NBA 2K26’s Early Access is approaching quickly, and while we wait for launch, there’s been plenty of gameplay shared, including several nuggets (not Denver). This is thanks to footage being posted by content creators who got invited to 2K26’s Community Day.
One of the biggest things most players want to know about is the shooting. Specifically, if the infamous RNG shooting from NBA 2K25 is gone, which, lead gameplay developer Mike Wang confirmed, it is indeed gone (thank goodness). If you aren’t aware, RNG made you make or miss shots at random, no matter how well you timed your jumpers.
But a small thing that’s always pretty interesting to see is the shot meters. Shot meters aren’t as popular as they once were, but they are still in use. And in NBA 2K26, there’s a slew of shot meters to choose from; some that are familiar and some that you might not have seen before. And usually, you need to unlock a lot of shot meters in MyCAREER/The City, but now, it seems that most meters are already unlocked.
Overall, there are 20 different shot meters to choose from. So if you are a meter player, then you have plenty of options to select, including the very unique “V” shaped one. Now, if you’re new to 2K, you might be wondering, “How many players don’t use a meter?”. The answer to this question is that in most 2Ks, you receive a small shooting boost when turning off the meter.
But, despite the boost, there’s still a benefit to using shot meters. They provide a visual aid which comes in handy, especially if you’re testing out different jumpshot animations and want to get the timing down right as best you can.
And sometimes, they’re just fun to look at with all of the different shapes. The nice thing is that you can turn the meter on and off at any given time, so there’s no pressure to choose one way or the other. But the common returning ones include the Dial, Ring, and the good ol’ Arrow. Also, the Comet, which is arguably the most well-known, is returning and will already be available.
With RNG shooting no longer a factor, NBA 2K26 players can shoot the ball in peace, whether they decide to roll with a shot meter or not. Speaking of meters, news on Season 1 of NBA 2K26 is coming the same week as The City reveal, which means we’ll see the rewards. More than likely, a fresh new shot meter could be one of the rewards.
But below is a clip of all of the other shot meter options for NBA 2K26:
