Angel Reese Named NBA 2K26 WNBA Cover Star

Angel Reese continues her meteoric rise in professional basketball with another landmark moment: being named the cover athlete for the WNBA Edition of NBA 2K26.

At just 23, the Chicago Sky forward joins NBA legend Carmelo Anthony and 2025 NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as one of the featured athletes for this year’s highly anticipated release of the globally successful video game franchise.

“NBA 2K26 is celebrating the bold, the confident, and the visionaries, and WNBA All-Star Angel Reese carries all that on and off the court,” said Zak Armitage, General Manager of NBA 2K, in an exclusive statement to TMZ Sports.

Armitage praised Reese for not only her performance on the hardwood but also her growing influence in shaping the cultural conversation around women’s basketball. “In her sophomore year in the WNBA, Angel Reese has made waves, created impactful conversations, and inspired the next generation. She’s a storyteller and has helped the WNBA grow its audience,” he added.

The announcement was made official on July 9 via social media, with the WNBA sharing a promotional post stating, “She’s got next. Angel Reese is your NBA 2K26 WNBA Edition Cover Athlete!”

Reese, who recently earned her second WNBA All-Star selection, spoke to PEOPLE magazine about the honor, expressing excitement and gratitude.

“I’m so blessed to be honored with these two,” she said of Anthony and Gilgeous-Alexander. “I was just super excited… just trying to be the first of many, and have many young kids and young women look up to me and know that they can do the same things I’m doing.” She added: “The sky’s the limit.”

Reese’s cover appearance comes amidst an ongoing and highly publicized rivalry with fellow WNBA rookie and former college opponent, Caitlin Clark. The two first made national headlines during the 2023 NCAA Tournament, when Reese led LSU to a championship victory over Iowa.

Her now-viral “you can’t see me” gesture toward Clark during the title game became a cultural flashpoint, igniting debates around race, sportsmanship, and the treatment of Black women in sports.