Predicting the Knicks’ NBA 2K23 ratings ahead of release
By Jake Brown
With the New York Knicks’ season slowly approaching, it also means that the latest installment of NBA 2K is getting released relatively soon.
In the following weeks, we will find out what ratings each player will receive for 2K’s latest installment, NBA 2K23.
While some players get extreme love when it comes to NBA 2K ratings, the Knicks are usually on the other side of the totem pole, with their players getting disrespected heading into each season.
What ratings will the New York Knicks receive in NBA 2K23?
Starting with players such as Julius Randle and RJ Barrett will be easy since we know as fans what they are capable of already.
As we get further down the roster, it will become more and more difficult pinpointing what we as fans think these players should be in comparison to what 2K Studios believes as well.
Let’s look no further and dive into what ratings New York could be looking at for NBA 2K23.
RJ Barrett’s 2K Rating: 86 Overall
RJ Barrett had himself a career year in his third season and he’s just getting started. After averaging 17 points in his sophomore campaign in the league, Barrett took the next step and averaged 20 points per game and was extremely impressive after the All-Star break.
Barrett posted 24.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists post All-Star break, showing fans that he is on the verge of yet another breakout season.
Will Barrett be given an 86 by 2K’s standards? It’s definitely possible, but I can envision them giving him either an 84 or an 85 at the very least.
Julius Randle’s 2K Rating: 84 Overall
While Randle may have had a down year after coming off an All-NBA Second Team season, he still managed to post good numbers.
The fans surely have not been fond of Randle as of late, but 2K should still give him a decent rating considering he averaged 20 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
Randle’s stats may not jump off the board entirely when it comes to other stars, and that’s fair. However, Randle is still in some elite company with his statistics.
If his season average for rebounds had reached 10 per game (being off by just 0.1), Randle would have been one of three players to average 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.0 assists this season, alongside MVPs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
For Randle to be any rating below an 83 would be a crime, no matter what the fans think and how the media perceives him.
Jalen Brunson’s 2K Rating: 83 Overall
Before signing with the Knicks, Jalen Brunson played a pivotal role on a Dallas Mavericks squad that reached the Western Conference Finals just a couple of months ago.
That alone could play a big part in the Villanova product’s 2K rating that we could be seeing when the game gets released in just a few weeks.
Outside of his 21.3 points per game outburst in the playoffs, Brunson averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in his final year with the Mavericks.
Brunson will look to make his mark on a Knicks team that has struggled to find consistency at the point guard position, having had Alec Burks (whose traditionally a small forward) run the point just last year.
The floor of Brunson’s rating will look interesting and will depend on how heavily 2K will look at his playoff performance versus his performance in the regular season. Whatever his rating may be, it will be an exciting season and Brunson will have plenty of time to boost his rating.
Mitchell Robinson’s 2K Rating: 82 Overall
It’s hard to come around solid starting centers in this league, but Mitchell Robinson is one of a few that does damage on the inside on both offense and defense.
In 2021-22, Robinson averaged 8.5 points and 8.6 rebounds on 76% shooting from the field, which would have been a record had he taken enough shots throughout the course of the season.
While his stats don’t jump off the board, he is a great glue guy and can get a rebound at will. Robinson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA, averaging 4.1 per game.
I envision another successful season for Mitch, who just signed a 4-year contract worth $60 million. In recent 2K games, Robinson has been between 80-83. And after last year’s campaign, he should remain within that range, with my guess being an 82 overall, which was his rating in NBA 2K22.