IPL 2026: Fleming exercises caution, backs CSK’s young batting core to shine To lose the first three games in an IPL season is a hellish scenario. But it is not quite a death-knell. Mumbai Indians lost its first four matches in 2015, and still won the trophy. In 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won just one of its first eight fixtures, and yet made it to the playoffs.But for the Chennai Super Kings faithful, these will bring little succour, for it is not just about the defeats but the manner of them. CSK lost to Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets, to Punjab Kings by five, and to RCB by 43 runs. In the T20 universe, these are like distances between the earth and the moon.“It was a tough night,” CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said after Sunday’s loss to RCB. “We did some good things early on, but unfortunately lost our shape at the back end. We got a little bit shell-shocked and that flowed through into the early parts of our batting as well.READ | 14 defeats in 22 matches: Does CSK have a captaincy conundrum or will its ethos prevail?“Against a hitter like Tim David (70 n.o. from 25 balls), you’ve got to be absolutely spot on. We missed, and got hurt in the hardest of fashions.”This season, CSK has bet big on young batters like Kartik Sharma (19), Prashant Veer (20) and Ayush Mhatre (18), and Fleming was confident that their potential will eventually shine through.“It’s going to be a really good core of Indian batters. You’re going to get a bit of inconsistency and also some brilliance. It’s a high octane pace and there are going to be some speed wobbles. It’s about marrying skill with a bit of game sense, and that does take time.”Published on Apr 06, 2026 #IPL #Fleming #exercises #caution #backs #CSKs #young #batting #core #shine

IPL 2026: Fleming exercises caution, backs CSK’s young batting core to shine
To lose the first three games in an IPL season is a hellish scenario. But it is not quite a death-knell. Mumbai Indians lost its first four matches in 2015, and still won the trophy. In 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won just one of its first eight fixtures, and yet made it to the playoffs.
But for the Chennai Super Kings faithful, these will bring little succour, for it is not just about the defeats but the manner of them. CSK lost to Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets, to Punjab Kings by five, and to RCB by 43 runs. In the T20 universe, these are like distances between the earth and the moon.
“It was a tough night,” CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said after Sunday’s loss to RCB. “We did some good things early on, but unfortunately lost our shape at the back end. We got a little bit shell-shocked and that flowed through into the early parts of our batting as well.
READ | 14 defeats in 22 matches: Does CSK have a captaincy conundrum or will its ethos prevail?
“Against a hitter like Tim David (70 n.o. from 25 balls), you’ve got to be absolutely spot on. We missed, and got hurt in the hardest of fashions.”
This season, CSK has bet big on young batters like Kartik Sharma (19), Prashant Veer (20) and Ayush Mhatre (18), and Fleming was confident that their potential will eventually shine through.
“It’s going to be a really good core of Indian batters. You’re going to get a bit of inconsistency and also some brilliance. It’s a high octane pace and there are going to be some speed wobbles. It’s about marrying skill with a bit of game sense, and that does take time.”
Published on Apr 06, 2026
#IPL #Fleming #exercises #caution #backs #CSKs #young #batting #core #shine

To lose the first three games in an IPL season is a hellish scenario. But it is not quite a death-knell. Mumbai Indians lost its first four matches in 2015, and still won the trophy. In 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won just one of its first eight fixtures, and yet made it to the playoffs.

But for the Chennai Super Kings faithful, these will bring little succour, for it is not just about the defeats but the manner of them. CSK lost to Rajasthan Royals by eight wickets, to Punjab Kings by five, and to RCB by 43 runs. In the T20 universe, these are like distances between the earth and the moon.

“It was a tough night,” CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said after Sunday’s loss to RCB. “We did some good things early on, but unfortunately lost our shape at the back end. We got a little bit shell-shocked and that flowed through into the early parts of our batting as well.

READ | 14 defeats in 22 matches: Does CSK have a captaincy conundrum or will its ethos prevail?

“Against a hitter like Tim David (70 n.o. from 25 balls), you’ve got to be absolutely spot on. We missed, and got hurt in the hardest of fashions.”

This season, CSK has bet big on young batters like Kartik Sharma (19), Prashant Veer (20) and Ayush Mhatre (18), and Fleming was confident that their potential will eventually shine through.

“It’s going to be a really good core of Indian batters. You’re going to get a bit of inconsistency and also some brilliance. It’s a high octane pace and there are going to be some speed wobbles. It’s about marrying skill with a bit of game sense, and that does take time.”

