Play by Play Studios has shipped the August 2026 update for NBA THE RUN, and it's a meaty one. The patch touches everything from Zone Ability assignments for two of the game's biggest names to long-overdue AI bot behavior fixes and a fresh round of offseason roster updates.
The two changes that matter most
Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James both got their Zone Abilities reassigned. Giannis moves to Amped Up, while LeBron now runs Dropping Dimes. These aren't cosmetic tweaks. Zone Abilities define how a player performs at peak momentum, so if you've been building lineups around either of these two, you'll want to revisit your strategy before hopping back into matches. For a full breakdown of how these abilities work in practice, the NBA The Run In The Zone abilities guide covers exactly what each ability does and which playstyles they suit.
LeBron also picked up stat boosts across stamina, 3-point shooting, handles, steal, and aura, with a reduction in block. That's a clear push toward a facilitator role, which lines up directly with the Dropping Dimes ability change.
Roster and rating changes across the board
The patch brings a round of offseason jersey updates reflecting real NBA moves for the 2026-27 season. Devin Booker is now on jersey #15, and Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are both updated to their Timberwolves fits. All confirmed traded players also have their new team jerseys added with default versions unlocked from the start.
On the ratings side, three younger players took hits. AJ Dybantsa saw reductions in 3-point shooting, handles, steals, and aura. Darryn Peterson lost stamina and handles, with his left and right advanced tricks also reworked. Cameron Boozer dropped in stamina, 3-point shooting, and rebound. The patch doesn't spell out the reasoning, but these read like corrections after the players' early-game ratings were set optimistically.
Steal and block systems get a real rework
This is where the gameplay changes get interesting. The patch reduces the stealer's speed, shortens their reach range, and cuts down the angle and reach of the Intercept ability. Players who pump fake now have more protection from immediate steal attempts, and near immunity from up-close Intercepts has been extended.
Blocking also got adjusted. The near-hoop dead zone is extended and the block jump height boost is reduced, specifically to cut down on goaltending. Players blocking from behind the shooter are now less effective, and AI bots with lower block ratings will actually attempt blocks instead of standing around. The AI bot steal spam that's been a persistent annoyance is also fixed here.
Dunk success rates went up across all dunk types and all dunker levels, and rebounders got a jump height increase to give them a fighting chance against putback dunks.
UI additions and everything else
Leaderboards are now live for KO Squads and KO Solos, which gives competitive players an actual benchmark to chase. An Emoji Wheel has been added to the front end for post-game interactions, and Simplified Chinese is now available as a menu and screen language option.
On the audio side, a "call for pass" voice callout has been added, and the Emoji Comms Wheel now has audio support. New animations for putback dunks and both standard and advanced blocks round out the visual changes.
Performance bonuses in the stats system now include additional baller stat data, which should give players a clearer picture of how their in-game actions translate to XP and CRED gains.
If you're still getting familiar with how the game's modes and systems fit together, the NBA The Run guides collection has everything from court modifiers to game mode breakdowns to help you get up to speed with the post-patch state of the game.
