NLSC Podcast

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #604 of the NLSC Podcast!

Big news last week as Play by Play Studios announced that they have acquired the NBA license. As such, their planned 3v3 online PvP arcade basketball video game The Run: Got Next is now titled NBA The Run, and is slated for release some time in 2026. To that end, this week we’re joining the community in reacting to what we know so far about NBA The Run – including breaking down an illuminating and in-depth developer interview with Ballislife.com – as well as the latest teaser trailer. Although the game is aiming to be a worthy successor to the NBA Street series and we’d like to see it turn out well, we’d be lying if we said we didn’t have some concerns at this point in time.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:16:52 — 53.1MB)

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To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #603 of the NLSC Podcast!

A week into the 2026 NBA season, the league has been rocked by a gambling scandal. Not only that, but many fans – us included – have been irritated by the amount of flopping and free throws on display. This week, we join the community in discussing the gambling scandal and the way it throws the league’s credibility into doubt, issues with officiating and the style of play, and a few other NBA matters that are getting us down. We also talk about whether playing basketball video games makes up for feeling disappointed with real hoops, before wrapping up with some stories about the times we’ve been ejected on the virtual hardwood.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:03:56 — 44.3MB)

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To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #602 of the NLSC Podcast!

Customer service, value for money, and quality products are topics that are on our minds this week. This comes in the wake of an eBay purchase that unfortunately became a deeply unpleasant transaction. After sharing that horror story, we do have some far more positive news about a successful upgrade to Windows 11, with old favourites still being playable on the new OS. We also discuss the big patch for NBA 2K26 failing to make the game better (and indeed, arguably making it worse). As we point out, some of the changes also have financial ramifications for MyCAREER and MyTEAM gamers. The show wraps up with some quick 2026 NBA predictions, though we’re admittedly still more excited to watch classic games.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 51:05 — 35.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #601 of the NLSC Podcast!

A couple of weeks ago, it was announced that Electronic Arts will be going private after being acquired in one of the biggest deals in the history of video games. This week, we share our thoughts on the news, and what it might mean for the future of basketball gaming (if anything). We also note some of the reactions that we’ve seen from the wider gaming community on social media. Needless to say, it’s proving to be quite a controversial move! To that end, we also touch once again on the effectiveness of video game boycotts, and how much the average gamer realistically cares about who owns the companies that are developing their favourite titles and series.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 34:06 — 23.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #600 of the NLSC Podcast!

It’s the 600th Episode of the NLSC Podcast! A huge shout out to all of our listeners and the NLSC community at large for continuing to support all of our content throughout the years! To mark the milestone, this week we’re simply getting on the mics to chat about basketball gaming. We share our latest thoughts on NBA 2K26, and reflect on some of the other games that we’re currently playing, including our NBA 2K9 Association. We also once again touch on the joy of Virtual Hardwood Legends, discuss how realism can sometimes feel unrealistic in basketball video games, and share some interesting roster trivia about real players and their virtual counterparts alike.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 49:32 — 113.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #599 of the NLSC Podcast!

Music is a vital part of the atmosphere in basketball video games, and as such, it’s often connected to our nostalgia for them. This week, we join the community in reflecting on basketball video game music, from some of our all-time favourite soundtracks in NBA Live and NBA 2K to the tunes that just didn’t seem to be a good fit for the virtual hardwood. After all, while we may like certain songs in other contexts, they’re not always ideal for getting us pumped up to virtually ball! We also discuss the joy of discovering new music through gaming, and the appeal of remixed songs with new lyrics that reference basketball, or tracks that were produced specifically for a game.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 58:21 — 40.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #598 of the NLSC Podcast!

Why do we still play basketball video games after all these years? This week, we discuss the factors that keep us hooked on the virtual hardwood, from a love of competition and shared experiences with friends and family to the way that it allows us to feel connected to and indeed more informed about our favourite sport. In fact, through a combination of modding, new releases, and a library of old favourites to revisit, we’re arguably enjoying basketball gaming as much as ever with the options that we have at our disposal nowadays! We also reflect on the lingering stigma surrounding gaming as an adult, and push back on the notion that it’s a childish hobby that needs to be left behind.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 51:34 — 35.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #597 of the NLSC Podcast!

Need help mastering NBA 2K26? We’ve got you covered as this week’s show provides some detailed tips, from what to do on the sticks to suggestions for gameplay sliders and camera settings! We also join the community in discussing how we’re playing NBA 2K26, along with the other basketball games that are currently in our rotations. Speaking of which, our NBA 2K9 Bulls Association continues to be a blast, as we played a couple more games over the weekend. In addition to quickly recapping those satisfying victories, we once again reflect on what a strong release NBA 2K9 was, and briefly ponder where it ranks in both the NBA 2K series and among our all-time favourite basketball games in general.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:07:05 — 46.4MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #596 of the NLSC Podcast!

