NBA 2K19 Player Ratings: Best Small Forwards (SF)

Source: NBA 2K19

The Small Forward position has evolved into a "do-it-all" kind of role. This very valuable position is comprised of some of the top athletes in the league. They have to be able to score inside and out, defend, pass and make plays happen. I believe this is the deepest and most competitive role in the NBA right now. Our list of the top small forwards contains player all rated 82 or higher.

LeBron James (OVR 98)

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Height: 6’8”

Traits: All-Around Superstar

Best stats: Stamina, Layups, Passing

LeBron “King” James is featured on the 20-year anniversary edition cover and will start the year off as both the top rated player and small forward in NBA 2K19. He is unlikely to be dethroned with his high rating of 98. Averages of 27.5 points, 9.1 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game simply do not speak to the overall impact he has on the floor. James is simply incredible.

Kevin Durant (OVR 97)

Team: Golden State Warriors

Height: 6’9”

Traits: Two-Way Superstar

Best stats: Layups, Mid-Range, 3Pt

Kevin Durant averaged 26.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.8 blocks per game last season on the way to another NBA title. While he catches a lot of heat for taking the easy route to titles and has been often called a "cupcake", Durant is still an elite talent and will likely be a Hall of Famer soon after retiring.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (OVR 94)

Team: Milwaukee Bucks

Height: 6’11”

Traits: All-Around Superstar

Best stats: Stamina, Layups, Lateral Quickness

After averaging 26.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists last season, it's no wonder why 2K Sports would pick Giannis to be on the cover of this year's standard edition. As the franchise cornerstone in Milwaukee, Giannis has a bright future ahead of him.

Kawhi Leonard (OVR 94)

Team: Toronto Raptors

Height: 6’7”

Traits: All-Around Superstar

Best stats: Steals, Lateral Quickness, Layups

Leonard posted averages of 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists during an injury-plagued year last season. These numbers would generally not be good enough to be considered amongst the top players at any position, let alone the league as a whole. However, Kawhi Leonard has done enough in his career to earn a spot amongst the league’s elite in terms of ratings on NBA 2K19. While he will playing on a new team this season, the lack of competition in the East should bode well for his chances of returning to star form.

Paul George (OVR 89) 

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Height: 6’9”

Traits: Two-Way Star

Best stats: Stamina, Lateral Quickness, Steals

In order to avoid losing George for nothing, the Pacers decided to ship him off to Oklahoma City to finish up the final year of his contract. While in OKC, George averaged 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists. It was rumored that George was set on returning to his hometown of Los Angeles this offseason, but he shocked the world when he resigned with the Thunder. Apparently, George doesn't mind playing second fiddle to Westbrook and believes in the potential the pair has.

Gordon Hayward (OVR 88)

Team: Boston Celtics

Height: 6’8”

Traits: Offensive Star

Best stats: Stamina, Layups, Lateral Quickness

Hayward totaled 2 points and 1 rebound for his new team before having his entire season lost 5 minutes after the tipoff. Hayward suffered a gruesome ankle injury that brought horror to the Celtics fanbase. This year he will hopefully back to his old tricks and posting averages similar to what he pulled off in Utah (21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists).

Ben Simmons (OVR 87)

Team: Philadelphia 76ers

Height: 6’10”

Traits: Two-Way Superstar

Best stats: Layups, Speed, Stamina

Simmons could be a top 10 player at any position in the game, which makes it even more difficult to pinpoint which position to rank him at. While 2K has him listed as a power forward/point guard, his game is unique and he could reasonably be listed at three different positions. I've decided to list him as a small forward and many would agree that he plays this role. As a rookie last season, he averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists on his way to being named "Rookie of the Year".

Jayson Tatum (OVR 87)

Team: Boston Celtics

Height: 6’8”

Traits: Offensive Star

Best stats: Mid-Range, 3PT, Stamina

Jayson Tatum did a great job picking up the slack when Gordon Hayward went down for the seasons with a shattered ankle. While his starting role may now be a thing of the past, he surely proved he is worthy of significant minutes after averaging 13.9 points, 5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Look for Tatum to keep growing and eventually increase his ratings in future NBA 2K games.

Harrison Barnes (OVR 82)

Team: Dallas Mavericks

Height: 6’8”

Traits: All-Around Small Forward

Best stats: Vertical, Stamina, Layups

Barnes joined the Mavericks after being "booted" from the Warriors so they could sign Kevin Durant. One might argue that the move was actually a huge boost for Barnes' overall NBA value. Last season, he averaged 18.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. Rather than fighting for minutes and shots with the Warriors, Barnes gets to be a major piece of the offense in Dallas and fits in well with the rebuild that is happening on the team.

Brandon Ingram (OVR 82)

Team: Los Angeles Lakers

Height: 6’9”

Traits: Versatile Offensive Wing

Best stats: 3PT, Stamina, Mid-Range

Up until this offseason signing period, it seemed like the only bright spot for the Lakers future was Brandon Ingram. After improving leaps and bounds to averages of 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in only his second season, some observers are calling Ingram the poor man's Kevin Durant. Due to his wingspan and well-rounded offensive game, the comparisons are not completely crazy. At the very least, LeBron James has a wingman to help him carry the load.

Other Notable Small Forwards