The release of NBA 2K20 is less than two weeks away and whilst fans are getting stuck into the demo, which was released last week, we are looking into who the best players will be when the game hits the shelves on September 6th.
Joel Embiid (OVR 91)
Age: 25
Position: C
Height: 7'0"
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Having just missed out on a top 10 spot on last years release, Joel Embiid has made the cut this year.
His starting rating has jumped up from a 90 to a 91 after a mixed season for the Cameroonian. When fit, there is no doubting that the Philly center is one the NBAs most explosive players, but an injury plagued second half of the season resulted in Embiid and the 76ers falling just short in a classic semi-final series with the Raptors.
Embiid is the highest-rated center in this years sim, coming in ahead of Denver's Nikola Jokic and Minnesota's Karl Anthony-Towns.
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Damian Lillard (OVR 92)
Age: 29
Position: PG
Height: 6'3"
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Dame was the star man for the Trail Blazers as they produced a stunning season which saw the Portland side reach the Western Conference Finals.
The Portland stalwart put up 25.8 points, 6.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game during the 2018/19 regular season. Despite the season ending in a disappointing whitewash to the Golden State Warriors, Lillard comes in as the games second best point guard, as his rating jumps from a 90 to 92.
Paul George (OVR 93)
Age: 29
Position: SF
Height: 6'9"
Team: LA Clippers
Paul George was one of the NBA's best players over the course of the 2018/19 season, and despite seeing his rating jump up from a 89 at the beginning of 2K19, I feel he should still be higher.
The new LA Clipper had his finest season to date by some margin, averaging 28 points, 8.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He also added a league high 2.2 steals per game as he finished 3rd in the NBA MVP voting. With the Western Conference looking stacked ahead of the new season, his move to the Clippers surely makes them a real contender.
Anthony Davis (OVR 94)
Age: 26
Position: PF
Height: 6'11"
Team: LA Lakers
2K20 cover star Anthony Davis is next up in the top 10 countdown, as he comes in at seven with a modest 94 rating, the highest-rated power forward in the game.
It was a strange season for The Brow, who made no secret of his desire to move on from the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite this, AD put up some respectable numbers, with 25.9 points, 12 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. His move to the Lakers to team up with LeBron makes for a very interesting partnership, could it be the move to propel Anthony Davis back into the MVP candidate picture?
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Stephen Curry (OVR 95)
Age: 31
Position: PG
Height: 6'3"
Team: Golden State Warriors
Despite missing out on that elusive three-peat, Golden State point-guard Steph Curry remains one of the NBA's most dangerous players.
With an overall rating of 95 and a confirmed three point rating of 99, be prepared to rain down three's with the 31-year-old on 2K for another season. With Kevin Durant moving to the Brooklyn Nets and fellow splash brother Klay Thompson out with a long-term ACL injury, there is some serious pressure on Curry's shoulders to keep the Warriors afloat in an incredibly competitive Western Conference this season.
Kevin Durant (OVR 96)
Age: 30
Position: SF
Height: 6'9"
Team: Brooklyn Nets
Despite being predicted to miss the whole of the 2019/20 season with the Achilles injury picked up during the 2019 Finals, new Brooklyn signing Kevin Durant makes the top five with a confirmed rating of 96.
When fit, there aren't many better small forwards to grace the NBA courts. Prior to his injury, Durant put up 26 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. Whilst having an inactive player in the top five may seem strange, it would be crazy to see KD rated any lower.
James Harden (OVR 96)
Age: 30
Position: SG
Height: 6'5"
Team: Houston Rockets
For yet another year, the best shooting guard in NBA 2K goes by the name of James Harden.
What really needs to be said about the Rockets man? He led the league in points per game averages with a ridiculous 36.1 PPG. He also drained the most shots from outside the arc, with 378 threes and with former OKC teammate Russell Westbrook joining Harden in Houston, will it finally be the year they make a serious challenge for that NBA title? The ultimate offensive weapon, 'The Beard' will once again be an invaluable asset on the 2K sim.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo (OVR 96)
Age: 24
Position: SF
Height: 6'11"
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
The NBA's Most Valuable Player begins this year with a thoroughly deserved rating of 96.
It is two points higher than the 94 that he began last years sim with and who could argue it? He had his best to season to date by some margin, with 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.9 assist per game. The Greek Freak was near unstoppable in the paint, leading the league in points in the paint per game, averaging 17.5 points.
He cruised the voting for the MVP award, finishing with 941 points. His nearest challenger, James Harden, finished with just 776. At just 24 years of age, the Bucks star will be at the top of the game for many years to come, a valuable asset to build your team around if you're looking for longevity.
Kawhi Leonard (OVR 97)
Age: 28
Position: SF
Height: 6'7"
Team: LA Clippers
Like Giannis, Kawhi Leonard comes into the 2019/20 season on the back of his best season to date.
Kawhi's move to Toronto ahead of last season raised some eyebrows, but boy did he prove the doubters wrong. Whilst his performances over the regular season were impressive, it was the playoffs when he exploded into life. The Finals MVP put up 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as the Raptors claimed their first ever NBA crown.
His move to the LA Clippers to link up with Paul George and Co. means that Kawhi will once again be among the MVP favorites as he looks to claim back-to-back NBA titles.
LeBron James (OVR 97)
Age: 34
Position: SF
Height: 6'8"
Team: LA Lakers
Who else? The GOAT LeBron James once again comes in as the highest-rated player on NBA 2K as he is handed a 97 rating for the new game.
Whilst last season was a disaster for the LA Lakers, missing out on the playoffs in LeBron's first season with the side, they are full of optimism going into this year after acquiring the services of Anthony Davis. LeBron's stats last season were once again up their with the best in the league, with 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. With the Lakers one of the favorites for the title this year, expect those stats to improve once more as The King looks to bring the crown back to LA.
Other Notable Players
Name | Overall Rating | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
Kyrie Irving | 91 | Brooklyn Nets | PG |
Nikola Jokic | 90 | Denver Nuggets | C |
Russell Westbrook | 90 | Houston Rockets | PG |
Karl-Anthony Towns | 89 | Minnesota Timberwolves | C |
Klay Thompson | 89 | Golden State Warriors | SG |
Blake Griffin | 88 | Detroit Pistons | SG |
Donovan Mitchell | 88 | Utah Jazz | SG |
Jimmy Butler | 88 | Miami Heat | SG |
Kemba Walker | 88 | Boston Celtics | PG |
Rudy Gobert | 88 | Utah Jazz | C |
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