7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

[AIRJ23]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

I'm not bragging. I'm literally mocking you to your face and it's going completely over your head.



Michael Jordan has had 57 years without an MVP. Sorry, he doesn't get credit for entering the league late, leaving early, and whatever that minor league baseball intermission was.

Bill Russell won a championship in all but two of his seasons. Michael Jordan was a loser by comparison. This is your reductionist thinking in a nutshell.


OH BY THE WAY TO ACTUALLY STAY ON TOPIC
If LeBron is having an All-NBA season his Overall rating is justified.
Cry about it. For the fifth consecutive year.

Lmao nice try.

Look at the efficiency of LeBron’s accomplishments vs his time played. Less mvp, less rings, less finals mvp, less DPOY, less all defense first teams, less per game yearly stat titles (never any on defense) and 22 years played! Jordan does get credit for retiring twice in his prime cause he still did more in less time, highlighting what could’ve been done if he decided to play more. Doesn’t really matter what he did from 35-37 when despite retiring twice in his prime, he still holds a superior resume.

LeBron played 7 more years than MJ and only made 3 more all nba first teams.

He likely will NOT make all nba first team this year, rendering his 96 and lagging PER clearly overstated, as 96 is first team status. Not 2nd or 3rd team.

Let’s talk more about plus/minus though.

Last night bron was a MINUS 5 �� against an g league Mavs roster. Only LBJ can have a 35-21 record with a NEGATIVE on the court and a team POSITIVE off court, and still hold a 96 rating.

Yes, Jordan didn’t make all nba in his injured wizards years. But he still made the first team 73% of his time played. LeBron only 59% out of his time played. Highlighting the fact that in 41% of LeBron’s years, there was somebody above him.

10/15 is more impressive and efficient than 13/22.

“Cry about it.”

[sirdez]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Using only arbitrary accomplishments and awards to analyse someone's greatness is very myopic.

[MiracleMet718]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Can you two take this to DMs and stop hijacking the thread talking about the roster update? It’s getting childish at this point.

[Real2KInsider]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Can you two take this to DMs and stop hijacking the thread talking about the roster update? It’s getting childish at this point.

Is there anything specific (player/team/etc) that you would like discussed. I largely find OS dead nowadays compared to Reddit. There is nothing to really bounce off of.

[MiracleMet718]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Is there anything specific (player/team/etc) that you would like discussed. I largely find OS dead nowadays compared to Reddit. There is nothing to really bounce off of.

Anything that isn’t First Take like nonsense about LeBron’s career, that’s pretty much it.

[jd@os]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Anything that isn’t First Take like nonsense about LeBron’s career, that’s pretty much it.

The nature of 2K player ratings lends itself to discussion but yeah, this happens sometimes lol.

[jeebs9]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

These guys have been going back and forth for a few years now. I actually enjoy it to a point [emoji28][emoji23][emoji1787]

[MiracleMet718]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

These guys have been going back and forth for a few years now. I actually enjoy it to a point [emoji28][emoji23][emoji1787]

Can we get them their own thread where only they can discuss this? I’d favorite that and make sure I checked in every time I saw an update. I enjoy the back and forth as entertainment, I just figured it would eventually stop in a thread like this. I was wrong.

[Rori Daed]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Real2kInsider, how complete is your roster at this point?

[Real2KInsider]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Real2kInsider, how complete is your roster at this point?

I am a big believer that there's no such thing as a complete roster.

I guess to summarize my changelog....
-Updated Ratings/Badges for probably 300 players (most of the standard contract guys), per 2K's scaling
-Updated players are constantly touched up, it's not a set it and forget it.
-Best scaled/tiered OVRs on 2K Share
-Most accurate positions on 2K Share
-Most accurate rotations on 2K Share (aided by Force Non-Starter)
-Players on G-League assignment are "injured" to ensure depth charts / Active rosters.
-95% accurate injuries (someone always comes back under my nose)
-Updated Contracts
-Updated FA pool to eliminate Internationals/Retired, assigned GLG players to respective teams.
-Jersey numbers were up to date a few weeks ago

In progress:
-Adjusting Playbook Priorities
-Adjusting a handful of tendencies
-Coach Sliders / Points of Emphasis

EDIT:
Starting on POE for the first time in 2 years... oh man 2K butchered some of these.

