Who is on the NBA 2K27 cover?
NBA 2K27 splits its cover across three athletes, one per edition. San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama takes the Standard Edition, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark headlines the Deluxe Edition, and Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose fronts the limited-time Ultra Edition, all confirmed by developer Visual Concepts and publisher 2K in the announcement.
Each cover carries some historical weight. Per ESPN’s reporting, Wembanyama is the first San Antonio Spurs player to appear on an NBA 2K cover, while Rose returns to the series for the first time since NBA 2K13 — this time with a solo edition rather than a shared cover. 2K describes Clark as the first WNBA player to headline her own global cover, a framing echoed across the coverage but resting on the publisher’s own characterisation.
“To be the first WNBA player on her own global cover means women’s basketball gets to show up on that stage too,” Clark said in the announcement.
Which NBA 2K27 edition should you buy?
The choice between editions is mostly about early access, in-game currency, and MyTEAM extras rather than the base game itself. All three tiers include the same core title; the higher prices buy bonus content and, crucially, a head start.
| Edition | Price (USD SRP) | Cover | Platforms | Notable extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $69.99 (approximately AED 257) | Victor Wembanyama | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Switch 2 | Base game only |
| Deluxe | $99.99 (approximately AED 367) | Caitlin Clark | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC | 100,000 VC, MyCAREER and MyTEAM content, early access from 28 August |
| Ultra | $149.99 (approximately AED 550) | Derrick Rose | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC | Everything in Deluxe plus 35,000 more VC, Season 1 Pro Pass, Seasons 7–9 Pro Pass bundle, and premium MyTEAM cards |
The Ultra Edition is digital-only and available on a limited-time basis through 6 September 2026. It also bundles a guaranteed 98 OVR MyTEAM card in December 2026 and a guaranteed Invincible card in May 2027, alongside a Pro Pass bundle covering Seasons 7–9 that 2K says releases in Summer 2027. Early access for Deluxe and Ultra owners begins at 9:00 AM PT on 28 August 2026, up to a week before the wider launch.
One detail worth noting for returning players: 2K says NBA 2K26 owners who preorder the Ultra Edition on the same platform via the platform store get a 10% discount off the suggested price, available through 3 September 2026 and limited to one per account.
What UAE players should know
UAE buyers should treat the announced figures as US suggested retail prices, not local pricing. 2K states plainly in the announcement that “actual retail price may vary” and directs players to check local retailers, so the AED conversions above are indicative reference figures rather than confirmed UAE prices.
There is one practical wrinkle for platform choice: the Deluxe and Ultra Editions are confirmed only for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, while the Standard Edition is the only version listed for Nintendo Switch 2, which can currently be wishlisted. Anyone planning to play on Switch 2 therefore cannot buy into the early-access window at all. 2K also notes that early access timing “may vary by region and time zone,” so the exact local unlock will depend on storefront policy.
Preorders are live now, and 2K has scheduled the game’s first gameplay trailer for 28 July, which should give a clearer read on what has actually changed under the hood. The cover reveal continues the series’ recent pattern of tiered editions and early access; the confirmed athletes, dates, and edition contents are the new details here. For players tracking the wider annual sports slate, EA’s football franchise recently confirmed its own cover direction with Kylian Mbappé fronting EA Sports FC 27.