NBA 2K26 Review – Another Legendary Entry

In this NBA 2K26 Review, we look at Visual Concept’s latest entry in the series, its gameplay, various modes, and new features. NBA 2K26 brings back a familiar gameplay experience, but with an all-new motion engine, enhanced rhythm shooting, and more. Furthermore, MyCAREER’s new Story takes MP’s talents to Europe, featuring over a dozen levels with multiple rewards. Additionally, Visual Concepts made key improvements to other modes while elevating the game’s presentation. But the question still stands: Is it worth your time and money?

NBA 2K26 Review – What is NBA 2K26?

NBA 2K26 is the latest entry in the NBA 2K series, which is developed by Visual Concepts and published by 2K. The newest entry in the series features many returning modes, such as MyCAREER, MyNBA/MyGM, MyTEAM, and more. Furthermore, the game features multiple historic NBA teams, as well as every WNBA team for the 2025 season.

NBA Champion, Finals MVP, and regular season MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander graces the game’s standard edition cover. Former Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony is the Superstar Edition cover star, while Angel Reese stars on the WNBA Edition. All three appear together on the Leave No Doubt Edition.

The game is available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Gameplay – NBA 2K26 Review

The most important aspect of any sports video game is gameplay… and NBA 2K26 more than delivers. While it feels similar to previous entries in a lot of ways, there’s various improvements that are worth going over.

One change that seems subtle but actually made a huge difference for me was the update to Screens. You can now change the direction a Screener is facing by using the left stick. It takes a bit of time to get used to, as you can turn either 45 or 180 degrees, but it’s worth learning.

This update is one of just many ways NBA 2K26 provides more ways to make things happen in the paint. Whether it’s the slow-motion Euro Steps, or dedicated button for wrap passes, you just have the ability to do more on the court.

But I can’t stress enough how much better the AI plays in MyCAREER. We’ll go over this mode a bit more later on, but AI teammates feel so much smarter in this game.

AI teammates are generally more aware now when you’re open. While they still might make a play themselves, they also take opportunities if they see one. It also allows you to communicate with your AI teammates much more clearly.

For example, I can let Ja Morant know I’m setting up a screen for him, or that I’m trying to post-up. Of course, the AI might not always follow your lead. It can still ignore a pass call if it sees another way to score.

I did some experimenting with the Enhanced Rhythm Shooting mechanic introduced in last year’s game. While I prefer the classic shooting system (just pressing and holding Square), Rhythm Shooting feels pretty good.

But although I don’t use it, I give credit to Visual Concepts with empowering the player with more choice than ever before. And instead of adding a new shot mechanic or gimmick, the developers focused on improving what they already had.

I personally also enjoy the Green or Miss Shot timing mechanic. It really challenges the player to aim for those “Excellent shots”, otherwise the ball probably won’t go in the basket. But if you do manage to land in the green, you’ll be rewarded with an automatic basket.

The developers also added new Signature Go-To Post Shots, as well as new custom layups which add to the diversity of the players. Even though there aren’t many players in the NBA (relative to other sports), Visual Concepts still put a lot of time and effort in making almost every player feel unique.

But thankfully, every player has access to the new Rebound Timing mechanic. As someone who sucks at rebounding, this feature saved my life. The game essentially tells you when to rebound, helping you understand the rhythm of the action better.

There’s a ton of other improvements, like the new Quick Protect to keep the ball safe. But Visual Concepts also added a new level challenge, especially for players trying to catch an Alley-Oop.

I think all the new gameplay features serve to benefit both new and old players. If you’re new to 2K, it may feel intimidating. But rest assured, everything will come naturally to you like it did for me. And if you’re a returning player looking to try out Online, these new improvements aim to make you a better player than ever before.

Overall, NBA 2K26 showcases Visual Concepts’ best-in-class gameplay design for a sports video game. All of the new improvements feel small in an individual sense. But when you put everything together, there’s a whole lot more you can do now more than ever.

And in case you’re new to the series, the game’s improved Learn2K mode has new tutorials. I recommend new and old players check them out to check out all the latest.

MyCAREER & The CITY – NBA 2K26 Review

I really enjoyed NBA 2K25’s Heart of A Dynasty, but 2K26’s “Out of Bounds” blows that story out of the water. It comes with more missions across various different competition levels that make it feel fresh and fun.

You start your journey in High School in Vermont, but your experience takes you to an Open Run, followed by a few games in a Club League. Unfortunately, despite MP’s best efforts (with the exception of a 1-game suspension) his efforts aren’t enough to get noticed by a school.

Thankfully, your Agent recommends you play in Europe for a season to build your draft stock. MP then has the choice of playing in Spain or France.

Personally, I really liked the structure of the story in many ways. Firstly, it showed a more realistic journey to the NBA than we’ve seen in recent entries. MP isn’t just a highly-touted prospect like he was in 2K24. He also has a much tougher time getting noticed than he did in 2K25.

Secondly, the length of Out of Bounds feels just right. It gave me plenty of time to help understand the new gameplay mechanics, as well a build up some VC for my character. It also helps the transition into the NBA feel more “worth it”, like you did more than enough to deserve to be picked on draft night.