Offensive Focus for a few teams. Some of these are pure comedy.
OKC: Feed the Post - Insert Nick Young.gif
ORL: Get Shooters Open - They're the worst shooting team of the last 10 years?
TOR: Get Shooters Open - Honestly not that far behind?
BKN: Play Through Star - Obviously these haven't been updated in the last 3 years!
WAS: Play Through Star - Maybe not since the John Wall era? (5 years)
GSW: Neutral Offensive Focus - Just to clarify, Orlando is the team getting it's shooters open?
CLE: Neutral Offensive Focus - Don't worry I'm sure they will update this in time for 2K28

Don't worry guys... we have paid professionals, extremely well versed in the NBA, who are hot on the case.

[Real2KInsider]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Who is down to do some free labor for a billion dollar corporation?

EDIT: Remade these from scratch in two hours. What's taking you so long 2K?
(I will not be publicly posting the changes, or how I came to them)

[Real2KInsider]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Joel Embiid's 2025 season is over. Rating Edit:

Joel Embiid (19 Games, 574 Minutes)
POS: C
H/W/W: 7'0" / 280 lbs / 7'5" WS
AGE: 30
ARCH: 2-Way 3-Level Shot Creator (from 3-Level-Scoring Paint Beast)
OVERALL: 91 (-3)
BADGES: 22 (-2)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EN_CoyhRKxw?si=y2IDaQb_uY-PhgEY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

INSIDE SCORING
80 (-9) Driving Layup: 45-81 FG (56 FG%, 64 AST%, 5.1 FGA/36)
55 (-20) Driving Dunk: 5-5 FG (100 FG%, 60 AST%, 0.3 FGA/36)
55 (-35) Standing Dunk
95 (-1) Post Fade: 16-44 FG (36 FG%, 31 AST%, 2.8 FGA/36)
70 (-26) Post Hook: 6-14 FG (43 FG%, 0 AST%, 0.9 FGA/36)
95 (-1) Post Control: 6.2 Post/36
99 (+9) Draw Foul: 53.7% FTR / 10.6 FTA/36
60 (-20) Offensive Rebound: 6.9 ORB%

-Embiid's unstable knees have lead to the swift degradation of his finishing ability. He scored on 64% of his Layups last season, while attempting 6.7 per 36.
-Embiid's dunking ability was wildly overrated by 2K for years during his prime seasons, much less his current state. Those are old-man Al Horford-level rates. He is very much a below the rim finisher.
-Embiid is the All-Time leader in FTA/36 (11.3). This is the one area of his game where they shouldn't have downgraded him (he started the year 98 FoulDraw).
-Embiid's ORB rating has always been 20-points overrated by 2K. Embiid has only one season where he was Top 20 in ORB rate. This was the 2nd worst ORB season of his career, and worst Rebounding season overall.
-These changes alone account for -3 OVR, that's how much 2K is propping him up.

SHOOTING
97 (NC) Close Shot: 58-125 FG (46 FG%, 52 AST%, 7.8 FGA/36)
84 (NC) Mid-Range: 21-52 FG (40 FG%, 57 AST%, 3.3 FGA/36)
75 (-5) 3PT Shot: 23-77 FG (30 FG%, 96 AST%, 4.8 FGA/36)
88 (-4) Free Throw: 149-169 FT (88 FT%, 10.6 FTA/36)
85 (+5) Shot IQ: 58 TS%, 35 USG%

-Given Embiid's physical decline, he relied on the 3-ball more than ever (career high 3PA rate). Yet his percentages also cratered. Last season he shot career highs from Mid-Range (52%) and 3PT (39%). This year was his career worst 3PT%, and the 3rd-worst Mid-Range% of his career
-Embiid was assisted on only 83% of his threes last season, 48% from Mid-Range (Impressive numbers for a Center). With 96 AST% on threes that's more in line with an Al Horford or Brook Lopez.

PLAYMAKING
75 (+18) Ball Handle: N/A PNR+ 3.6 ISO/36
73 (+1) Pass Vision: 26.2 AST%
80 (-2) Pass IQ: 1.4 A/T
75 (+1) Pass Accuracy: 1.6 Bad Pass/36
90 (NC) Hands: 1.4 Lost Ball/36

-Embiid's off-dribble creation was cut in half (last season: 0.4 P&R/36 + 6.3 ISO/36)
-These idiots employed by 2K Sports didn't upgrade Embiid's Ball Handle for the entirety of his prime. Its nothing short of disgraceful considering he was the 2023 MVP.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8H3GQ7uN8UU?si=xWyMmqH_et3hAQhC" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here's to TEN YEARS of 57 Ball Handle. Stauffer ****ing sucks. HIRE SOMEONE NEW.