Published on Apr 06, 2026

Source link
#IPL #Fleming #exercises #caution #backs #CSKs #young #batting #core #shine

Tag ayush mhatre csk stephen fleming Indian Premier League ipl 2026 news IPL news kartik sharma prashant veer rcb vs csk rcb vs csk ipl 2026 stephen fleming

Deadspin | Robert Thomas’ hat trick helps Blues beat Avs, continue playoff push <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28667533.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28667533.jpg" alt="NHL: St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 5, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Jonathan Drouin (92) attempts a shot against Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images  </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Robert Thomas completed his first career hat trick with a tiebreaking goal late in the third period to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Sunday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>St. Louis (33-31-12, 78 points) moved within three points of Nashville for the second and final wild-card spot in the Western Conference and prevented Colorado from clinching the No. 1 seed.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Jimmy Snuggerud assisted on all three goals, Dylan Holloway added two assists and Joel Hofer made 26 saves for the Blues.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>The Avalanche (50-16-10, 110 points), who remain highly likely to win the Presidents’ Trophy, can clinch the West’s top seed Tuesday night with a win at St. Louis or a Dallas regulation loss vs. Calgary.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>With the game tied, the Blues got an odd-man rush with Holloway carrying the puck down the right side and into the Colorado zone. Thomas went to the far side of the crease and tapped in Holloway’s pass with 2:50 remaining.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>The Avalanche pulled goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood soon after Gabriel Landeskog’s slashing penalty put them on the penalty kill for the final 1:54.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Brent Burns had a goal and an assist, Parker Kelly also scored and Blackwood turned away 25 shots for the Avalanche.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Colorado appeared to strike first when Ross Colton knocked a puck out of midair and into the net early in the first period. The goal was disallowed after St. Louis successfully challenged the play was offside.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>St. Louis opened the scoring when Blackwood made a save on an initial shot but the puck went out to Snuggerud in the right circle, who fed Thomas in the slot. His wrister beat Blackwood on the short side at 12:01 of the first period.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>The Avalanche leveled the score when Kelly tipped Burns’ shot from the point at 15:10 of the first to become the sixth Colorado player to reach 20 goals this season.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Burns briefly gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead at 3:40 into the second period, but Thomas scored his second of the night 29 seconds later to even it again.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-12"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Robert #Thomas #hat #trick #helps #Blues #beat #Avs #continue #playoff #push

Sporcle Events Newsletter Bonus Questions – Week of 4/6/26

Austria vs. Algeria isn’t exactly the kind of match that soccer fans have circled on their calendar when it comes to the World Cup. Set to take place at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday night, it’s not exactly a match brimming with star players, potential Golden Boot winners, or elite club talent — but it’s rich in historical hatred. That has transformed a relatively ho-hum Group Stage match into must-watch television when it comes to drama.

As it stands, both teams are tied with three points in Group J after beating Jordan and losing to Argentina. The only thing keeping Austria ahead is their 0 goal differential, to Algeria’s -2. This makes the math pretty darn easy for Saturday night: If Algeria wins, they’re through to the knockout round, if Austria either wins or ties, then they’re through. The drama comes from a similar scenario that happened in 1982 when Austria and Algeria shared a group, and an incident that’s so infamous it has its own title in three different languages, translating as: “The Disgrace of Gijón,” “The Shame of Gijón,” and “The Match of Shame.”

The 1982 World Cup in Spain was the first cup Algeria ever qualified for. Little was expected out of the debuting nation, especially when it was announced they would share Group 2 with Austria, Chile, and powerhouse West Germany. Written off by everyone outside of Algiers, things took a dramatic turn in the opening game when Algeria stunned West Germany in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The 2-1 win was so unimaginable that it was compared to South Korea’s win over Italy at the 1966 World Cup for the greatest upset of all time.

It immediately made Algeria stand out, and it seemed plausible they might actually be able to put up a fight. The team lost 2-0 to Austria in their second game, but fought back to beat Chile 3-2. At the time a win was worth two points and a draw was one, which left Algeria second in the standings behind Austria with one game to play. They would need to wait to see what happened between West Germany and Austria to decide their fate.

We don’t need to hundreds of years of world history to understand the relationship with Austria and Germany outside of the fact they were allies for generations, and the two German-speaking nations faced off in the final match of the group. The group had four possible outcomes depending on what happened.

