Tucked into the ecosystem of 2K’s annual releases is something that doesn’t get nearly enough credit: the fact that the franchise has quietly, and then loudly, become the leader in women’s sports in video games. No other title in the AAA sports video game space (essentially, games with massive development and marketing budgets, produced by large publishers and with widespread promotion) has invested in women’s basketball with the same consistency, meticulousness and devotion. From the fully fleshed-out game modes to the continued emphasis on hyper-realistic visuals in NBA 2K26, the game has become a world stage for the women’s game. It’s all there, layered with the same polish and attention to detail as the NBA side.

In fact, there are women’s game modes in 2K26 that no other male sports game can compete with. “MyWNBA—the franchise mode for the WNBA—is deeper than any other male sports franchise game out there, which is insane,” says Erick Boenisch, VP of NBA Development at Visual Concepts. “No one really picks up on that; they just gloss right over it, but that’s the deepest franchise mode in sports. We’re absolutely dedicated to that craft and improving it every year, as we’ve shown this year.”  

That commitment runs deep, and it’s not new. Back in 2011, Doris Burke became the first female commentator integrated into a major sports video game. While that addition might seem small in hindsight, Burke’s presence added a new dimension to the game. She brought credibility.

Then in 2021, 2K took it to a whole new level when they unveiled Candace Parker as the first woman athlete to ever appear solo on the cover of a major sports simulation. It was a historic line in the sand. Parker’s cover pulled women’s basketball into a rarefied space, an intentional declaration that the WNBA and its athletes deserve to be front and center. 

That matters because video games have the ability to shape culture as much as any form of entertainment or media. A teenager discovering A’ja Wilson through the W might become a lifelong fan. A girl in Dallas might build their MyPLAYER as a 6-foot guard from UConn and start seeing themselves in that story.

A big part of what makes all of this work is 2K’s devotion to authenticity. And if basketball is a game of details, then 2K has applied that same granular obsession to women’s hoops. Anyone who has watched the WNBA knows the players express themselves through their on-court style just as much as their crossover. They’ve consulted players directly, ensuring every hairstyle, tattoo and signature move feels lived-in. That same ethos carries onto the cover itself—this year Angel Reese graces NBA 2K26, cementing the fact that women’s basketball isn’t a side show but is co-headlining alongside the men’s game.

Speaking of which, this year you can even stack NBA and WNBA stars on the same squad in MyTEAM, blurring the lines between the leagues and letting real basketball fans dream up superteams you won’t find anywhere else. Stephen Curry and Caitlin Clark running the backcourt. Napheesa Collier and Kevin Durant running the wings. A’ja Wilson and Bam Adebayo vying for the starting center spot. Sure, it’s fantasy, but it’s another way 2K makes sure to elevate the women’s game in the same light as the men’s.

So yes, NBA 2K still owns the lane as the go-to basketball sim. But in a broader sense, it’s doing something bigger worth celebrating. It’s giving women’s basketball—and by extension, women’s sports—the spotlight it has long deserved. The future of gaming, much like the future of hoops, is built on innovation, inclusivity and respect.

And 2K, as usual, is ahead of the curve. 

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The NBA 2K26 x SLAM 259 cover is available now