Spurs' Victor Wembanyama bares emotions on being NBA 2k27 cover athlete and Nike Atelier star

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2026 has been one heck of a year for Victor Wembanyama. He won Defensive Player of the Year, became an NBA MVP finalist, and was so close to beating the New York Knicks to snag the Larry O'Brien trophy. The San Antonio Spurs then gave him a new five-year max contract deal. Now, his greatness will be immortalized on the cover of NBA 2k27 alongside Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark.

Spurs' Wembanyama unveils feelings on becoming NBA 2k27 and Nike Atelier cover star

Victor Wembanyama has just been carrying out honest work for the Spurs. He brought back the community-centered culture of the squad with the Jackals while executing the tight schemes made by Coach Mitch Johnson and Coach Gregg Popovich. His leadership has also propelled Dylan Harper, Carter Bryant, Devin Vassell, and the like to greater heights.

More than anything else, Wembanyama has made basketball a global phenomenon unlike any other star that the league has seen. This is why it is more than fitting that he, alongside Caitlin Clark and Derrick Rose, has now become a cover star for NBA 2k27. The Spurs superstar unveiled his true feelings after the announcement, via Jason Jones of The Athletic.

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 22, 2026

"Just like every achievement in my career, I wish it happened sooner. It’s all happening very quickly, but I am not satisfied, and I want it to happen quicker. It’s definitely a big milestone, something good. That’s done... I know it means a lot culturally, too. It’s hard to realize for me that I’m taking more and more space, more real estate in the world of basketball, in what basketball means, in professional basketball," the Spurs superstar said.

Wembanyama will be the standard edition NBA 2k27 cover, while Clark is set to appear on the deluxe edition and Rose is the face of the ultra edition. To get the Spurs superstar as the cover, the pre-order is set at $69.99. This also means that Wembanyama will get an upfront fee, royalties, and group licensing payouts. Financially, this will be great for the superstar after just having signed a five-year $252 million deal, where he left off $50 million for the Spurs to have more financial flexibility.

NBA 2K27 is not the only brand riding the wave of Wembanyama's stardom. The Spurs superstar is also be the face of Nike Atelier, a bespoke, exclusive design series that focuses on high fashion and contrasts the brand's everyday athleisure look. He will share the spotlight of the Nike Atelier campaign with Jannik Sinner and Desire Doue.

Wembanyama's limited Nike Atelier capsule is centered around a reinvention of the Total 90 Laser III. This new drop boasts refined overlays with smooth, reptilian-like leather in off-white and sail shades.

Along with the shoes, a Nike Atelier LenoWoven jacket is also included in the drop. It features the iconic swoosh and the Fédération Française de Football logo, with the Gallic rooster below the country's two World Cup stars. All of this is 'crafted from a cotton yarn adaptation of material technology originally developed for Nike Football boots.'

Wembanyama is now more than just a basketball player and ambassador of France. These Nike Atelier and NBA 2K27 deals signal that the Spurs superstar is shaping up to be a generational icon - an alien when it comes to brand representation, if you will.