NBA The Run: Everything you need to know

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It’s an exciting time for basketball fans as NBA The Run, being dubbed as the spiritual successor to the widely popular NBA Street series from the 2000s, is set to roll out later in 2026. Developed by Play By Play Studios, NBA The Run is a street basketball (streetball) game that hearkens back to the classic EA franchise with its stylized graphics and over-the-top gameplay.

First announced in October 2025, NBA The Run just recently revealed its gameplay trailer in April and is currently deep in the development process. The game’s premise is streetball tournaments where you can play against online opponents using a mix of real-life NBA players and other special characters called “streetball legends”.

NBA The Run release date & platforms

NBA The Run is scheduled for release in June 2026, with its first closed beta having recently taken place on May 1. It will land on PC (Steam) as well as on consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S) at launch. With its release window looming, it seems fair to expect Play By Play Studios to confirm the exact release date by the end of May.

NBA The Run roster

It’s worth noting that, similar to NBA 2K games, NBA The Run is officially licensed by the NBA and NBPA (National Basketball Players Association). It means that a host of professional basketball players and their respective teams’ likenesses appear in the game, including more than 30 real players and over 25 teams. Among such additions revealed so far are:

• LeBron James (LA Lakers)
• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
• James Harden (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets)
• Luka Dončić (LA Lakers)
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
• Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
• Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls)
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
• Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers)
• Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)
• Kawhi Leonard (Los Angeles Clippers)
• Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
• Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers)
• Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
• Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
• Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)
• Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
• Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
• Trae Young (Washington Wizards)
• Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
• LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)
• Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)
• Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors)
• Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
• Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
• Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)
• Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)
• Anthony Davis (Washington Wizards)

There are also alternate throwback versions of certain basketball players, which are LeBron James ’03 (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kevin Durant ’07 (Seattle Supersonics), Stephen Curry ’09 (Golden State Warriors), Luka Dončić ’18 (Dallas Mavericks), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ’18 (Los Angeles Clippers).

Among the streetball legends in the game are Shen Tong, Destiny Jackson, El Gigante, Spin Cycle, and Bobbito Garcia. Notably, Garcia is a popular real-life DJ, also known as Kool Bob Love, who will be providing commentary for NBA The Run’s matches. Interestingly, he also voiced announcements in NBA Street, one of the game franchises Play By Play Studios’s title draws inspiration from.

NBA The Run gameplay details

NBA The Run is primarily an online co-op game where squads of three face off against each other in knockout streetball tournaments. These competitions are held in a variety of courts around the world, each having its own set of rules. If you like going one-on-one in online matches, there is a solo mode in the game as well.

The venues in the game range from Venice Beach in the US to The Tenement in the Philippines. Among other streetball court locations are US venues, including Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia, whereas overseas locations include cities such as Beijing, China.

As evident from the trailer, the game features an exaggerated, fast-paced style of street basketball, complete with special effects and plenty of above-the-rim maneuvers. According to the team behind NBA The Run, which consists of industry veterans and newcomers, the gameplay also focuses on offering a smooth experience with good input responsiveness in online matches. For the latter, they have employed “true” rollback netcode to ensure every movement and trick unfolds on the screen as soon as you trigger it.

While this latest stab at streetball enables players to pull off flashy tricks when on the offense, the devs have also stressed that defense plays an equally decisive role in turning the tide in a match and bagging the trophy at the end of the tournament. Besides quick movement with the ball, using physicality when out of possession appears to be another important aspect in this game.

NBA The Run playtests

While the initial playtest, which was exclusively for Steam users, may have already ended, there are likely more playtests set to be announced in the near future ahead of the game’s full release. That’s because the devs previously referred to the closed beta as “our first official closed beta playtest”, hinting at more of them being planned for the coming weeks. They also noted that they hope to “expand out” going ahead, suggesting the next beta phase may allow more players to try out NBA The Run.

If you’re interested in being part of one of these playtests, you can visit nbatherun.firstlook.gg to join the waitlist. There, you’ll have to sign up using your Discord or Steam account and then pick the platform on which you will test the game. Once you’re picked, you will receive the playtest invitation in your email linked to your Discord or Steam account.

NBA The Run has received an enthralling response from gamers after the gameplay reveal. If it can build upon that hype and make the most of the feedback it receives during the public beta tests, there is a solid chance Play By Play’s forthcoming title may carve its own niche among the basketball games of today.

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