NBA star Steven Adams says GTA 6 will make sports leagues “plummet” in November

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams has warned that GTA 6 could derail performances across professional sports when it launches in November.

Rockstar’s long-awaited game is set to arrive on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Adams thinks the release could be a problem for athletes who would rather spend their time in Vice City and exploring the state of Leonida.

Speaking at the Rockets’ media day on September 22, he predicted a temporary dip in performance across the NBA, NFL and other leagues, such as the NHL, as players get stuck into the game.

“You guys should anticipate November,” Adams said. “So look at the NFL, look at all the leagues, and watch them plummet.”

“It should come back up, though. Most of the boys will get it done. Hopefully they finish the game. Coaching as well, by the way. The coaching and scouts are going to be horrendous, just for November, but it should bounce back in December, hopefully

NBA player Steven Adam's says the NBA performance will "plummet" in November because of GTA 6's release 😂 pic.twitter.com/9qmTj6wbF7

His comments are another sign of how far anticipation for GTA 6 has spread beyond gaming. One California car company announced it would pause operations on launch day because its employees planned to take time off.

A US Army battalion also offered a four-day pass around the release to soldiers who re-enlisted, although the Army has not publicly confirmed the memo’s authenticity.