. He also managed to hit 51.9% of his field goals and 37.5% of his three-point shots.

In NBA history, it’s just Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who has managed an average of 32 or more points, 5 or more rebounds, 6 or more assists, 1 or more steals, and 1 or more blocks per game throughout a single season, as recorded by Stathead.

This past week, it was reported that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder have reached an agreement on a four-year, $285 million contract extension.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has signed a contract worth approximately $346 million, spanning six years. As per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, he is expected to receive about $63.52 million during his first year with the extension in the 2027-28 season, and around $78.77 million in the 2030-31 season.

In simple terms, if a game is played, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will make close to a million dollars, and by the end of the 2030-2031 season, which is the last year of his contract, he’ll be 32 years old.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander breakdown

Including his current and new extension, $364M in salary over the next 6 years.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 1, 2025

Furthermore, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander along with Converse introduced the SHAI 001 model in February, which is scheduled for a fall launch. The design showcases Gilgeous-Alexander sporting his personalized footwear.

In the annals of NBA history, Gilgeous-Alexander joined an elite group of eleven players who achieved both the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award during the regular season and the NBA Finals MVP award in the very same season.

Lately, NBA 2K series has been unveiling various special editions featuring distinct cover personalities, such as the “Legends Edition” and the “WNBA Edition.” However, the identities of these cover athletes are yet to be disclosed. Notably, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is officially announced as the first athlete gracing the cover for NBA 2K26 video game.

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2025-07-08 23:38