NBA Star Steven Adams Says GTA 6's Launch Will Lead to a 'League-Wide' Drop in Performance for Athletes and Coaches

NBA athlete Steven Adams has warned that fans should expect a “league-wide” drop in performance for athletes across all sports in November due to GTA 6’s release.

Speaking with media, the Houston Rockets center warned that athletes’ performance will drop in November — not just for the NBA, but also the NFL. He noted that the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely distract players and coaches, but he expects things to improve in December once they’ve spent enough time with the game.

Steven Adams has jokes at media day:

“I will say: you guys should anticipate November. The performance of the league, league-wide. GTA is dropping.”pic.twitter.com/OIBnRbDFeL

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) September 22, 2026

“You guys should anticipate November. The performance of the league… league-wide. GTA is dropping. Look at the NFL, look at all the leagues, and watch them plummet, mate. Just for the month of November, performance is gonna go down; it should come back up. 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. Should be good.”

Given the fact that GTA 6 is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment releases in history with a massive level of anticipation behind it, it’s not surprising to hear that even athletes are preparing to grind the hell out of the game. A running joke has made the rounds about NFL quarterback Kyler Murray’s performance dropping whenever a new Call of Duty game releases, but now that joke appears to be expanding to the vast majority of pro athletes.

Whether it really does have any kind of effect on performance remains to be seen. These are professionals, of course, and they will still prioritize their careers… But some may not get the same level of rest as they normally would when GTA 6 launches this fall.

Adams’ comments come at the same time as another NBA-adjacent GTA 6 story. Today, construction was completed on a “Welcome to Vice City” sign on the Miami Heat’s arena in Florida. The sign reportedly cost Rockstar a whopping $975,000 and is expected to remain attached to the arena’s roof either until the end of the year or the end of the Miami Heat’s home season. It’s still unclear if there are any larger marketing deals with GTA 6 and the NBA, such as the debut of a TV spot for the game.