A week into the 2026 NBA season, the league has been rocked by a gambling scandal. Not only that, but many fans - us included - have been irritated by the amount of flopping and free throws. This week, we join the community in discussing these controversies, along with a few other NBA matters that are getting us down. We also talk about whether video games make up for disappointment with real basketball, and getting ejected on the virtual hardwood.

Customer service, value for money, and quality products are topics that are on our minds this week. This comes in the wake of an eBay purchase that unfortunately became a deeply unpleasant transaction, as well as the first big patch for NBA 2K26 failing to make the game better (and indeed, arguably making it worse). On a lighter note, we also recap a successful upgrade to Windows 11, before wrapping up the show with some quick 2026 NBA predictions.

Electronic Arts has recently been acquired in one of the biggest deals in the history of video games. This week, we share our thoughts on the news and what it might mean for the future of basketball gaming. We also note some of the reactions to the deal that we've seen from the wider gaming community on social media. Needless to say, it's proving to be quite a controversial move!

It's the 600th Episode of the NLSC Podcast! A huge shout out to all of our listeners and the NLSC community at large for continuing to support all of our content throughout the years! To mark the milestone, this week we're simply getting on the mics to chat about basketball gaming. We share our latest thoughts on NBA 2K26, and reflect on some of the other games that we're currently playing, including our NBA 2K9 Association. We also once again touch on the joy of Virtual Hardwood Legends, discuss how realism can sometimes feel unrealistic in basketball video games, and share some interesting roster trivia about real players and their virtual counterparts alike.

Music is a vital part of the atmosphere in basketball video games, and as such, is often connected to our nostalgia for them. This week, we join the community in reflecting on basketball video game music, from our all-time favourite soundtracks and standout songs to the tunes that just didn't seem to be a good fit for the virtual hardwood.

Why do we still play basketball video games? This week, we discuss the factors that keep us hooked on the virtual hardwood, from a love of competition and shared experiences to the way it allows us to feel connected to and indeed more informed about our favourite sport. We also reflect on the lingering stigma surrounding gaming as an adult, and push back on the notion that it's a childish hobby that needs to be left behind.

Need help mastering NBA 2K26? This week's show provides some detailed tips, from what to do on the sticks to suggestions for gameplay sliders and camera settings! We also join the community in discussing how we're playing NBA 2K26, along with the other basketball games that are currently in our rotations. Speaking of which, our NBA 2K9 Bulls Association continues to be a blast, leading us to reflect on the game's quality and how we'd rank it.

In a shocking and rather unfortunate development, EA Sports rescinded their proposal for a college basketball game in light of Take-Two reaching agreements with several schools to develop their own "college basketball experience". This week, we join the community in reacting to the news and speculating on what we can expect from 2K. We also follow up on last week's show with some further impressions of NBA 2K26.

NBA 2K26 is already in gamers' hands thanks to the early access pre-order bonus provided by the Superstar and Leave No Doubt editions. As such, this week we join the community in sharing our first impressions of this year's release! From gameplay to the Eras rosters, this episode is a comprehensive breakdown of the pros and cons that we've observed so far. We also discuss some disappointing roster sharing news, as well as the concept of aura farming.

With NBA 2K26 right around the corner, a community event has given us a detailed look at the game in action. We share our thoughts on what we've seen so far, as well as what the influencers who attended the event are saying. In particular, we note how valid criticism is once again being shot down ahead of the game's release. We also cover some of the key points of the Courtside Report on MyNBA and MyGM, and recall our favourite basketball nicknames.

As the NBA 2K26 preview season rolls on, the big news revealed last week was that the WNBA has now been integrated into MyTEAM. The announcement drew some mixed reactions, so this week we're providing our take on the situation, and also reading out some thoughts from our listeners. We also react to some of the other key points in the NBA 2K26 MyTEAM Courtside Report, from Game Changer Cards to the promise of greater rewards.

Next up in the NBA 2K26 preview season is a look at the presentation in this year's game! This week we break down the Presentation Courtside Report, which provided insights into everything from the player models and team arenas to commentary and other authentic details. In addition to our thoughts, we also share feedback from the community, and discuss favourite virtual hardwood commentators along with potential replacements for the current crop of announcers.

Thanks to the NBA 2K26 Gameplay Trailer and developer blog, we have our first look at and insight into the on-court experience in this year's game. We react to the trailer - which had a very interesting song choice! - and break down the gameplay blog point-by-point as we join the community in sharing our thoughts and expectations following the first in-depth preview of NBA 2K26.

While NBA 2K26 will be a hot topic over the next month, this week we turn our attention to a classic that's in our rotation, namely NBA 2K9. Now that we're ten games into our co-op NBA 2K9 Association with the Chicago Bulls, we provide a detailed recap of everything that's happened so far, and discuss some possible roster moves. We also invited the community to weigh in on which teams they'd most like to start an Association with in NBA 2K9.

Take-Two is reportedly planning to develop their own college basketball game after making a rather insulting initial proposal to the Collegiate Licensing Company; a pitch that's become public thanks to a broken NDA. This week, we join the community in reacting to the possibility of a new college hoops title based on the NBA 2K engine, share our thoughts on the failed proposal, and discuss 2K's new deal with the NBA.

The preview season for NBA 2K26 is officially underway, and so this week, we join the community in reacting to the cover players and designs for every edition of NBA 2K26. We also give our thoughts on the preliminary features list and First Look screenshots, and discuss the seven-year extension of Take-Two's licensing agreement with the NBA that was signed back in 2019 and will thus be up for renewal soon.

Not long after we finished recording last week's show, EA Sports announced that they will be returning to the virtual hardwood with a new college basketball game, coming in 2028 at the earliest! This week, we join the community in reacting to the news, from rating our excitement level to discussing the things that we want and need to see in a new hoops title from EA.

There's untapped potential for the virtual hardwood and blacktop in the indie gaming space. To that end, this week we discuss The Dunkers, a 2D indie basketball title that's currently available in Early Access on Steam. We also once again touch on the possibility of a new basketball game from EA Sports, unaware that a big announcement was in fact on the horizon!

With the preview season for NBA 2K26 now looming on the horizon, what are we hoping to see in the next sim basketball game from 2K Sports? This week, we join the community in discussing our Wishlists for NBA 2K26, from improvements to the gameplay, mechanics, and controls, to additions and enhancements to the modes, content, presentation, and other aspects of the game.

Controversy is overshadowing the 2025 NBA Finals following Game 4, which leads us to ask: is the NBA rigged? This week, we join the community in discussing our thoughts on the matter, and to what extent the league may manipulate results, both today and in the past. We also discuss how talking heads - particularly Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins - are finding ways to draw attention away from the basketball that's being played.