Houston Cougars Part of Elite Teams to Earn Special NBA 2K26 Honor
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The Houston Cougars have become a powerhouse program within the college basketball world, in large part because of their success and the talent they are able to continuously recruit and develop to take to the next level.
That includes this 2026 season, where the Cougars are the rank number two team in the country according to the latest AP Poll. Once again, built on the back of playing suffocating defense, ranking second in the country in opponents' points allowed with 61.6 points per game.
That's why when the announcement was made that NBA 2K26 would be placing college basketball teams into their game, it made sense that the Cougars were one of the 16 teams featured, joining an elite group of old and new blood in the game.
Making the Sweet 16
The Cougars have become Synonymous with college basketball, having made the NCAA Tournament regional semi-final or better the last five straight years, and six of the last seven years. Now in the Big 12, their brand only continues to grow in the Power Four conference, and that reflects in their addition to 2K26.
“Season 5 features all-new content from UCLA, Duke, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Michigan, Michigan State, Louisville, Purdue, Kentucky, Florida, UNC, Baylor, Houston, Ohio State, and UConn,”the release read. “Celebrate the next generation of players, featuring Cameron Boozer and Lauren Betts, ready to carry the torch, while paying homage to the collegiate roots of superstars like Kevin Durant and Paige Bueckers, with a host of college-themed cosmetics and rewards.”
According to the news release, people who play 2K26 will be able to earn and collect cards that feature players from their favorite program of the 16 teams. All players will be able to redeem a "College Celebration Pack" that will feature five Free Agent Option Packs that will add current college stars to their lineup.
The new promo for 2K26 will also allow players to show off their school pride, including Cougar fans. Select college jerseys will be available for all 16 schools, including current players and alumni. There will also be an option for fans to add mascots and collegiate-themed gamerplates and cosmetics, according to the website.
The Cougars are part of the initial rollout and one of four Big 12 teams to make the list, in what seems like an early way to build buzz for a new NCAA college basketball game that could debut next year. For now, though, the Cougars are part of an elite group as they look to finish out the season strong,as they look to win their first ever national championship in basketball.
