Players across the NBA 2K26 community are voicing growing frustration over what many describe as the slowest rep grind the series has seen in years.
A widely shared Reddit post on r/NBA2K sparked a wave of discussion after one player highlighted earning only 0.5 to 1.1 rep in Starter rank, even after strong performances in Rec games. The post quickly gained traction as members started commenting and relating to the issue.
Many of them claim that even after winning consistently, they are still seeing tiny rep increases. It can be as low as 0.2 or 0.6. For a mode that’s already grindy, this is a big issue. It makes it harder for casuals to enjoy the game, because you can’t make any decent progression without sinking countless hours.
Players Feel Forced Into Crews And High-Level Grinding
A major point of frustration is the shift toward Crew-focused bonuses. Basically, unless you are running a full or majority-crew lineup, you will be missing out on double rep opportunities. While it’s a good idea to promote players playing together, the solo-queuers suffer greatly. One member commented:
They’re trying to push crews much more; that’s what they offer the 2xRep and all that
But what’s even worse is that even with Crew, the grind isn’t normal. This time, the Rep you get is tuned for the long term, to keep players playing the game. You need to play a lot of Rec games just to break through the early ranks like Vet 1 or Starter 5.
One commenter summed up the sentiment bluntly:
2K isn’t a game for casuals anymore.
In short, players who only play a few games a day lose out on major progression. On the other hand, players with crews that don’t play as often say they are being penalized for no reason. The situation is worrying as NBA 2K26 has a large casual audience that just can’t progress in the game. One thing is for sure: this year, the progression feels tougher and demands more time.
