With the Galaxy Opal Hidden Gem Pack now live in the Exchange for the current NBA 2K26 MyTeam season, many players are asking the same question: which Hidden Gem cards are actually worth chasing? The pack contains a large pool of Galaxy Opal players, but as always, not all Opals are built the same. Some offer elite value and near–Dark Matter performance, while others fall short due to poor animations, limited positional eligibility, or outdated jump shots.

This article ranks every single Galaxy Opal Hidden Gem into performance tiers—S, A, B, C, or D—based on attributes, badges, animations, size, and on-court viability. If you’re considering trading in your Exchange requirements with NBA 2K26 MT, this breakdown will help you determine which pulls are strong additions to your lineup and which ones are best avoided.

D Tier – The Least Valuable Hidden Gems

These cards lack competitive badges, size, movement, or jumpers, making them low-impact options even for budget teams.

John Stockton

A 6'1 guard who doesn’t dunk, has average movement, and offers minimal offensive presence despite strong defensive stats.

Kevin Garnett

Excellent on paper, but the jumper is unusually slow and clunky this year. Animation issues hold him back far more than his attributes lift him.

Pau Gasol (Opal)

Underwhelming athleticism, slow release, and an unimpressive badge stack. When an inside center like Shaq is preferable, that’s telling.

Bob Cousy

Undersized, limited finishing, and lacking the burst or sigs required to compensate for his frame.

Jalen Brunson

Quick but too small, with only a 70 driving dunk and limited ability to pressure defenses inside.

Steph Curry (Opal)

Fun animations, but weaker than his other Opal version. Very low dunking and poor defense make him uncompetitive at this stage of the cycle.

C Tier – Situational Cards With Clear Flaws

These cards can function in specific builds but have obvious drawbacks that keep them off top squads.

Elgin Baylor

Strong stats and badges, but a poor jumper and inability to play shooting guard undermine his value.

Jerry West

Better than expected, with a decent release and solid perimeter defense, but limited by size and basic sigs.

Shaquille O’Neal

Dominant interior presence, but a non-shooting big with limited versatility in today’s meta.

Demarcus Cousins

Solid stat lines, but an inconsistent jumper and inferior movement compared to far cheaper alternatives.

Ray Allen

Great shooting, but only plays SG and is essentially a worse version of his Pink Diamond point guard version.

Bill Walton

Mediocre jumper, unimpressive athleticism, and little upside as either a finisher or shooter.

Bob Lanier

Nearly identical issues to Walton—passable but clearly outclassed by the rest of the center pool.

Raymond Moncrief (after adjustment)

Good defender with a poor three-ball rating that limits lineups built around spacing.

B Tier – Solid, Dependable, but Not Game-Changing

These cards can start on budget or mid-tier teams but lack elite qualities.

Marc Gasol

Strong defensive presence, a decent jumper, and a reliable all-around big; however, he’s nearly identical to his free version.

Baron Davis

Good movement, strong animations (Kawhi behind-the-back), but small player model compared to Russ.

Sydney Moncrief (initial ranking)

Good defense and dunking, but limited shooting.

Klay Thompson

Classic 3-and-D, but unchanged enough from his Pink Diamond to be a major upgrade.

George Mikan

Good animations and shooting, but undersized for center in the current meta.

Alonzo Mourning

Excellent interior defense but hindered by an outdated jumper.

Elton Brand

Strong defensive profile but a low-ceiling card due to a mediocre release and basic dribble animations.

John Havlicek

Elite shooter but slow (84 speed) and stuck with basic sigs that cap his ceiling.

Joe Johnson

Improved jumper this year, good shooting profile, but weaker defense and finishing limit his total impact.

Wilt Chamberlain

Great speed and elite interior presence, but inconsistent shooting makes him too risky for many lineups.

A Tier – Strong Options Worth Using

These cards are legitimately good and can make most competitive lineups.

Tim Duncan

Not quite his Dark Matter version, but still an excellent interior defender and finisher with a serviceable jumper.

Russell Westbrook (Opal Hidden Gem)

High speed, strong perimeter defense, and very good slashing; slightly worse interior than the Dark Matter version.

Dwight Howard

Fast, explosive, and surprisingly effective despite only a 74 three-ball. Great finisher and rim protector.

Elvin Hayes

Unexpected standout. Fast for a PF (90 speed), elite inside scoring, and a better-than-expected jumper.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Great pick-and-pop PF with strong shooting mechanics. Slightly slow to justify S tier, but extremely effective.

Penny Hardaway

Tall PG with solid badges and good finishing. Held back slightly by a mediocre release.

Carmelo Anthony

Strong animations, good jumper, and ideal scoring presence—even if he’s currently locked to small forward.

Vince Carter

High athleticism, great shooting, and elite finishing despite basic sigs. Still a dangerous wing.

Dominique Wilkins

Not quite Dark Matter level, but it remains an excellent slasher with a respectable jumper.

Clyde Drexler

Fantastic slashing, Quick release, and Trey Escape give him enough offensive juice to earn a top-tier wing spot.

Dan Issel

Still very effective with Curry Escape and a strong jumper despite being just 6'9. Great for PF.

S Tier – The Best Galaxy Opal Hidden Gems

These cards perform at or near Dark Matter levels and are clear wins if you pull them.

Anthony Davis

Elite speed, defense, and finishing with a strong release. One of the best power forwards in the entire Gem program.

Joel Embiid

Pink Diamond version was already elite; this Opal is even better. Exceptional interior force with reliable shooting.

Chris Bosh

Top-tier stretch big with excellent shooting, great defensive stats, and a fast release. Low S tier but undeniably elite.

Dave Cowens

Shockingly strong. Fast, high wingspan, elite defense, and a quick jumper make him profoundly effective despite his size.

Hakeem Olajuwon

Comparable to Embiid: dominant interior presence, great shooting for a big, and elite defensive capabilities.

Andrei Kirilenko (AK47)

Almost identical to his excellent Pink Diamond but slightly boosted. Outstanding jumper, elite defense, excellent animations.

LeBron James

You will barely feel a difference between this card and its Dark Matter version. One of the best two-way forwards in MyTeam.

Final Thoughts

The Galaxy Opal Hidden Gem Exchange pack offers a wide spread of value. Cards like LeBron, AK47, Embiid, Hakeem, Cowens, AD, and Bosh represent outstanding upgrades capable of anchoring competitive squads. Meanwhile, D-tier guards and slow bigs are far less desirable.

If you're spending tokens and Exchange pieces, focus on players with strong animations, competitive size, and meta-relevant badges. As always, the difference between a great and a mediocre card in NBA 2K26 often comes down to movement and jumper quality—more than raw stats.