Austria wins, meaning that Austria and Algeria advance
Austria and Germany tie, meaning that Austria and Algeria advance
West Germany wins by fewer than three goals, meaning Austria and West Germany advance
West Germany wins by four goals or greater, meaning West Germany and Algeria advance

There was one scenario, No. 3, that would cause both nations to guarantee they would advance. West Germany had to win the game, but not beat Austria so badly that it took their goal differential below Algeria. The Disgrace of Gijón was on.

It’s unclear when the teams made a non-aggression pact, but it was clear from the kickoff that this wasn’t going to be a normal game. West Germany scored within the first 10 minutes with relative ease, then the game ground to a halt. For 80 minutes, the sides passed the ball inside their own half — often kicking back to the keeper who would then deliver a long ball into the other side of the field, at which point the other team would just pointlessly pass the ball around. If anyone found themselves close to a scoring opportunity they would wildly shoot the ball off target, just to preserve the 1-0 score until the final whistle.

There was so much disgust from everyone observing that there were in-game protests. Booing rang out through the stadium as fans realized what Austria and West Germany were doing, while German radio announcer Eberhard Stanjek refused to commentate the game any longer. It was similarly decried in Austria, where TV announcer Robert Seeger told viewers to turn off the game.

After 90 minutes it was over. West Germany won 1-0, meaning they would go through to the knockout round with Austria. Algeria was left holding the bag, being eliminated by goal differential. Algeria appealed to FIFA, but the governing body said that neither team had broken the rules — even if they had gone against the spirit of the game.

This brings us to Saturday night. 34 years of anger over “The Disgrace of Gijón” has a chance to be rectified with vengeance. If Algeria beats Austria, they will advance and eliminate the team that screwed them over in 1982. Sure, the players on both teams might not remember — but Algerians do, and this would be a small measure of justice. That mans the game on Saturday night means much, much more than a simple Group Stage game, it’s for national pride.

#Austria #Algeria #World #Cup #grudge #match #years #making">

Austria vs. Algeria is a World Cup grudge match 34 years in the making Austria vs. Algeria isn’t exactly the kind of match that soccer fans have circled on their calendar when it comes to the World Cup. Set to take place at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday night, it’s not exactly a match brimming with star players, potential Golden Boot winners, or elite club talent — but it’s rich in historical hatred. That has transformed a relatively ho-hum Group Stage match into must-watch television when it comes to drama.As it stands, both teams are tied with three points in Group J after beating Jordan and losing to Argentina. The only thing keeping Austria ahead is their 0 goal differential, to Algeria’s -2. This makes the math pretty darn easy for Saturday night: If Algeria wins, they’re through to the knockout round, if Austria either wins or ties, then they’re through. The drama comes from a similar scenario that happened in 1982 when Austria and Algeria shared a group, and an incident that’s so infamous it has its own title in three different languages, translating as: “The Disgrace of Gijón,” “The Shame of Gijón,” and “The Match of Shame.”The 1982 World Cup in Spain was the first cup Algeria ever qualified for. Little was expected out of the debuting nation, especially when it was announced they would share Group 2 with Austria, Chile, and powerhouse West Germany. Written off by everyone outside of Algiers, things took a dramatic turn in the opening game when Algeria stunned West Germany in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The 2-1 win was so unimaginable that it was compared to South Korea’s win over Italy at the 1966 World Cup for the greatest upset of all time.It immediately made Algeria stand out, and it seemed plausible they might actually be able to put up a fight. The team lost 2-0 to Austria in their second game, but fought back to beat Chile 3-2. At the time a win was worth two points and a draw was one, which left Algeria second in the standings behind Austria with one game to play. They would need to wait to see what happened between West Germany and Austria to decide their fate.We don’t need to hundreds of years of world history to understand the relationship with Austria and Germany outside of the fact they were allies for generations, and the two German-speaking nations faced off in the final match of the group. The group had four possible outcomes depending on what happened.Austria wins, meaning that Austria and Algeria advanceAustria and Germany tie, meaning that Austria and Algeria advanceWest Germany wins by fewer than three goals, meaning Austria and West Germany advanceWest Germany wins by four goals or greater, meaning West Germany and Algeria advanceThere was one scenario, No. 3, that would cause both nations to guarantee they would advance. West Germany had to win the game, but not beat Austria so badly that it took their goal differential below Algeria. The Disgrace of Gijón was on.It’s unclear when the teams made a non-aggression pact, but it was clear from the kickoff that this wasn’t going to be a normal game. West Germany scored within the first 10 minutes with relative ease, then the game ground to a halt. For 80 minutes, the sides passed the ball inside their own half — often kicking back to the keeper who would then deliver a long ball into the other side of the field, at which point the other team would just pointlessly pass the ball around. If anyone found themselves close to a scoring opportunity they would wildly shoot the ball off target, just to preserve the 1-0 score until the final whistle.There was so much disgust from everyone observing that there were in-game protests. Booing rang out through the stadium as fans realized what Austria and West Germany were doing, while German radio announcer Eberhard Stanjek refused to commentate the game any longer. It was similarly decried in Austria, where TV announcer Robert Seeger told viewers to turn off the game.After 90 minutes it was over. West Germany won 1-0, meaning they would go through to the knockout round with Austria. Algeria was left holding the bag, being eliminated by goal differential. Algeria appealed to FIFA, but the governing body said that neither team had broken the rules — even if they had gone against the spirit of the game.This brings us to Saturday night. 34 years of anger over “The Disgrace of Gijón” has a chance to be rectified with vengeance. If Algeria beats Austria, they will advance and eliminate the team that screwed them over in 1982. Sure, the players on both teams might not remember — but Algerians do, and this would be a small measure of justice. That mans the game on Saturday night means much, much more than a simple Group Stage game, it’s for national pride. #Austria #Algeria #World #Cup #grudge #match #years #making

