NBA 2K25 is missing some very popular players

NBA 2K25's marketing tells us we'll be playing the game our way, in era we want. But after a few hours with the game, some eagle-eyed NBA 2K vets have noticed some glaring omissions from the game's legend roster.

It's not uncommon to see some older legends not in games, often for monetary reasons. Barry Sanders, for example, does not appear in either Madden 25 or College Football 25. He's confirmed money was the reason he and EA couldn't reach an agreement.

I don't know what the malfunction was with NBA 2K25. But it's unusual to see players who played this recently not appear in a game. As fans are pointing out on social media, these players are standouts on their respective squads. John Wall is one of best Wizards players of all-time, especially in recent memory. Fans of the Wizards will have little interest in using that team without him.

Blake Griffin, who only recently retired, is essentially the poster child for the "Lob City" era of the Los Angeles Clippers. Wall hasn't officially retired. It's not a great look for a series that sells us on playing in different historical eras.

Andre Iguodala's omission from the Golden State Warriors is especially embarrassing, as NBA 2K25 is celebrating the Steph Curry era in this year's game. Iggy was an integral part of those teams. In the Steph Curry MyNBA Era mode, players can choose to either relive or rewrite Golden State's championship history playing the key moments in those runs. Rewriting them may be the easier path without one of the Warriors' best players.

NBA 2K25 is available now for players who pre-ordered the game. Its official release date is Sept. 6. GameSided will keep you informed of any interesting developments, gameplay changes or other shocking reveals of NBA stars, or the lack of them.