Most Overpowered Players in NBA 2k (2024)

Since November 11, 1999, when the first game was released, the NBA 2K video game franchise has been as intertwined with the league as pre-game outfits or TNT’s Inside the NBA. With that popularity, there are certain players that the community gravitates toward because of their sheer ability to dominate the virtual courts.

Focusing on the players who, although not as dominant in real life, were able to be used in 2K to blindside and bulldoze opponents (rather than players like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or Stephen Curry who were just as dominant in real life), here’s a list of the best overpowered players in the history of the 2K franchise

10 Raja Bell

Career average: 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game

Raja Bell was primarily a defensive player throughout his career, being voted to multiple All-Defensive teams and receiving votes for Defensive Player of the Year (although never winning the award). He could score, but finished his career with only three games scoring 30 or more points, and only 70 games with 20 or more points.

However, similar to many other players on this list, he was lethal in 2K with players who were able to master his jump shot. His athleticism always allowed for quality animation, too, making him a three-tool player who could dominate on the defensive end, while regularly scoring more than his real-life career high (31).

9 Gerald Green

Career average: 9.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game

Gerald Green was an extremely athletic player in the NBA, winning the 2007 dunk contest and playing for multiple solid teams. He was never an All-Star caliber player, though, and this was reflected in his 2K ratings.

However, with players who knew how to use him and take advantage of his athletic animations, he was essentially unstoppable. Causing a generation of 2K players to think he was the next Vince Carter, Green might just have made a bigger impact on the 2K community than he did in the NBA.

8 Jeremy Lamb

Career average: 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists

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Jeremy Lamb, despite never averaging more than 15.3 points per game, was an extremely deadly outside shooter in 2K, especially in his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s not to say he didn’t have a midrange game, because he absolutely did. But, with opponents also having to worry about Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, Lamb was a big-three-caliber addition with his scoring ability.

Lamb was also given a solid potential rating, meaning players (in the franchise or MyLeague modes) could develop him into an even better player. Lamb may not have made a massive impact on the NBA, but he was a stalwart sleeper for 2K players in the 2010s.

7 OJ Mayo

Career average: 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game

OJ Mayo, when playing at the University of Southern California (USC) and preparing to enter the league, was one of the first players to be dubbed ‘the next LeBron James’ rather than ‘the next Jordan.’ Although never living up to these expectations, Mayo was given a high rating as a rookie almost entirely based on these expectations.

While his play was just good enough to paint those in charge of ratings at 2K an overall optimistic view of Mayo, he was never able to take that next step in the NBA that most were expecting of him early in his career.

He was an amazing player in 2K, though, and, once players mastered his jump shot, could easily go for 30-plus points against basically any team.

6 Andrea Bargnani

Career average: 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game

Another player whose 2K rating saw a boost due to pre-NBA hype was Andrea Bargnani. It’s not that he didn’t develop into a talented player, as he showed a knack for scoring and finished his rookie season with the second most votes for rookie of the year, but his early status as a generational talent on par with a player like Chris Bosh certainly improved his standing in 2K.

And for all intents and purposes, Bargnani essentially was Bosh for a stretch in 2K. Particularly early on, his scoring abilities would allow skilled players to drop 30 or 40 points with double-digit rebounds. He may not have been as dominant on the real courts, but Bargnani was everything he was sold as and more early into his NBA 2K run.

5 Rudy Gay

Career average:15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game

2K’s Rudy Gay gave players a chance to see the big man of the modern era before the prototype had been established. Able to control the paint on both offense and defense, while also being able to sink threes with ease, Gay was one of the most versatile big men in all of 2K in the 2010s.

He was a quality player in real life, averaging over 15 points per game over his almost three-decade career. However, he was never quite able to unleash the beast that the makers of 2K saw him as.

4 JR Smith

Career average: 12.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game

JR Smith, although displaying incredible explosiveness and athleticism throughout his career, is known primarily for his three-point shooting. These rings true in 2K, too, as Smith (especially in his runs with the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks) is widely regarded as one of the best three-point shooters in the history of 2K.

In real life, however, his biggest issue was his consistency. Sure, he might effortlessly sink eight threes in a game, but he might also go zero for 12 from deep. In 2K, though, the amount he scored is up to whoever was controlling him. And, considering he possesses a quick jump shot, a high three-point rating, and numerous badges boosting that ability, Smith will always be remembered as a top-scoring option in 2K during the first half of his career.

3 Ben Simmons

Career average: 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game

Ben Simmons has received a lot of criticism over his career, for various reasons. Whether it be not spending enough time on the court, or not doing enough to expand his game, Simmons has struggled mightily to win over the support of the public.

However, when it comes to 2K, a young Simmons played eerily similar to a young LeBron James. Able to slash with impunity, find any open teammate, and lock down anyone on defense (and also possessing a competent three-point shot), Simmons played in 2K like the player he was sold as before entering the league.

Simmons is a player who performs to his strength well, at least well enough to win Rookie of the Year in the 207-18 season. But his inability to iron out his weaknesses, and his tumultuous end with the Philadelphia 76ers, have soured the public’s view (and optimism) of Simmons.

His 2K rating has since been adjusted for this, but, in his first few seasons in the NBA, Simmons was one of the most overpowered players in the game.

2 Monta Ellis

Career average: 17.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game

Monta Ellis, particularly when playing with the Golden State Warriors, was an absolute menace in 2k. With his peak rating reaching an 87 in 2k9, Ellis was almost always an elite scorer with lights out three-point scoring.

Not just limited to his scoring, he also (with players who could take advantage of advanced dribbling controls) could play like a prime Kyrie Irving before Irving was even in the league. Although Ellis certainly had his fair share of stellar seasons in the NBA, even winning the Most Improved Player award in the 2006-07 season, he was never voted to an All-Star team and was never a part of a team that won the Finals. However, Ellis will forever remain one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the 2K franchise.

1 Jamal Crawford

Career average: 14.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game

Jamal Crawford, interestingly, played a very similar role in 2K as he did in the real-life NBA. Despite being arguably one of the most skilled players the league has ever seen, most of Crawford’s career was relegated to role-playing, or supporting the primary stars of the team.

But, with 2K recognizing his true ball handling and scoring ability, could go for 30, 40, or even 50 points in any given game against any given opponent. Especially when playing with the Los Angeles Clippers, Crawford plays closer in 2K to his post-NBA play than his actual time in the league.

Crawford is one of the most respected players to ever pass through the league, both because of his immense talent and willingness to do what he believes is best for the team. Similarly, Crawford was a fan favorite in his time in the league, but will always be remembered for the ways in which he was used to absolutely break opponents in the two decades he spent on 2K main rosters.