Whenever a new sports game comes out, fans almost immediately check out the ratings. They want to know what their favorite players scored on the 0-99 scale. In fact, it has reached a point where the official Twitter accounts for these games even post some of the ratings ahead of release.
It allows gamers to debate them endlessly. Recently, NBA 2K21 hit shelves and once again, there are some questions about the ratings. Some players have been scored too high while others are unusually low. This can go for their overall rating or the ranking they have for individual aspects of their skillset.
10 Love: Chris Paul & Kevin Durant’s Mid-Range Shot (98)
They say that the mid-range shot is a lost art in today’s NBA. That’s true in some ways, as teams have fallen in love with the three-point shot (it’s especially handy in The Neighborhood) and close-range buckets. That being said, there are still a handful of guys who live in that 15-18 foot area on the court.
Among them are DeMar DeRozan and D’Angelo Russell. However, the two men with the best ratings for their mid-range games are future Hall of Famers Chris Paul and Kevin Durant. This makes sense are both heave deadly jumpers from that area.
9 Makes No Sense: Christian Wood (80)
If you’re asking who Christian Wood, then you are not alone. He’s not known but Wood has shown that he’s a solid NBA player. In limited action for the Detroit Pistons last season, Wood put up 16.9ppg and 7.9rpg but only played in eight games due to injuries.
Wood has now played for five teams in four seasons, so something is up. Although he was fine this season, his 80 rating seems too high. That’s above All-Star Draymond Green (79) and dangerously close to the likes of Lauri Markkanen (80), Kevin Love (82), and other superior players. He’s also higher than some memorable players on classic teams.
8 Love: Ja Morant (85)
When it came time for the 2019 NBA Draft, all eyes were focused on Zion Williamson. The consensus top pick went to the New Orleans Pelicans but the Memphis Grizzlies might’ve come out better with the second pick. They selected Murray State point guard Ja Morant and he is already a star.
Ja Morant hit the ground running for the Grizzlies. He led them further than most expected, taking them to the play-in series to get into the NBA Playoffs and was a highlight reel. Being in the upper-echelon of point guards already is fitting for the near-unanimous Rookie of the Year. The only problem is that he’s still scored lower than cover boy Williamson.
7 Makes No Sense: Ben Simmons (87)
With an 87 rating, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons is tied with Kyle Lowry for the seventh-best in NBA 2K21 at the point guard position. Considering Simmons is a former Rookie of the Year and has become a high-quality defender, that doesn’t seem that out of place.
A closer look reveals that it is too high. For one, Simmons has kind of plateaued offensively after his rookie campaign. He doesn’t show a willingness to develop a jump shot, struggles at the foul line, and hasn’t seen his stats improve much. Giving him the same rating as a blossoming star like Devin Booker or just below Boston’s Jayson Tatum is illogical.
6 Love: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (84)
The Los Angeles Clippers made a huge splash when they acquired Paul George alongside the signing of Kawhi Leonard. To get George, they shipped away several years’ worth of draft picks. Even with all of that, management said the toughest piece to give up was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
He showed promise as a rookie for them but became a star in the making for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mentored by Chris Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander posted 19.0ppg, 5.9rpg, and 3.3apg this season. That sees him on the level of fellow rising stars like Jaylen Brown and Zach LaVine.
5 Makes No Sense: Victor Oladipo (82)
It’s understandable if some people forgot about how good Victor Oladipo is. The man spent a major chunk of the last two seasons injured, playing in a total of just 55 games. He never really got his footing in 2019-2020 but he was still a quality player in 2018-2019.
Combine that with how well he played in 2017-2018 (23.1ppg, 2.4spg) and the fact that the stout defender is just 27-years-old and you’ve still got someone teams want to build around. While the injuries hold him back, he still deserves better than being rated the same as Jonathan Isaac and Brook Lopez, with respect to those guys.
4 Love: The 90 Overall 3-Point Club
In a league where almost everyone is hitting three-pointers, it takes someone truly special to be ranked among the elite. Thankfully, NBA 2K21 hasn’t just rated everyone high in this department. In fact, there are only four players to receive a 90 or above.
You have the greatest shooter in league history, Stephen Curry (99) and his fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson (95). There’s also young sharpshooter Duncan Robinson (92) and a veteran who has been draining them from deep for over a decade, JJ Redick (90). Turn that shot meter off since it’s helpful and watch the shots fly.
3 Makes No Sense: Damian Lillard, Seth Curry & Trae Young’s 3-Pointers
As great as it is to see some exclusivity being given to the league’s shooters, there are some glaring omissions. First, you have Damian Lillard. The man has the most range in the NBA, calmly sinking threes from near half-court. He’s only an 88 from deep, which seems like an oversight. That’s especially true since he’s behind the likes of Matt Thomas and Derrick Walton Jr.
Meanwhile, Trae Young also feels too low at 86. While he is more about range and volume than accuracy (34%), he’s still quite dangerous. It’s also a bit odd to have Seth Curry (89) out of the 90s when he has the second-best career percentage from downtown in league history at 44%.
2 Love: De’Aaron Fox’s Speed (97)
Speed in a basketball video game can often go overlooked. You might not notice it if you’re using guys at the same position. For example, Chris Paul will certainly be faster than a power forward or center but most guards seem to not be all that different.
That’s why it’s great that NBA 2K21 made sure to get the fastest player in the game right. De’Aaron Fox has even worked with ESPN and they found that he could sprint from the three-point line to the rim in 1.3 seconds. Fox has the highest scores in both speed and speed with the ball at 97 each.
1 Makes No Sense: D’Angelo Russell (84)
No matter how long this game is out, here’s a rating that will baffle folks. D’Angelo Russell became an All-Star last season, leading the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs and putting up big numbers (21.1ppg and 7.0apg). This season, he followed that up with 23.6ppg while with the Warriors and 21.7ppg with Minnesota.
Despite that, Russell is barely ranked in the top 50. He’s among the likes of Jusuf Nurkic, Deandre Ayton, and the aging LaMarcus Aldridge. For a guy who has improved greatly and made an All-Star team, he is grossly underrated. It’s almost as if people think he’s still the same guy he was with the Lakers.
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