"Grand Theft Auto VI" is set to launch on November 19, 2026, and as its release date draws closer, the highly anticipated game is becoming a talking point even in professional sports. Houston Rockets center Steven Adams recently joked that "GTA 6" could distract plenty of players, coaches and scouts—and even trigger a league-wide drop in performance across the NBA, NFL and other major sports leagues in November.
Adams shared his tongue-in-cheek prediction with reporters:
While Adams was clearly joking, his comments underscore the extraordinary hype surrounding "GTA 6." The NFL has also seen a long-running joke that quarterback Kyler Murray's performance dips whenever a new "Call of Duty" game arrives. Now, the same gag is being extended to professional athletes across multiple sports.
There is no evidence that a video game release will actually affect athletes' on-field performance, of course, but the idea that "GTA 6" could cut into some players' rest and recovery time has become a popular joke online.
In a fitting coincidence, Rockstar Games recently spent a reported $975,000 to install a massive "Welcome to Vice City" sign atop Kaseya Center, home of the NBA's Miami Heat—adding even more fuel to the crossover conversation between "GTA 6" and professional basketball.