# Steven Adams predicts NBA-wide slump after GTA 6 launch

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/veteran-nba-player-warns-of-league-wide-dip-in-performance-when-gta-6-launches/
- Published: 2026-09-23T00:28:39+00:00
- Updated: 2026-09-23T06:57:35+00:00
- Original publisher: Destructoid
- Original article: https://www.destructoid.com/veteran-nba-player-warns-of-league-wide-dip-in-performance-when-gta-6-launches/
- Topics: Basketball, Entertainment, Gaming, GTA 6

## Key points

- Steven Adams predicts temporary NBA performance decline during November when GTA 6 launches
- Warning extends to coaches, scouts and potentially other sports leagues
- Comments are humorous speculation echoing past athlete gaming habit jokes

## Summary

Houston Rockets centre Steven Adams issued a humorous warning at the team's media day that Grand Theft Auto 6's November 19th launch will cause a league-wide performance dip across the NBA and other professional sports. The 12-year veteran predicted that players, coaches and scouts will be distracted by the highly anticipated video game release, affecting their output during the month. His comments resonated with fans who recall similar jest about athletes' gaming habits, such as suggestions that NFL quarterback Kyler Murray's statistics dipped during Call of Duty double XP weekends.

Adams specifically anticipates that NBA performance will suffer throughout November as players and staff focus on playing GTA 6 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, though he expects standards to recover in December. He noted that the impact could extend beyond the NBA to other professional leagues, suggesting a broader cultural phenomenon around the game's release. Whilst Adams's remarks are lighthearted speculation rather than substantiated evidence of a real sporting trend, they highlight the cultural significance of the Grand Theft Auto franchise among athletes and the public.

## Coverage

- [Destructoid: Steven Adams predicts NBA-wide slump after GTA 6 launch](https://www.destructoid.com/veteran-nba-player-warns-of-league-wide-dip-in-performance-when-gta-6-launches/)
- [IGN: NBA Star Steven Adams Says GTA 6's Launch Will Lead to a 'League-Wide' Drop in Performance for Athletes and Coaches](https://www.ign.com/articles/nba-star-steven-adams-says-gta-6s-launch-will-lead-to-a-league-wide-drop-in-performance-for-athletes-and-coaches)

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.