mwasimuddin125 0

Austria vs. Algeria isn’t exactly the kind of match that soccer fans have circled on their calendar when it comes to the World Cup. Set to take place at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday night, it’s not exactly a match brimming with star players, potential Golden Boot winners, or elite club talent — but it’s rich in historical hatred. That has transformed a relatively ho-hum Group Stage match into must-watch television when it comes to drama.
As it stands, both teams are tied with three points in Group J after beating Jordan and losing to Argentina. The only thing keeping Austria ahead is their 0 goal differential, to Algeria’s -2. This makes the math pretty darn easy for Saturday night: If Algeria wins, they’re through to the knockout round, if Austria either wins or ties, then they’re through. The drama comes from a similar scenario that happened in 1982 when Austria and Algeria shared a group, and an incident that’s so infamous it has its own title in three different languages, translating as: “The Disgrace of Gijón,” “The Shame of Gijón,” and “The Match of Shame.”
The 1982 World Cup in Spain was the first cup Algeria ever qualified for. Little was expected out of the debuting nation, especially when it was announced they would share Group 2 with Austria, Chile, and powerhouse West Germany. Written off by everyone outside of Algiers, things took a dramatic turn in the opening game when Algeria stunned West Germany in one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The 2-1 win was so unimaginable that it was compared to South Korea’s win over Italy at the 1966 World Cup for the greatest upset of all time.
It immediately made Algeria stand out, and it seemed plausible they might actually be able to put up a fight. The team lost 2-0 to Austria in their second game, but fought back to beat Chile 3-2. At the time a win was worth two points and a draw was one, which left Algeria second in the standings behind Austria with one game to play. They would need to wait to see what happened between West Germany and Austria to decide their fate.
We don’t need to hundreds of years of world history to understand the relationship with Austria and Germany outside of the fact they were allies for generations, and the two German-speaking nations faced off in the final match of the group. The group had four possible outcomes depending on what happened.
Austria wins, meaning that Austria and Algeria advance
Austria and Germany tie, meaning that Austria and Algeria advance
West Germany wins by fewer than three goals, meaning Austria and West Germany advance
West Germany wins by four goals or greater, meaning West Germany and Algeria advance
There was one scenario, No. 3, that would cause both nations to guarantee they would advance. West Germany had to win the game, but not beat Austria so badly that it took their goal differential below Algeria. The Disgrace of Gijón was on.
It’s unclear when the teams made a non-aggression pact, but it was clear from the kickoff that this wasn’t going to be a normal game. West Germany scored within the first 10 minutes with relative ease, then the game ground to a halt. For 80 minutes, the sides passed the ball inside their own half — often kicking back to the keeper who would then deliver a long ball into the other side of the field, at which point the other team would just pointlessly pass the ball around. If anyone found themselves close to a scoring opportunity they would wildly shoot the ball off target, just to preserve the 1-0 score until the final whistle.
There was so much disgust from everyone observing that there were in-game protests. Booing rang out through the stadium as fans realized what Austria and West Germany were doing, while German radio announcer Eberhard Stanjek refused to commentate the game any longer. It was similarly decried in Austria, where TV announcer Robert Seeger told viewers to turn off the game.
After 90 minutes it was over. West Germany won 1-0, meaning they would go through to the knockout round with Austria. Algeria was left holding the bag, being eliminated by goal differential. Algeria appealed to FIFA, but the governing body said that neither team had broken the rules — even if they had gone against the spirit of the game.
This brings us to Saturday night. 34 years of anger over “The Disgrace of Gijón” has a chance to be rectified with vengeance. If Algeria beats Austria, they will advance and eliminate the team that screwed them over in 1982. Sure, the players on both teams might not remember — but Algerians do, and this would be a small measure of justice. That mans the game on Saturday night means much, much more than a simple Group Stage game, it’s for national pride.

