When Take-Two Interactive decided to place Shaquille O’Neal in a Chicago Sky uniform alongside Angel Reese in its latest NBA 2K promotion, the intention appeared to be clear, but fans proved to be far from impressed.
With an aim of bridging basketball generations and attract attention ahead of the next game release by marketing the superstar ex-NBA player with the one of the WNBA’s hottest emerging talents.
“Legends from the Bayou [tiger] Dominate the paint with Angel and Shaq in the same lineup for the first time,” NBA 2K’s official X.com (formerly Twitter) account posted on August 14.
However, rather than energize the community, the move became a talking point for all the wrong reasons as fans took shots at the 23-year-old Reese following the Thursday promo clip.
One user wrote via X.com, formerly Twitter, “Why Reese in this ad lmao ?? Insane PR.”
Another added, “Yea no one’s buying this game.”
A third stated, “Not a single person wants to play as Reese.”
Fans’ objections centered on two issues – the perception that the pairing was contrived and the continued absence of deeper WNBA features long requested by the player base by focusing on a crossover that felt disconnected from competitive play modes.
Critics argued that 2K risked undermining trust in its commitment to women’s basketball representation and the timing also placed it under heightened scrutiny, arriving just weeks before the next edition’s early access windows open.
The gap between corporate marketing ambitions and authentic fan engagement appeared wider than ever despite the success of Take-Two Interactive, which holds a market capitalization of approximately $40.1 billion and sold 11.5m copies of NBA 2K25.
Reese scores Reebok win amid NBA 2K26 controversy
Ironically, the backlash came during a period of major personal success for Reese as the Sky forward recently joined an exclusive group of active WNBA players with signature sneakers.
Reebok confirmed that the Angel Reese 1 will debut on September 18 in the “Diamond Dust” colorway, priced at $120, with additional versions named “Mebounds” (pink) and “Receipts Ready” (black and white), will follow.
Reebok marked the announcement with the caption, “Made for the spotlight,” as she now joins Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark, and A’ja Wilson as current players with signature footwear.
By doing so, she also becomes only the second WNBA athlete to have a Reebok shoe after Rebecca Lobo in 1997. Reese has emphasized her desire to inspire young girls, a theme that has been central to her public image.
Although her team’s on-court performance remains inconsistent, her marketability continues to grow, underscoring the contrast between her real-world brand momentum and the lukewarm reaction to her latest virtual appearance.
Reese is currently out injured with one month to go in the 2025 WNBA season as she nurses a back injury, with no timeline for her return. The Sky currently sit second-last in the Eastern Conference with a .250 record (eight wins).
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