Reacting to NBA 2K24 ratings: three too high and three too low
Detroit, MI (PSF) The latest version of the NBA 2K’s video game series has arrived with Kobe Bryant gracing the cover of 2K24. As always, an interesting thing to take in every year the new NBA 2K game drops is the player ratings. It is always intriguing to see what ratings rookies coming into the league receive and so many other aspects with the veteran players. We are going to take a look at three players who are rated too high, and three players who are rated too low in the new game.
Three players rated too high:
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Chris Paul, Golden State Warriors - 85 overall
Chris Paul who is the newest face in the already star studded backcourt for the Golden State Warriors that features Klay Thompson and Steph Curry. Landing with another contender, Paul will yet again find himself on a contending team that has a chance to capture that NBA championship that has eluded him thus far over his career. Individually, Paul’s numbers have begun to head the wrong direction, as last season he averaged career low in PPG and has dealt with some injuries over the last two seasons. Now Paul finds himself in a unfamiliar position where his role on the team is still to be determined as we head into the season. None the less, he will contribute to winning basketball in some form for the Warriors. Yet because of these factors, I think it would be fair to bump the future hall of fame point guard down a notch or two, I would have him at 83 overall.
Nicolas Claxton, Brooklyn Nets - 84 overall
Nicolas Claxton is an excellent up and coming big man for the Brooklyn Nets. Coming off of a strong 22-23 season, where he saw a career high in minutes per game, which lead to him setting new bench marks for career highs in most categories. His 2.5 blocks per game may have been the stat that stands out the most, as he established himself as the Nets primary rim protector going forward. After coming off of a new season, I do not hate his 84 overall rating, I do think he should be a point or two lower though heading into the season when you look at his statistics against some of the other players in the 84-85 range I think he falls just short. I would have Claxton at an 82 overall.
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans - 90 overall
On a personal level, I like this rating for Zion Williamson the player and think it fits well. It is just impossible for everyone to continue to ignore the struggles that Williamson has dealt with physically and being able to stay on the court. When he plays, Williamson is one of the elite players in the NBA, but has been held to just 114 games in his four seasons in the NBA with over half of those (61) games coming during the 20-21 season. Williamson is also a member of team 2K as he was the cover athlete just a short time ago, so maybe they are being generous with their guy here. Due to his inability to stay on the court, I think it would be fair for Zion to come in at an 87-88 overall. That would still be 2-3 overall points higher than teammate Brandon Ingram who has also dealt with injuries yet has played in 233 games in the same span since Williamson joined New Orleans. Again like most NBA fans I feel, I am rooting for Williamson to be healthy this upcoming season, if he can stay on the court his 90 overall rating is more than fair and possibly even slightly low. But heading into the season it’s more than fair to doubt Williamson’s ability to remain healthy.
Three players rated too low:
Photo Credit: Associated Press
Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks - 90 Overall
Say what you will, and think what you might of him, Kyrie Irving is really good at basketball. The experiment of trading for Irving the Dallas Mavericks took part in seemed to have failed but he ended up resigning in Dallas and now they look to take the partnership forward and improve on last seasons disappointment that seen Dallas missing the post season. Irving still one of the NBA’s elite guards, now gearing up for his first full season next to Luka Doncic. Given the lack of success the Mavericks seen after bringing in Irving last season I understand the 90 overall rating. However, Irving again is one of the NBA’s elite guards still, and if he is able to remain healthy I think his overall is more deserving of a 92-93 overall rating. If the Mavericks put forth a better performance as a unit this season, I expect his overall to go up toward that 92 overall.
Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans - 85 overall
As noted above when talking about his teammate Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram has dealt with his share of injuries over the last couple of seasons but when available and on the floor for the Pelicans he has been their best player consistently in recent times. In his four years with the Pelicans, Ingram has averaged 23.7 points per game, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 51% shooting from the floor. Very good production, the problem is he averaged 55 games a season over that span. I do think his lack of availability is the reason that NBA 2K has Ingram as low as an 85 overall, but if he is able to stay healthy along side Williamson the Pelicans have a chance to make some noise in an already loaded western conference. Ingram is a borderline star in the NBA, he along with the Pelicans franchise as a whole need to put it together all at the same time which of course is easier said than done. I feel this rating for him individually is a bit low, but I understand it. In comparison to his teammate Williamson who is a 90 overall and his issues of dealing with injuries as well, I think it is fair to say that Ingram has the statistics to back up a 87 overall rating in the game.
Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns - 86 overall
Coming off of an off-season that seen him get traded to the Phoenix Suns to join up to play along side the likes of fellow NBA stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Bradley Beal finds himself at an 86 overall in the new NBA 2K game. For the sake of not over powering the Phoenix Suns in the game this rating makes sense, but Beal is a bucket getter who is just two years removed from averaging 30 points per game two seasons in a row has the statistics in my opinion for an argument to have him in the 87-88 overall range. I think that an 87 overall is fair so I do not have a big gripe here, but Beal is joining a loaded team and coming off of still averaging 23 points per game. He is now the third option so maybe 2K has his rating correct, but for me heading into the season ill slightly bump Beal up to a 87 overall. It will be very interesting to see not only how Beal fits into the offense along side Booker and Durant, and what his stats end up looking like as he transitions from being the go to guy of recent years in Washington to now being the clear cut third option in a contending situation in Phoenix.
