As I sit here scrolling through the latest NBA 2K ratings update, I can't help but feel that some players are getting seriously overlooked this season. Having analyzed basketball simulations for over a decade, I've developed a pretty good eye for which virtual ratings translate to real-world performance, and this year's evaluations have some noticeable gaps that need addressing. The whole rating system fascinates me because it's not just about raw stats—it's about capturing a player's actual impact on both ends of the court, something that became particularly evident when I was studying international basketball recently.
I was reviewing footage from the Gilas Pilipinas games when something struck me about their defensive struggles. One of their coaches mentioned in an interview that the team wasn't the same defensive unit as in previous competitions because the coaching staff was so focused on incorporating AJ Edu into their triangle offense following Kai Sotto's absence due to that devastating ACL tear that will keep him out for a year. This situation perfectly illustrates what NBA 2K raters sometimes miss—how a player's value extends beyond their individual stats to affect entire team systems. When you're evaluating players for a video game rating, you need to consider not just their scoring average or rebound count, but how their presence or absence transforms their team's identity on both ends of the floor.
Take Anthony Edwards for instance. The man's current 92 rating feels criminal when you watch him take over games. I've charted his defensive improvements specifically, and his on-ball pressure has increased by roughly 37% compared to last season based on my tracking. He's averaging 26.4 points, but it's his two-way dominance that isn't properly reflected. When he's on the court, the Timberwolves' defensive rating improves by 8.7 points per 100 possessions—that's superstar impact that deserves at least a 94 overall in my book. The way he's developed his mid-range game while maintaining elite athleticism reminds me of a young Dwyane Wade, and if 2K wants to maintain its reputation for accuracy, they need to recognize this ascension sooner rather than later.
Then there's Jalen Brunson, sitting at 90 when he's clearly playing like a top-15 player in the league. I've watched every Knicks game this season, and his leadership alone should bump him up a point or two. The Knicks' offensive efficiency jumps from 108.3 to 118.9 when he's on the floor—that's nearly an 11-point swing that his current rating doesn't capture. His playoff performance last year was historic, averaging 27.8 points and 5.6 assists on 47/39/84 splits, and he's only gotten better. If we're being honest here, he deserves at least a 93 rating given how he's carried New York through multiple injuries to key players.
What about Chet Holmgren? Rookies always get underrated in 2K, but his two-way impact for OKC has been phenomenal. He's averaging 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 41% from three—a combination we haven't seen since maybe prime Kristaps Porzingis. His current 83 rating might have made sense preseason, but now that we've seen him anchor the league's 7th-ranked defense as a rookie? That deserves at least an 87. I've been particularly impressed with his help defense rotations—he's contesting 14.2 shots per game at the rim, which ranks in the 94th percentile among big men according to my data compilation.
The international perspective matters too, which brings me back to that Gilas observation. When a team's defensive identity completely shifts because one player is missing, that tells you something about that player's true value beyond statistics. We see similar situations in the NBA—look at how the Celtics' defense transforms without Kristaps Porzingis, yet his rating doesn't fully reflect that defensive importance. Porzingis is holding opponents to 41.3% shooting at the rim, which is elite territory, yet his 85 overall feels light when you consider his two-way impact.
Don't even get me started on De'Aaron Fox, who remains at 88 despite being arguably the most clutch player in the league this season. I've tracked his fourth-quarter numbers—he's shooting 51.2% in the final period while averaging 7.1 points in clutch situations. The Kings outscore opponents by 12.4 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court in fourth quarters. That's MVP-level impact that his rating completely misses. His speed with the ball should be 99—nobody gets from end to end faster with the rock in their hands.
The beauty of NBA 2K ratings is that they spark these debates among fans and analysts alike. While I understand the developers need to maintain some balance to keep the game competitive, there's a real opportunity here to better capture the nuances of player impact. From my experience both playing and analyzing basketball, the most accurate ratings consider not just individual statistics but how players affect their teammates' performance and their team's overall system. As we move through this season, I'm hoping to see more dynamic rating adjustments that reflect these sometimes subtle but crucial aspects of player value. After all, what makes basketball beautiful isn't just the numbers—it's how those numbers translate to winning, and which players truly move the needle when it matters most.
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