Trash talk is a big part of basketball, and NBA 2K26 features Trash Talk quests that let you prove your dominance over your rivals. Trash Talk quests are required for a few NBA 2K26 Endorsements and challenges, but it’s not clear how to start them.
Trash Talk quests are stat-based objectives that take place in the following NBA game after you run your mouth on social media or during a press conference. The game makes you put your money where your mouth is, and if you play well enough, you’ll get some VC and other rewards. Here’s how to unlock and complete Trash Talk quests in NBA 2K26.
How to Complete Trash Talk Quests in NBA 2K26
Trash Talk quests pop up randomly throughout the NBA season in NBA 2K26. After a game, you may get a text on your phone or get an inflammatory question during a press conference. If you take the chance to talk trash about another player, you’ll be given a Trash Talk quest to complete during your next game.
You’ll know that a specific dialogue option will trigger a Trash Talk quest if it has an objective and VC payout listed next to it. Trash Talk objectives range from outscoring your rivals to shutting down their offense, so try to pick a quest that plays to your player’s strengths.
If you start a Trash Talk quest, your rival will start the next game hot. If you manage to beat him, you’ll start the following game hot while he starts off cold.
If you’re in a hurry, you can sim until your next key NBA game instead of playing every single match. Trash Talk opportunities will pop up as the simulation runs, so you won’t miss anything. Make sure you have decent performance in the NBA games that you have played before choosing to sim, though. Your sim performance is based on the stats you’ve already put up, so you’ll lose a bunch of sim games if you haven’t established yourself as a dominant player yet.
Trash Talk opportunities are quite rare during your first NBA season, but they’ll become more common as you gain fans and assert yourself as a star player in the league. Completing Trash Talk quests is required to complete certain NBA 2K26 MyCareer challenges like unlocking the Slam Magazine Endorsement, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. If you can play well, it’ll catapult you even further into stardom.
NBA 2K26
- Released
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September 5, 2025
- ESRB
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Everyone / In-Game Purchases, Users Interact
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Local Multiplayer, Local Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
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Yes – PS5/Xbox Series only
