Whenever a new NBA 2K is on the horizon, fans intently follow the game’s social media pages to get the scoop on what each player is rated. It’s an event of sorts for the franchise, as the ratings get revealed little by little in anticipation of the release. As always, NBA 2K21‘s ratings were a major talking point.
It’s not just the initial ratings either. The game updates frequently throughout the season to reflect those who step up and those who struggle. Regardless, they don’t always get it right, meaning some players are rated too high and others too low for what they produce on the court.
Too High: Paul George (90)
On paper, a 90 overall seems about right for Paul George. After all, the guy is a former MVP candidate and is the second-best player on one of the league’s top teams. The problem is that George has kind of seen his game slip since moving to the Clippers. A dip in stats with so much talent around him was expected but it has been significant.
Scoring, rebounding, steals, and most other categories are down in the past two years. Plus, he’s famously underperformed in the playoffs (shooting 39% there last year). For context, Jimmy Butler (who led the Heat to the Finals) and Bradley Beal (the league’s leading scorer) have the same rating.
Too Low: Lonzo Ball (80)
The name Lonzo Ball came shrouded with controversy when he arrived in the NBA. His father went all over radio shows and ESPN programs to boast about the talent level of his kids and pumped himself up by saying he could do things like beat Michael Jordan one on one.
It put a target on Lonzo’s back and many were happy to see him struggle in his early days. That said, Lonzo has developed into a very good basketball player. He can do a bit of everything and has improved his shooting tremendously. He’s still only 23 and has room to grow, so he should rank at least a little bit better.
Too High: Jaren Jackson Jr. (83)
Jaren Jackson Jr. is part of a fantastic young core that has Memphis Grizzlies fans everywhere excited. He joins Rookie of the Year Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, and others to put together something worth building around. Alas, he still rates a bit too high in this game.
Jackson Jr. has shown a knack for scoring (17.4ppg last season) but the rest of his game still needs work. He stands at 6’11” but could only muster up 4.6 rebounds per game. The fact that he ranks so closely to Morant (86) or other bigs like Jarrett Allen (84) and Andre Drummond (83) seems off.
Too Low: Tyler Herro (80)
During the Miami Heat’s shocking run to the NBA Finals in 2020, everybody was talking about their sharpshooting duo of Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro. Though both are good, Herro seems to have more upside right now, with some even thinking he can be better than All-Star Devin Booker.
The jury is still out on that but Herro was a playoff hero, upping his scoring there. While he hasn’t broken out so far in the current season, he’s still putting up good numbers and deserves to rank higher. That’s especially true when compared to similar players.
Too High: Ben Simmons (88)
Like Paul George, Ben Simmons is considered a top star, so his rating of 88 might seem appropriate. It’s true that he’s a versatile point guard who can use his size to his advantage and is sometimes a walking triple-double.
It gets questionable when you look deeper into his game. As good as Simmons is, he has plateaued offensively. His numbers are consistent but there has been little to no growth since entering the league, other than on the defensive end. Without a jump shot or something new to his game, he falls behind other top-tier point guards.
Too Low: Victor Oladipo (81)
It’s a shame that injuries put a damper on Victor Oladipo’s career. The talented guard performed well in Orlando and Oklahoma City before blossoming into a star with Indiana. In his first year there, he put up 23.1ppg, led the league in steals, and took them to the playoffs.
When injuries hit, it seemed like the league stopped wanting him. Teams weren’t even willing to trade for him until he joined Houston in the James Harden deal. This season, he is back to putting up over 20 points per game and is rebounding into the player he once was just as he’s entering his prime. 81 is too low.
Too High: Mitchell Robinson (82)
While Oladipo has already proven himself, the opposite is true for New York’s Mitchell Robinson. The big man is the definition of raw talent and untapped potential. The 2K franchise keeps rating him impressively despite the fact that his game isn’t quite there yet.
Robinson has yet to average over 10 points in a season or grab nine rebounds per game. He has shown a knack for blocking shots but that’s really it. Although being 22 means he has plenty of time to become a star, as of right now, he shouldn’t be ranked above better players.
Too Low: Devin Booker (88)
The aforementioned Devin Booker has been called “the most disrespected player in our league” by LeBron James. That was said by the superstar because Booker is incredibly skilled and talented, yet is constantly undervalued and left off of lists regarding top players and All-Stars.
Since arriving in the league, Booker has been a scoring machine. He even dropped 70 in a game when he was only 20-years-old. Booker can score in bunches, has developed the ability to run an offense, and is still only 24. It’s laughable that he’s rated below Zion Williamson (89) and Jaylen Brown (89), who are both very good but not quite on his level.
Too High: Tyrese Haliburton (83)
This is in no way meant as a slight to Tyrese Haliburton. He has come out of Iowa State and done very well for himself as a rookie on the Sacramento Kings. So far, he’s putting up just around 12 points per game, handing out about five assists, and hitting over 40% of his three-pointers.
By all accounts, he’s going to be a very good basketball player. That being said, he’s just ranked too high for now. His output shouldn’t have him above Herro, Ball, or Derrick Rose (81), or on the same level as Collin Sexton, Caris LeVert, or Dejounte Murray.
Too Low: D’Angelo Russell (83)
This honestly just doesn’t make any sense. D’Angelo Russell was cast off by the Lakers but found a home with the Brooklyn Nets and became an All-Star. After a stop in Golden State, he is now in Minnesota and though the team struggles, he remains a stud.
Russell is just under the 20ppg mark this season but has averaged at least 21.1 every year since 2019. He has shown that he can be a leader and has a tendency to hit big shots. He may not be someone ready for the elite 90 overall group but he belongs above the likes of Jordan Clarkson (84).
