NBA athlete Steven Adams has humorously suggested that players and coaches across professional sports should brace for a performance decline in November, attributing it to the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI. Adams, a center for the Houston Rockets, stated that the highly anticipated game's launch is likely to be a significant distraction.
"You guys should anticipate November. The performance of the league... league-wide. GTA is dropping," Adams told reporters. He extended his prediction to include the NFL, forecasting a "plummet" in performance for various leagues during November. Adams believes that this dip will be temporary, expecting performance to recover in December once athletes have had sufficient time with the game, provided they "finish the game."
Adams also joked that coaching and scouting would be "horrendous" in November. The sentiment echoes a running joke about NFL quarterback Kyler Murray's performance allegedly declining during new Call of Duty releases, suggesting a broader trend of gaming distractions among professional athletes.
While acknowledging that professionals will likely prioritize their careers, Adams indicated that some may not get their usual amount of rest when Grand Theft Auto VI releases this fall.
Separately, a "Welcome to Vice City" sign was recently installed on the Miami Heat's arena, reportedly costing Rockstar Games $975,000. The sign is expected to remain in place until at least the end of the year or the conclusion of the Miami Heat's home season. The extent of any further marketing collaborations between GTA 6 and the NBA remains unclear.