In a shocking and rather unfortunate development, EA Sports has rescinded their proposal for a college basketball game in light of Take-Two reaching agreements with several schools to develop their own “college basketball experience”. This week, we join the community in reacting to the news and speculating on what we can expect from 2K as far as DLC and possibly a standalone game within a couple of years. Interestingly, not everyone is in favour of 2K beating EA to the punch here, but there certainly is interest in what they’ve hinted at. We also follow up on last week’s show with some further impressions of NBA 2K26, now that we’ve both had a chance to spend ample time with this year’s game.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:08:37 — 47.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #595 of the NLSC Podcast!

NBA 2K26 is already in gamers’ hands thanks to the early access pre-order bonus that was provided by the Superstar and Leave No Doubt editions. To that point, this week we join the community in sharing our first impressions of this year’s release! From gameplay to the Eras rosters, this episode is a comprehensive breakdown of the pros and cons that we’ve observed so far, including some issues that too many content creators are excusing or simply ignoring. We also make a few recommendations for getting the most out of NBA 2K26, discuss some disappointing news regarding cross-platform roster sharing, and touch on the concept of aura farming. That’s right: we’re still cool and with it!

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:10:12 — 48.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #594 of the NLSC Podcast!

With NBA 2K26 right around the corner, a community event has given us all a detailed look at this year’s game in action. Although we’re reserving final judgement until we get our hands on the sticks, we have a few thoughts about what we’ve seen so far. We also discuss what some of the influencers who attended the event are saying about the game, in particular how they’re shouting down valid criticisms in rather disrespectful ways. We also react to the Courtside Report on MyNBA and MyGM, and join the community in picking some of our all-time favourite basketball nicknames. Some of our choices probably won’t be surprising, but we also shout out some creative monikers that don’t get enough credit.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 53:29 — 37.1MB)

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To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #593 of the NLSC Podcast!

As the NBA 2K26 preview season rolls on, the big news revealed last week was that the WNBA has now been integrated into MyTEAM, which includes the ability to team WNBA players up with current NBA players and Legends. The announcement certainly drew some mixed reactions from the wider basketball gaming community, so this week we’re providing our take on the situation – from the discourse to our opinions on the news itself – and also reading out some thoughts from our listeners. We also react to some of the other key points that were outlined in the NBA 2K26 MyTEAM Courtside Report, from Game Changer Cards to the promise of greater rewards throughout the mode.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 58:05 — 40.2MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #592 of the NLSC Podcast!

Next up in the NBA 2K26 preview season is a deep dive into the presentation in this year’s game! To that end, this week we’re breaking down the Presentation Courtside Report and giving our thoughts on everything from the updated lighting, player models, and team arenas to the additions and enhancements to commentary, and other authentic details. In addition to our reactions, we also share what the community had to say about the insights into presentation in NBA 2K26. We also discuss some of our favourite virtual hardwood commentators, and name potential replacements for the current crop of announcers.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 55:38 — 38.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #591 of the NLSC Podcast!

Last week saw the release of the NBA 2K26 Gameplay trailer and developer blog, providing us with our first look at and insight into the on-court experience in this year’s game. As such, this week we react to the trailer – which had a very interesting song choice that was rather nostalgic for us! – and break down the gameplay blog point-by-point, from the new motion engine to Green-or-Miss shooting to AI improvements. We certainly have a lot of thoughts (and a couple of concerns) following the first in-depth preview of NBA 2K26, but we will reserve final judgement until we get our hands on the sticks. The community had a lot to say as well, so we also read out impressions that our listeners shared with us, as well as some other comments that we’ve seen on social media.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:13:14 — 50.6MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!

From courtside of the virtual hardwood, it’s Episode #590 of the NLSC Podcast!

While NBA 2K26 will be a hot topic over the next month and beyond, this week we turn our attention to a classic that’s in our rotation, namely NBA 2K9. Now that we’re ten games into our co-op NBA 2K9 Association with the Chicago Bulls, we provide a detailed recap of everything that’s happened so far, and discuss some possible roster moves. The fun we’ve been having with the game also moves us to reflect once again on what a strong release it was. We also invited the community to weigh in on which teams they’d most like to start an Association with in NBA 2K9, and reminisce about some of the 2009 season lineups that were fun in real life and on the virtual hardwood alike.

Download or play on your mobile device/tablet: CLICK HERE (Running time: 1:12:04 — 49.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

To get involved with the mailbag or to provide any feedback on the show, hit us up in the comments, reach out on social media, or post here in the NLSC Forum! For more information on the NLSC Podcast including episode guides, check out this page in our Wiki. You can also find the show on our YouTube channel, along with the rest of our video content. As always, thanks for tuning in, and go get buckets!