Gracing the NBA 2k26 cover meant making a statement for Angel Reese. “It’s about representation and showing young girls they can be confident, bold, and take up space unapologetically,” she expressed, cementing history. If that wasn’t enough to circle her year in green, the Chicago Sky forward also made it among the elites on the 2k ratings. But what she has embraced with honor and meaning has come to spark criticism. And the perceived narrative involving Caitlin Clark? It’s not doing any favors.

On July 9, NBA 2K — the world’s most popular basketball video game — announced Chicago Sky star Angel Reese as the cover athlete for its WNBA edition. Fans were hyped, but some thought Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark should’ve gotten the nod instead. Reese vs. Clark debates? Yeah, those never take a day off. The game drops worldwide on September 5, and to build the hype, NBA 2K’s X account dropped the top 10 WNBA player ratings.

Napheesa Collier leads the list at 98 overall, followed by A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart at 97. Caitlin Clark stands alone at 96, then comes Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas at 95 and New York Liberty’s Sabrina Ionescu at 93. Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike, Mercury’s Satou Sabally, and Liberty’s Jonquel Jones all clock in at 92. Angel Reese rounds out the top 10 at 90 overall, making Clark and Reese the only two second-year players on the list.

Unfortunately, though, those are the two players sidelined for a good part of the 2025 season. While Clark missed her 12th-straight game on Friday night, Reese has played only two games since the All-Star break due to a back injury. The Fever sensation’s injuries had her moving into bit of a shooting slump, but for Reese? It was turning out to be an excellent sophomore year.

The young forward started slow, but by the All-Star break, she had improved her field goal percentage to 45 while leading the Sky in points, rebounds, and assists. And despite being out since July 29, she has been leading the league in total rebounds. “It’s been her ability to understand when she’s got the lane as a scorer and when she can be a facilitator. Then, obviously, what she brings on the defensive end, as well,” commended head coach Tyler Marsh on the ‘point forward’s’ growth.

With the double-double streaks, the ability to play multiple roles, and one of the most notable step ups this season, the Chi-Town Barbie was making a case for her 2k rating. But a few of the WNBA spectators aren’t sold.

Fans weigh in on Angel Reese’s NBA 2K26 rating

“Angel Reese a 90? KD’s handles are a 91. Idk which is a bigger lie,” one fan wrote, baffled that her rating sits just a point shy of NBA superstar Kevin Durant. In NBA 2K26, Durant holds a 91 three-point rating, having drained 160 threes last season at an elite 43.0% clip. His outside scoring is 89, inside scoring 85. Reese, on the other hand, sits at 73 and 67 in those categories, with a modest 21% shooting from beyond the arc. But where she truly shines is on the boards: a dominant 95 in rebounding, compared to Durant’s 49. They’re entirely different players, yet the 1-point difference turned so many heads given KD’s run.

Another comparison came much closer home. “2k is massively unserious man, Reese and Clark only separated by 6??? How ridiculous,” added another. Reese has been an excellent rebounder, a double-double queen with the tally at 17 for this season, but in field goals, the 23-year-old has a way to go. It has been a criticism since long, and while Reese has acted upon it, moving from 39.5 at the beginning of the season to 45 now, fans don’t believe she deserves the 90 just yet. And Clark having 3 triple-doubles to her name, isn’t helping.

“Should be 96 and 60,” one voiced, comparing the two. Clark has built a solid case for herself, finishing 4th in the MVP race last year while leading the league in assists and three-points made. She also became the first player with 20+ points, 15+ assists, and 5+ in a game. But while her defense and total turnovers call for growth, fans still seem to see a huge difference. So another shared the same sentiment: “If Clark is a 96 Reese should be 76.” 

Another one to popularly call for Angel Reese’s growth in the coming years was Candace Parker. The WNBA icon had placed her in Tier-C when asked to rank players and reasoned, “Can she get to player A, or player S, or whatever? Yes, she can. Right now, I don’t know if she’s alongside those players.” 

Reese’s efficiency has yet to shine through. In 2024, 35% of her offensive rebounds came from her misses alone. It has had people commenting, “If Angel Reese is 90, then every NBA player that’s ever played is 150+.”

But the Sky star is still just 23 and carving out her own legacy, and with her confidence and drive, she clearly has no problem aiming high. We saw what she could do when she put in the work over the off-season and came back with an improved shooting. And the Sky have often faltered without her. It is only a matter of patience.