With the NBA being in its quiet phase before the season starts, fans are looking to find anything to get them excited for the coming months. One thing that always gets fans — and players — excited about the upcoming season is the release of NBA 2K. What’s even better is knowing what the players’ ratings will be in the game.
NBA 2K is currently releasing its top 100 ratings, and there are a few Hawks’ players who made the list.
Jalen Johnson — 81 overall
Jalen Johnson should be one of the more exciting players in the game because of his athletic ability and being able to dunk at any moment. Before Johnson was injured last season, he was putting together a strong season and was posting stats that only a few players in the league had.
It makes sense why NBA 2K may be low on his rating to start out and why he was ranked the No. 96 player in the game, but there are also some players around his rating that could raise some questions, such as Alex Sarr, who is also an 81 overall. These two players are not on the same level in reality, but with Johnson being hurt for most of last season, and Sarr coming along late in the year, NBA 2K decided to give them the same rating.
Onyeka Okongwu — 81 overall
Onyeka Okongwu is also an 81 overall and was ranked the No. 93 player in the game. Okongwu had a nice second half of the season last year when he was inserted into the starting lineup, and one of the biggest improvements in his game came from the perimeter. For the past few seasons, Okongwu has increased the frequency of his 3-point shooting, and it’s obvious that he’s starting to feel comfortable in that area. NBA 2k started him out with a 74 3-point shot rating.
Okongwu has the potential to have his rating rise this season with a full season as a starter, as he’s shown the ability to finish at the rim at a high level and also be a facilitator at times.
Dyson Daniels — 83 overall
Dyson Daniels is ranked as the No. 64 player in the game. There’s no surprise where Daniels ranked, and there’s no doubt that he made a huge jump from two seasons ago to last season. The one thing that may have Daniels ranked where he is – his defense. His perimeter defense is tied for first in the game at 94, next to Lu Dort. For a player who led the league in steals and deflections, it should be no surprise that he’s ranked that high.
Daniels’ offensive game also improved last season, and the NBA 2k gave him an 80 3-point rating.
Kristaps Porzingis — 85 overall
Kristaps Porzingis is the second-highest rated player on the Hawks and is ranked as the No. 53 player in the game. Towards the end of last season, Porzingis was barely on the court because of an illness, but he seems to be fully healthy now. NBA 2K did not take into account the illness, and it’s obvious because of how high his rating his.
When healthy, Porzingis is one of the best shooting bigs in the league, and he has an 86 3-point rating. There’s a reason they call him the unicorn, and it’s because of how gifted he is on offense at 7’2.
Trae Young — 90 overall
This should be no surprise, as Trae Young is a 90 overall and is ranked as the No. 23 player in the game. Young is one of the best point guards in the league — and it’s because of his offensive game. Young is ranked No. 4 with a 98 ball handle, and he should be near the top with his playmaking in general. He led the league in assists last season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he did so again.
Young also has an 85 3-point rating, as everyone knows that he can shoot from deep. Young has stayed around the same rating for some years, and he’s shown the consistency to be ranked high in the game.