And it doesn’t stop there, either. You have the choice of selecting a goal for the NBA season, which impacts your key games. I chose to outperform other rookies in the draft class, but there’s a ton of options to choose from.

Sure, the dialogue can be a little cheesy, and MP kind of sounds like Michael Jackson (at least to me), but I wouldn’t have it any other way. No other sports game on the market does anything remotely close to what NBA 2K26 does in terms of its story.

In terms of gameplay, I love just how much control you have over your experience. You could, in theory, spend all your time in The Arena or in your MyCOURT. Or, you can spend time in The City playing Pro-AM, working out at the Gatorade Facility, or pin your MyPLAYER against others online. There is so much to do in this mode alone.

While I love the convenience and accessibility of the new City, I’m not crazy for its design. Visual Concepts did a good job of shrinking down The City’s size, making it much easier to get where I need to. It takes just seconds to get from your MyCOURT to The Arena, the Event Center, or anywhere else you need to go.

However, I will say that I do miss the old “neighborhood” design from previous NBA 2K titles. I think the whole “Futuristic City” design look a bit too out of place for an NBA 2K title. It’s not a big issue, and I consider function more important than design in this case.

Overall, MyCAREER offers the best player career experience in any sports game right now. It’s immersive, has fully voiced cutscenes, and offers a variety of choices to make each run feel different.

MyNBA & MyGM – NBA 2K26 Review

MyNBA is the most in-depth franchise mode in sports gaming right now. While the developers didn’t add any new Eras, they added in a bunch of quality improvements that make MyNBA and MyGM even better.

You can now finally combine the best of both worlds and put your MyPLAYER in MyNBA. Using MyPLAYER DNA, it faithfully recreates your player in MyNBA, allowing you to create another journey for MP.

Additionally, I love the ability to play the Playoffs online and with friends. It’s a lot of fun to do with friends, and moves quickly enough that it can easily be done in a weekend. Sometimes, trying to do a MyNBA connected season (no matter the duration) can be pretty tough to do, especially if everyone has different schedules. But The Playoffs Online provides a quick tournament setting for everyone to jump into.

NBA 2K26 tweaked its simulation performance, providing three different settings for players to choose from. Personally, I didn’t get to experiment with this yet. But I still think it’s cool in terms of how much control you have.

The biggest changes for me, however, seem to take place in MyGM this year. With 30 unique storylines, there’s a wide variety of starting points for you to take. Do you join the Thunder and help them win two in a row? Or do you join the 76ers and help them out of the mess they’ve dug themselves into.

The decisions become even more challenging the deeper you get into your experience. But you can also take a break and shoot some hoops with the players in your GM suit. It was pretty cool seeing my GM dap up Joel Embiid during practice.

With so much variety, MyGM offers nearly a nearly endless amount of play-throughs, all which will feel different. It gets even better with Unranked MyGM.

This version of the mode lets you customize sliders, edit players, and import custom rosters and draft classes. MyGM has essentially become a sandbox of its own, offering a vast amount of ways to play, and teams to play with.

Overall, I was really impressed with MyNBA and MyGM this year, especially with the latter. I’m glad the developers focused on adding more than just another Era while giving the player more control than ever.

MyTEAM – NBA 2K26 Review

MyTEAM obviously returned, and mostly follows the same structure. But Visual Concepts added new features, modes, and more.

The biggest difference this year in MyTEAM for me personally was the new game-changer cards. They’re extremely convenient and always seemed to help me in a pinch. Some of them let me outright skip missions in Breakout or automatically complete an Exhibition level for me. Some Game-Changer cards affect your MyTEAM players as well. One of them automatically evolves your evolution card, saving you time on player progression.

I also enjoyed the new Gauntlet Mode in Breakout. This mode requires you to have some depth in your lineup, as the difficulty gradually increases with each level you complete.

It sucks having to take a player you really like off your MyTEAM lineup because their OVR just isn’t good enough anymore. But with Gauntlet, I was able to use some of my former players and make use of them. Salary Cap is another mode that does this, but I just really enjoyed how Gauntlet made me use everyone I own.

The developers did add WNBA cards to MyTEAM, which doesn’t really change much gameplay-wise. Considering player skills are based off their attributes, there won’t be much difference between a male or female SG.

But the cool thing about this addition is that it gives players more control than ever. I mean, why not have a team with any player you want? You can still create an all-male or all-female team if you want, but the good thing is that 2K26 gives you the choice of doing so.

Personally, I’ve never been a huge MyTEAM fanatic, and 2K26’s version of the mode didn’t really pull me in either. I don’t think that is a “bad” thing, considering the game has a ton of other modes to play. And since I prefer to spend my VC in modes like MyCAREER, I’m not really able to fully get immersed in both modes.

If you love MyTEAM, I’m sure all the improvements and new features will lead to a fun experience. And if you don’t like MyTEAM, there’s a bunch of other things you can do in NBA 2K26.

The W – NBA 2K26 Review

The W returns once again, allowing players to live out a WNBA version of MyCAREER. Unfortunately, I still don’t think the mode is quite where it could be.

