NBA 2K22 ratings are always a hotly debated point of contention leading into each year's release, but where should Giannis Antetokounmpo land this time?
With the NBA Finals now coming to an end, let's take a look and whether Giannis should be the highest rated player in NBA 2K22 and who else is in contention.
Who will lead the ratings in NBA 2K22?
Before we nail down specifically whether Giannis Antetokounmpo should get th enod this year for highest rated player in NBA 2K22, it's important to look at who else is in that conversation.
The NBA Finals boiled down to a battle between the Phoenix Suns, who were the number two seed in the Western Conference, and the Milwaukee Bucks, who were the number three seed in the Eastern Conference.
Ultimately, Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to help lead the Milwaukee Bucks to victory in the NBA Finals and capture the NBA Championship in just six games.
Meanwhile, some of the best players in the league struggled to carry their teams to the same success, but still showed powerful individual performances throughout the season that earn them the right to join this conversation.
Top Contenders for Highest Rated Players
The following players could also be among the highest rated in NBA 2K22, though not all may quite be able to challenge Giannis for the top slot:
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
- Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
- James Harden, Brooklyn Nets
- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
As far as the NBA Playoffs go, these nine players and Giannis Antetokounmpo each had very different experiences and outcomes.
Steph Curry, despite his own continued excellence, couldn't carry the Golden State Warriors to even qualifying for the NBA Playoffs by himself.
LeBron James, Damian Lillard, and Luka Doncic all saw their 2021 NBA Playoffs journey wrap up in round one.
Kevin Durant, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and James Harden all made it to the Conference Semifinals with their teams before failing to continue.
Kawhi Leonard got to the Conference Finals before falling, but only Giannis Antetokounmpo could push his team into the NBA Finals and end up taking up the championship.
If you wanna look at a different potential metric, Jokic dominantly snagged NBA MVP this year, with Embiid, Curry, and Giannis competing behind him in the voting.
Jokic and Embiid have had the kind of year that will definitely make them contenders, and some stars like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant have the long-term success to make their argument, while Luka Doncic is definitely the rising star with a cover to boot.
They'll all likely be among the very top players when the NBA 2K22 ratings finally get announced, but none of them should top Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Giannis Antetokounmpo should be the highest rated player
When the dust settled for NBA 2K21, Giannis Antetokounmpo found himself just shy of the very top when it came to ratings.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry finished the year tied at the top with 97 OVR ratings, while Giannis was tied for second at 96 OVR with Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Nikola Jokic.
After proving himself through most of the year as one of the top stars in the league today, Giannis Antetokounmpo walked into the NBA Finals and decided to make sure he was utterly undeniable as the best.
In the final game which won them the NBA Championship, Giannis recorded 50 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks, ultimately being named the unanimous NBA Finals MVP.
Throughout the full series, he averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks, and this was all off narrowly failing to snag the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for the third consecutive year.
There's no stopping The Greek Freak, and Giannis Antetokounmpo has more than proven himself worthy of being this year's highest rated player when NBA 2K22 is released.