"Why isn't Joker on the cover?" - Rashad McCants wonders why Shai made the 2K cover while Jokic never did
After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the scoring title, bagged the MVP award and led his OKC Thunder team to a long-awaited title as the Finals MVP, it only felt fitting that the 26-year-old Canadian guard was chosen as the cover athlete for NBA 2K26.
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It is hard to overlook how SGA is now amongst the league's new and most prominent faces. However, former NBA player Rashad McCants failed to understand the criteria for such selections. Interestingly, what puzzles him the most is why Nikola Jokic, unarguably the best player over the last five years, was never granted the same spotlight.
McCants highlights how Jokic has never been on the cover of NBA 2K
Sure, it made sense in 2021 when NBA 2K22 chose Luka Doncic as its cover athlete, as the Slovenian had just started showing signs of becoming a generational player. But when Jokic won back-to-back MVPs, even then, it was Devin Booker who was chosen to grace the NBA 2K23 cover.
So, some felt that team success is what deprived Joker of that honor. So, when The Joker led the Nuggets to their first-ever title in 2023, it seemed certain that he would finally get it. But it was then Kobe Bryant who was made the face of the iconic game - a tribute that was largely welcomed. But even in 2024, when Jokic became one of the only nine players to have at least three MVP awards against their names, they opted to put Jayson Tatum on the NBA 2K25 cover.
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So, this pattern forced McCants to question: if NBA 2K cover selections are based on merit and impact, then how does Jokic keep getting snubbed? Which clearly means that the league doesn't see him as a marketable player.
"Why isn't Joker on the cover?" McCants asked on the "Gil's Arena Show." "The question I really have is, if Shai is the face of the league after doing what he has done, who was the face of the league last year? And before that? Is it a year-by-year thing?... Is it about being the most popular? Is it popularity that makes you the face?"
Related: "All those muscles aren't gonna help you tonight" - Kevin McHale recalls when Bird trash-talked young and overly-muscular Anthony Mason
The harsh truth about the snub
Indeed, the answer may lie in Jokic's unique personality. For over half a decade, he's been the best player in the league, yet he carries himself with a quiet, nonchalant demeanor. The Serbian center isn't interested in the spotlight, media attention, or fame; instead, he simply comes to play basketball, dominate in his own way, and goes home.
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Despite revolutionizing what it means to be a modern center, with elite passing, IQ and efficiency, he doesn't market himself, doesn't chase the camera and rarely entertains beyond the hardwood.
So, in a league that craves unique personalities and aura, naturally, the 2K games tend to put those players on their cover who will make fans want to purchase that game. While Jokic is undeniably the best player in the league, he's not exactly the type to make fans rush to buy the game just because his face is on the cover.
It is a tough pill to swallow for purists, but it's the harsh truth. Sometimes, even the best in the game can be snubbed in specific scenarios. Not because anyone questions their value, but because they lack a certain brand image.
Related: Kevin Durant explains why today's NBA is better without so much structure: "I love that the league is trending towards that, though. That's just more hoopin'"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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