The main issues with the mode this year is that the new features don’t really feel big or impactful. A Pre-Draft Interview along with improved Press Conferences doesn’t really feel groundbreaking.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad to have these features. But unlike MyCAREER, The W just feels a bit lifeless at times. And off the court, there really isn’t much to do either. You can scroll through social media or check your GOAT Challenges, but otherwise you’re really just playing MyCAREER lite.

The W features an online component full of rewards you can earn. What’s nice this year is that you can earn VC by playing The W online, now. VC is hard to come by, so offering players another means of earning it is helpful.

Overall, I don’t dislike The W. But I also don’t feel encouraged to play it either. If I wanted to do a player career, then I prefer the more expansive MyCAREER mode. And I can play as WNBA players/teams in various other modes, like Play Now or MyTEAM.

That said, it still impresses me that NBA 2K features teams from both leagues, as well as many historical teams/rosters. I would love to see even more teams added in future entries, if possible.

Graphics – NBA 2K26 Review

You won’t really notice NBA 2K26’s graphical improvements to players and jerseys unless you really zoom in. But the game still looks great, and runs even better on New-Gen consoles. Seeing the City run at 60 frames per second on PS5 was really nice, and the game in general ran smoothly.

What impressed me more than the graphics though, was the presentational improvement across the board. I love the new customizable MyTEAM Arena, and I love the new Dynamic Banners in MyNBA.

Speaking of Arenas, they look better than ever with new improved lighting, and dynamic banners in MyNBA which spruce things up I haven’t played in every arena yet, but it’s also cool to see some of the unique celebrations from fans that are only available in certain cities.

There’s also a wider variety of fan models, which makes the crowd look more unique and diverse than in previous titles. You really have to look to find two identical NPCs doing the same exact thing at the same exact time.

Fans are also a bit more active, waving towels (or rubber chickens), and attendees wear these cool LED wristbands during NBA Cup games. Overall, there’s just more life to every game.

Overall, NBA 2K26 looks great, and the presentation is still top-notch. I don’t know a lot of sports games with a halftime show that has dedicated cutscenes and show all kinds of information on upcoming matches.

Audio – NBA 2K26 Review

One thing that I’ll always appreciate in NBA 2K is fully-voiced cutscenes. When you speak to someone, whether it’s your Agent, or someone like SGA, you’ll actually hear character dialogue.

Many other games (not just sports games) tend to just show text during interactions, which doesn’t feel immersive. I know NBA teams have less players than NFL, MLB, or Soccer teams. But that doesn’t mean those games still can’t have cutscenes with some dialogue.

Some of those presentational improvements we mentioned earlier apply to the audio. The crowds sound great, and everything else from the stomps dribbling, to the squeakiness of those quick turns, all makes the game sound like the real deal.

In terms of the soundtrack, there’s a pretty solid selection of songs here. There’s a good variety of Hip-Hop, Rap, a little bit of rock, and more. What’s nice is that 2K typically adds more songs to the soundtrack throughout the year.

NBA 2K26 more than succeeds when it comes to the sights and sounds.

Verdict – Is NBA 2K26 Worth Your Time & Money

NBA 2K26 is another fantastic entry for one of the best sports video game series on the market. Visual Concepts took to the free throw line and converted every shot they intended to take.

In a lot of ways, the NBA 2K series is still setting the precedent on how sports video games should be made. It features a wide variety of modes, many of which can offer literally hundreds of hours of fun.

All the new features don’t feel like cheap gimmicks, but substantial improvements that the game feel more fun, more immersive, and more engaging.

The most important thing is that I’m having so much fun with the gameplay. Player movement feels fluid, making shots feels challenging, yet rewarding, and there’s tons of ways to control your experience.

Movement in NBA 2K has always felt good, and the new Motion Engine powered by ProPLAY makes it all look smoother. It’s just one of many new gameplay improvements that enrich the experience.

MyCAREER’s Out of Bound Story is long, exciting, full of drama, and worth playing through. It offers a ton of replay value, and thanks to the new Rebirth System, you’ll have an easier time creating new, powerful builds.

Although I’ve never been a huge MyTEAM guy, I can see how fans of the mode will enjoy its new improvements. The new Gauntlet mode is a ton of fun, especially for players who want to make the most out of their entire collection.

My one and only gripe with NBA 2K26 is the microtransactions. Some of the game’s VC costs are way too demanding, limiting the player to only spend it on a few things. And I can’t, in good conscience, give a game with microtransactions a perfect score.

But if you reserve your VC for just MyPLAYER, it shouldn’t take too long to get that respectable OVR. And you don’t need VC to immerse yourself in the many other modes, that were just as fun, if not, better than last year’s version.

To end it off, NBA 2K26 is definitely worth the time and money for hardcore fans of the series. Likewise, if you haven’t played a 2K game in awhile, 2K26 is a great entry to pick up and get back into the series.

Score: 9.5/10

Editor’s Note: ClutchPoints received a PS5 review copy to allow us to cover this game. These copies did not, in any way, affect this NBA 2K26 Review’s final score and verdict.