Did the Jordan Tatum 4 just Leak in NBA 2K26?
Jayson Tatum’s 2025-2026 NBA season is already over. The Celtics star will likely sit out the entire year to recover from an Achilles injury suffered during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in May, but that doesn’t mean he can’t stay busy. In addition to more time at home with his son Deuce, Tatum and Jordan Brand are gearing up to drop his 4th signature sneaker, with a first look coming courtesy of NBA 2K26.
The NBA 2K franchise has been a hub of the sneaker culture for years now, with real on-court and lifestyle models featured throughout the game, not to mention the sneaker contracts available to custom “MyPlayer” storylines. For Jordan Brand, the 2K franchise was the perfect place to drop some easter eggs about Tatum’s new shoe. In screenshots from NBA 2K26, the new Tatum 4 silhouette is almost as clear as real product shots (shoutout the graphics team). Funnily enough, the Tatum 3 was originally revealed on the cover of 2K25 last year.
Keeping up the wavy tradition of the Tatum 3 and bringing back the eye-catching ovals of the Tatum 2, the Tatum 4 in black, white, and red starts with a black base on the upper, with a red oval covering the top of the midsole and bottom of the upper, drawing immediate focus. White lines create concentric waves pushing out towards the heel and toe. The Jumpman logo sits prominently above the oval on the lateral side panel, with Tatum’s number 0 in thick font on the back of the shoe, and the JT logo on the tongue and sole. As of now, tech specs remain a mystery, but expect to see top-tier cushioning from the Jordan team.
Because we’ve only seen the shoes in a video game and not real life, we’re not positive the design is final, but considering the cultural cache sneaker brands put into the 2K franchise, we’re expecting a full announcement and drop date to show up very soon. In the meantime, we’ll be on the sticks pretending the Celtics still have a shot at the chip this year.
Images via tatumkicks
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. zach.h@soleretriever.com