#Austria #Algeria #World #Cup #grudge #match #years #making">Austria vs. Algeria is a World Cup grudge match 34 years in the making

Austria wins, meaning that Austria and Algeria advance
Austria and Germany tie, meaning that Austria and Algeria advance
West Germany wins by fewer than three goals, meaning Austria and West Germany advance
West Germany wins by four goals or greater, meaning West Germany and Algeria advance

#Austria #Algeria #World #Cup #grudge #match #years #making

mwasimuddin125 0

India vs Ireland, 1st T20I LIVE score: IRE 51/3 (7); Harshit, Arshdeep put IND on top against IRE, no Sooryavanshi debut
Many eyes will be trained to see if Vaibhav Sooryavanshi makes his India debut when it takes on Ireland in the first T20I between the sides at the Civil Service Country Ground in Belfast on June 26.
If he plays, Sooryavanshi will become the youngest player to debut for the Indian men’s team, and the second-youngest overall behind Gargi Bannerjee, who played for India at 14 years and 165 days.
Sooryavanshi has forced his name into national contention after a record-shattering IPL 2026 season in which he won the Orange Cap award for most runs.
However, the early indications are that Sooryavanshi will have to wait his turn to play behind India’s settled top-order of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan.
#India #Ireland #1st #T20I #LIVE #score #IRE #Harshit #Arshdeep #put #IND #top #IRE #Sooryavanshi #debut

Victor Wembanyama Could Become the NBA 2K27 Cover According to Odds | Deadspin.com Oct 30, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) chants “Go Spurs Go” along with fans after a victory over the Miami Heat at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Now that the dust has settled on the NBA Finals and the NBA Draft, all attention will be on free agency.But the release of NBA 2K27 will take place in the first week of September. NBA fans and gamers will have a chance to use the entirely new rookie class and proper free agent fits on this new game.Popular prediction market site Kalshi allows users to make trades of real-world events. As of June 25, they’re giving San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama an 84% chance of being named the cover of this year’s version of NBA 2K.An 84¢ contract on Wembanyama to be named the cover of NBA 2K27 wouldn’t payout much, as it’s the favored outcome. New York Knicks NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson has a 20% chance of being the cover of the league’s popular video game, which would be a much more attractive contract for users seeking value. Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: basketball Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards is the longshot, getting only a 9% chance of being named the cover athlete. Those chances increased following the breaking news of LaMelo Ball being traded to Minnesota. Certainly, the Timberwolves will be a popular team in the game next season.How does NBA 2K decide the cover athlete?Each year, NBA 2K takes their time determining the cover athlete.For the game’s main cover, they typically select an up-and-coming superstar. A player whose stock could be on the rise would be the usual target. They also like to take advantage of significant benchmark moments in the NBA (like winning a championship, MVP, etc.).Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the cover of NBA 2K26. He had won his first MVP and NBA Championship. Carmelo Anthony was the superstar edition cover and Angel Reese was the WNBA edition cover.Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was the cover of NBA 2K25. For 2K24, the game tributed the cover to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was the cover of NBA 2K23 and Luka Doncic was the cover of NBA 2K22. Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving and Paul George have also been on NBA 2K covers in the last decade.It’s likely that Wembanyama or Brunson will be this year’s cover athlete. The value would be on Brunson after winning a championship and breaking New York’s five-decade title drought. But for now, Wembanyama remains the favorite as the future face of the league. Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: basketball #Victor #Wembanyama #NBA #2K27 #Cover #Odds #Deadspin.com

