NBA Star Steven Adams Predicts GTA 6 Launch Will Cause 'League-Wide' Performance Dip for Athletes and Coaches

NBA player Steven Adams has a warning for fans: expect a "league-wide" drop in performance across all sports in November, thanks to the release of GTA 6. The Houston Rockets center told the media that athletes' performance will decline in November — not just in the NBA, but also in the NFL. He pointed out that the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely distract players and coaches, but he expects things to bounce back in December once they've had enough time with the game.

At media day, Adams joked: "I will say: you guys should anticipate November. The performance of the league, league-wide. GTA is dropping."

He elaborated: "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 that GTA 6 is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment releases in history with massive anticipation, it's no surprise that even athletes are planning to dive deep into the game. There's a running joke about NFL quarterback Kyler Murray's performance dropping whenever a new Call of Duty game comes out, but now that joke seems to be expanding to the vast majority of pro athletes.

Whether it actually affects performance remains to be seen. These are professionals, after all, and they'll still prioritize their careers... But some may not get the same level of rest as usual when GTA 6 launches this fall.

Adams' comments come alongside another NBA-related 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 stay on the arena's roof until either 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 between GTA 6 and the NBA, such as a TV spot for the game.