DEFENSE
88 (-2) Defensive Rebound: 25.1 DRB%
85 (-7) Interior Defense
60 (-8) Perimeter Defense
67 (-7) Block: 3.3 BLK%
62 (+20) Steal: 1.2 STL% (6th in NBA)

-Where Embiid's declining foot speed has hurt him most is the defensive end. He posted a career low Block rate this season.
-The Sixers are 25th in DRTG this season after ranking 11th last season. While Embiid missed a large chunk of time, they were not exactly any better with him on the floor.

ATHLETICISM
60 (-9) Speed
60 (-2) Speed w/ Ball
60 (-9) Agility
30 (-39) Vertical
99 (+3) Strength: 7'0" / 280 lbs
90 (-5) Stamina: 30 MPG
75 (-15) Hustle: 1.9 Deflections/36 + 0.8 LooseBalls/36
60 (-8) Durability: 419-719 Career GP (63%) - Last 5 years: 234-400 (60%)

-Whatever vertical leap Embiid once had is GONE. He doesn't even jump anymore on drives to the basket.
-2K giving Embiid a 90 Hustle rating signifies this is the most subjective attribute and they have no idea what to do with it. Just scrap it and turn it into a badge.
-These changes lead to -1 OVR.

MENTAL
99 (+4) Offensive Consistency: 3.8 OBPM
70 (-20) Defensive Consistency: -0.2 DBPM
65 (+1) Pass Perception
80 (-14) Help Defense
99 (+39) Intangibles (Superstar level player)

-Career worst DBPM for Embiid. He was 5th in the NBA (2.3) during his MVP 2023, while last season's mark (3.1) would have ranked 3rd if he qualified (behind Victor). This season, he would have ranked 99th (tied with DeAndre Ayton). Even accounting the inadequacies of DBPM (Jokic/Sabonis rank high due to their rebound rates), that is an unconscionable drop.
-Far be it from me to tell 2K Sports to update Help Defense more than once every 2-5 years but Jesus Christ 94 Help Defense in the midst of this highly-publicized nightmare season is just... GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE ****ING SPREADSHEET STAUFFER. Or better yet, LEARN HOW TO USE ONE. This is not Adem Bona we're talking about here. Superstars should not be flying under the ****ing radar for a AAA game.
-2K of course has Embiid's INT low to make up for the fact that they've overrated him in a ton of categories. I on the other hand take the opposite approach (the Center OVR formula does not properly account for Embiid's perimeter skills). Maxing out Embiid's INT from here leads to +2 OVR (92 OVR before we touch badges).

----------------------------------------------------------

BADGE EDITS
TOTAL: 22 (-2)

Despite the marked decline in his play, Embiid has not received a badge edit this year. They were quick to give hatchet jobs to Tyrese Haliburton and Desmond Bane, yet here we are in March with Embiid still intact.

Badges are worked on by a different dev, who has actually been putting in the work this year, so there will be less vitriol with these.

FINISHING
HOF: Post-Up Poet (+1)
GOLD: Paint Prodigy, Physical Finisher, Post Powerhouse
SILVER:
BRONZE: Hook Specialist (-2), Layup Mixmaster (-1)
REMOVE: Aerial Wizard (-2), Float Game (-2), Rise Up (-3)

-These badges were crazy even during Embiid's best seasons. Part of why Embiid spends so much time on the perimeter is he's NOT some dunker's spot lob threat. They simply cannot be part of his kit moving forward.
-R2K Changes from 2024: Layup (-1)
-Declining mobility/finishing

SHOOTING
GOLD: Post Fade Phenom, Deadeye
SILVER:
BRONZE: Set Shot Specialist (-1), Slippery Off-Ball (+1), Shifty Shooter (-1)

-Changes from R2K 2024: Slippery (-1), Shifty (-1)
-Significant declines in movement shooting

PLAYMAKING
GOLD: Lightning Launch (+3)
SILVER: Break Starter, Dimer (-1), Strong Handle
BRONZE: Versatile Visionary (+1)

-R2K Changes from 2024: Dimer (-1), Handles For Days (-1), Lightning (-1)

DEF/ATH/REB
GOLD: Brick Wall
SILVER: Boxout Beast (-1)
BRONZE: High-Flying Denier, Immovable Enforcer, Post Up Lockdown (-2), Paint Patroller (-1)
REMOVE: Pogo Stick (-2), Rebound Chaser (-1)

You can't have Pogo on a guy who can't jump anymore.
R2K Changes from 2024: Pogo (-1), Lockdown (-2), Patroller (-1), Reb Chaser (-1)

----------------------------------------------------

All told the Badge changes lead to -1 OVR, landing us at a 91 OVR (-3).