#Victor #Wembanyama #NBA #2K27 #Cover #Odds #Deadspin.com">

mwasimuddin125 0

Oct 30, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) chants “Go Spurs Go” along with fans after a victory over the Miami Heat at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Now that the dust has settled on the NBA Finals and the NBA Draft, all attention will be on free agency.
But the release of NBA 2K27 will take place in the first week of September. NBA fans and gamers will have a chance to use the entirely new rookie class and proper free agent fits on this new game.
Popular prediction market site Kalshi allows users to make trades of real-world events. As of June 25, they’re giving San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama an 84% chance of being named the cover of this year’s version of NBA 2K.
An 84¢ contract on Wembanyama to be named the cover of NBA 2K27 wouldn’t payout much, as it’s the favored outcome. New York Knicks NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson has a 20% chance of being the cover of the league’s popular video game, which would be a much more attractive contract for users seeking value.

Our Current Best Offers
Channel debug: basketball

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards is the longshot, getting only a 9% chance of being named the cover athlete. Those chances increased following the breaking news of LaMelo Ball being traded to Minnesota. Certainly, the Timberwolves will be a popular team in the game next season.
How does NBA 2K decide the cover athlete?
Each year, NBA 2K takes their time determining the cover athlete.
For the game’s main cover, they typically select an up-and-coming superstar. A player whose stock could be on the rise would be the usual target. They also like to take advantage of significant benchmark moments in the NBA (like winning a championship, MVP, etc.).
Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the cover of NBA 2K26. He had won his first MVP and NBA Championship. Carmelo Anthony was the superstar edition cover and Angel Reese was the WNBA edition cover.
Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was the cover of NBA 2K25. For 2K24, the game tributed the cover to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was the cover of NBA 2K23 and Luka Doncic was the cover of NBA 2K22. Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving and Paul George have also been on NBA 2K covers in the last decade.
It’s likely that Wembanyama or Brunson will be this year’s cover athlete. The value would be on Brunson after winning a championship and breaking New York’s five-decade title drought. But for now, Wembanyama remains the favorite as the future face of the league.

Our Current Best Offers
Channel debug: basketball

#Victor #Wembanyama #NBA #2K27 #Cover #Odds #Deadspin.com">Victor Wembanyama Could Become the NBA 2K27 Cover According to Odds | Deadspin.com

Oct 30, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) chants “Go Spurs Go” along with fans after a victory over the Miami Heat at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Now that the dust has settled on the NBA Finals and the NBA Draft, all attention will be on free agency.

But the release of NBA 2K27 will take place in the first week of September. NBA fans and gamers will have a chance to use the entirely new rookie class and proper free agent fits on this new game.

Popular prediction market site Kalshi allows users to make trades of real-world events. As of June 25, they’re giving San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama an 84% chance of being named the cover of this year’s version of NBA 2K.

An 84¢ contract on Wembanyama to be named the cover of NBA 2K27 wouldn’t payout much, as it’s the favored outcome. New York Knicks NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson has a 20% chance of being the cover of the league’s popular video game, which would be a much more attractive contract for users seeking value.

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: basketball

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards is the longshot, getting only a 9% chance of being named the cover athlete. Those chances increased following the breaking news of LaMelo Ball being traded to Minnesota. Certainly, the Timberwolves will be a popular team in the game next season.

How does NBA 2K decide the cover athlete?

Each year, NBA 2K takes their time determining the cover athlete.

For the game’s main cover, they typically select an up-and-coming superstar. A player whose stock could be on the rise would be the usual target. They also like to take advantage of significant benchmark moments in the NBA (like winning a championship, MVP, etc.).

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the cover of NBA 2K26. He had won his first MVP and NBA Championship. Carmelo Anthony was the superstar edition cover and Angel Reese was the WNBA edition cover.

Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was the cover of NBA 2K25. For 2K24, the game tributed the cover to Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was the cover of NBA 2K23 and Luka Doncic was the cover of NBA 2K22. Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving and Paul George have also been on NBA 2K covers in the last decade.

It’s likely that Wembanyama or Brunson will be this year’s cover athlete. The value would be on Brunson after winning a championship and breaking New York’s five-decade title drought. But for now, Wembanyama remains the favorite as the future face of the league.

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: basketball

#Victor #Wembanyama #NBA #2K27 #Cover #Odds #Deadspin.com

Sporcle Events Newsletter Bonus Questions – Week of 4/6/26

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