Last week, we were given a first look at the various gameplay changes that will be arriving in NBA 2K26. One of the more notable changes that was highlighted was the new ProPlay motion system. But one thing that’s been on many 2K players’ minds is how this new system affects gameplay in NBA 2K26? And what does the community think about it?
Game director Mike Wang has weighed in on ProPlay motion in NBA 2K26, and what kind of effects it will have on gameplay. And from there, we can draw some conclusions.
ProPlay Motion Styles Make All Players Unique In NBA 2K26
Addressing a question made in the official NBA 2K Discord server, Wang confirmed that motion styles are now more than just animations. Instead, they are performance-driven, skill-gated tools that can shape how players move and react on the court.
“Motion styles are driven by ProPLAY just like dribble styles,” Wang said of the new motion system. “Some styles will naturally be quicker and more explosive than others.” This means motion styles now have tangible effects on gameplay. For instance, a guard equipped with an elite, explosive motion style will not only look more fluid in transition but will also accelerate, decelerate, and maneuver differently than a player with a more basic style. Assuming that we’ve analyzed this correctly, this should add another layer of depth to both MyPlayer customization and competitive play.
But there’s a catch — you won’t have access to the more elite motion styles from day one.
“For NBA 2K26, we’ve added ratings gates so you’ll need higher attributes to equip the more effective styles,” Wang added. In other words, the more powerful motion styles will be locked behind specific attribute thresholds. Players looking to maximize their build’s movement potential will need to strategically invest in key ratings like Speed with Ball, Acceleration, and/or Ball Handling.
This kind of attribute gatekeeping mimics what 2K has already done with dribble styles in recent years and signals a broader push toward rewarding higher-tier builds with better movement tools. It also adds meaningful decisions to MyPlayer building: Do you sacrifice shooting to unlock the most explosive movement style? Or do you balance your build and settle for a more mid-tier motion style?
At least, that’s the kind of effect it can have on paper. But what does the 2K community think? Well, they’re not convinced.
One user on X complained that this will not encourage diversity among builds, but instead result in players just all having the same motion styles, depending on what might be meta. Another argued that motion styles shouldn’t have any impact on gameplay at all and should be strictly cosmetic.
At the end of the day, any meaningful evaluation will have to wait until after NBA 2K26‘s release in September.