This lands Embiid as my #4 Center in the NBA, behind Nikola Jokic (99), Victor Embanyama (94), and Karl-Anthony Towns (93).

It also ties him in rating with Tyrese Maxey as the Sixers top player.

It bears noting that Embiid only played twice since 2K's last rating update.
Those 2 games: 14.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.5 APG, 0.5 BPG, 29 MPG, 32 FG%

Veryyyy curious to see what 2K does now that I posted this.
It would be quite the about-face if they dropped him now!

-------------------------------------

As far as what Embiid and the Sixers can do from here... Assuming Embiid's knee allows him to take the court.
He cannot continue with his driving style. He needs to become more of a complimentary player, because his body cannot handle a high offensive load. All the flopping and flailing and free throws aren't worth it if he can't play 60 games. The focus should be getting him through Age 31-34, and not clinging to the MVP-caliber pipe dream. He's still in better shape than DeMarcus Cousins, who was a 15-17 MPG player when he was Embiid's age, but his margin for error at this point is slim.

Brook Lopez became a complimentary shooter when he turned 30, and was able to extend his career because of it. Lopez will have occasional games where he's asked to score down low, but not having to do this on a daily basis has kept him in the league. Despite three seasons where he played only 5, 17, and 13 games, he has been otherwise extremely durable, playing 72+ games (Covid adjusted) in his other 14 seasons. He hasn't averaged more than 2 FTA since 2018. This is the elephant-sized aspect of his game that Embiid needs to settle with. Making the transition from a 35 PPG player to a 15 PPG player, even while making his exorbitant salary.

Myles Turner is about to get paid in the 30M range this summer and even in a diminished state Embiid is better.

Jaren Jackson Jr is about to be supermax eligible, and while JJJ is obviously the better defensive player at this stage, a reduced aggression Embiid is still probably better offensively. Just being worth 30-40M while making 55-60M would be a win for Embiid & the Sixers at this point.

[plp2874]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

I am a big believer that there's no such thing as a complete roster.

I guess to summarize my changelog....
-Updated Ratings/Badges for probably 300 players (most of the standard contract guys), per 2K's scaling
-Updated players are constantly touched up, it's not a set it and forget it.
-Best scaled/tiered OVRs on 2K Share
-Most accurate positions on 2K Share
-Most accurate rotations on 2K Share (aided by Force Non-Starter)
-Players on G-League assignment are "injured" to ensure depth charts / Active rosters.
-95% accurate injuries (someone always comes back under my nose)
-Updated Contracts
-Updated FA pool to eliminate Internationals/Retired, assigned GLG players to respective teams.
-Jersey numbers were up to date a few weeks ago

In progress:
-Adjusting Playbook Priorities
-Adjusting a handful of tendencies
-Coach Sliders / Points of Emphasis

EDIT:
Starting on POE for the first time in 2 years... oh man 2K butchered some of these.

Offensive Focus for a few teams. Some of these are pure comedy.
OKC: Feed the Post - Insert Nick Young.gif
ORL: Get Shooters Open - They're the worst shooting team of the last 10 years?
TOR: Get Shooters Open - Honestly not that far behind?
BKN: Play Through Star - Obviously these haven't been updated in the last 3 years!
WAS: Play Through Star - Maybe not since the John Wall era? (5 years)
GSW: Neutral Offensive Focus - Just to clarify, Orlando is the team getting it's shooters open?
CLE: Neutral Offensive Focus - Don't worry I'm sure they will update this in time for 2K28

Don't worry guys... we have paid professionals, extremely well versed in the NBA, who are hot on the case.

Are you using your roster in a MyNBA or just playnow? and what sliders are you using for gameplay on your roster?

[dnikafoeno]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Awesome write up and thank you for the POE update! Wish 2k would hire you!

[Rori Daed]

Re: 7th Official NBA 2K25 Player Ratings Update - 2.13.25

Incredible stuff by real2kinsider. We appreciate you. Doing gods work. Truly respect your analysis of the game. I dont understand how 2k has yet to tap you for role on the team.