NBA 2K22 has arrived, and integration between The City and MyCAREER has brought up a big early decision that players will face.
If you're struggling with choosing College, G League, or the NBA Draft, we've got all the details so you can make the call that's right for you in NBA 2K22.
Latest - How to use your MyPLAYER in MyTEAM
Before we get to the MyCAREER details you're looking for, new players may not realize that your MyPLAYER can actually be used in your MyTEAM lineup.
Especially if you're still earning cards and building out your collection, using your MyCAREER player can make a huge difference early on.
We've got full details here on how you can get your MyPLAYER card in MyTEAM.
NBA 2K22: Should you choose College, G League, or NBA Draft in MyCAREER and The City?
If you're playing next gen NBA 2K22 on PS5 or Xbox Series X|S and find yourself dropped into The City after creating your MyPLAYER, it won't be long before you're facing the first big decision of the game.
Lay of the Land is the first quest you'll receive in The City, and it'll task you with setting a course that will influence the rest of your experience.
Your MyCAREER could feel very different depending on whether you choose College, G League, or the NBA Draft, but there's actually a fourth very valid option.
Believe it or not, you can absolutely choose not to make a decision. Your MyPLAYER starts very low in ratings, and you can choose to instead spend time in The City building them up before jumping to one of these big places.
However, these choices expect you to be lower rated as things get started, so there's absolutely no harm in making that call right from the jump to get things rolling.
Advantages to College and College Teams
The traditional option is still here in NBA 2K22, and you can take your MyPLAYER to College to chart your MyCAREER path that way.
You'll find these details out if you go speak to the College contact introduced in the initial Lay of the Land quest, but NBA 2K22 emphasizes the following College advantages:
- Jump directly into the single-elimination tournament and earn additional badge points by winning the national championship.
- Gain more fans by playing on a national stage and proving you're a top prospect.
- Earn attribute boosts for the tournament by attending practices that teach you key skills for your build.
- Maintain amateur status, allowing you to sign with the G League after college. You cannot attend college after going to the G.
That final detail is perhaps most crucial, in that College is the option which gives you the most remaining options down the line.
If you're hoping to be a top draft pick, going to College is a great choice, and you can even combo it with G League to further guarantee that top prospect positioning.
However, one of the big disadvantages is that choosing College will keep you in amateur status and not allow you to access endorsement opportunities to boost VC yet.
Advantages to G League (Team Ignite)
With the G League gaining popularity among real-world NBA prospects, it's no surprise that it's a prime option in The City and MyCAREER for NBA 2K22.
Once you go speak to the contact with Team Ignite, you'll get the following in-game details on advantages to joining the G League from the start:
- Earn a permanent 5% MyPOINTS accelerator to speed up the process of upgrading your MyPLAYER.
- Pursue endorsement opportunities on off days to earn VC and start building your Personal Brand.
- Prepare yourself for the league by playing against NBA-caliber talent.
- Meet with the press to take control of your narrative and practice your interviewing skills.
The most tangible benefit is the MyPOINTS accelerator, which will absolutely help you boost ratings faster from the start, but this all comes with risk.
G League is emphasized early as a tougher challenge, and you're told by the first Team Ignite contact that being cut from the team if you underperform is possible, though we haven't been able to confirm that in-game yet.
You'll also have the major advantage of being able to start earning VC and building your brand without having to leap all the way to the NBA and face that additional challenge.
Advantages to declaring for the NBA Draft
While the game doesn't give you definitive disadvantages and advantages to going straight into the NBA Draft, largely because of the work put into the College and G League paths they surely want players to experience, it's not an option you should ignore.
If you choose to go straight to the NBA Draft, whether it's right as your MyCAREER starts or even after doing a little grinding in The City, you're likely to have a much lower draft stock and rating than if you take another path.
That could actually be a boon for you, as the likelihood of being drafted by a better NBA team drastically goes up due to struggling franchises getting the earliest draft picks.
If you want to end up on a team that's already in NBA Playoff contention, and not one that will need you to be a massive star to push them towards it, declaring early could make that happen.
It's not guaranteed, as you could still go in the second round to a less successful franchise, but the odds are in your favor compared to bolstered draft stock from College or G League.
Which one is the best choice for Lay of the Land?
Ultimately it will still come down to personal preference, but the most complete and extensive experience in MyCAREER and The City will come from starting in College.
You can actually choose all the options, in a way. You can do some early grinding in The City, head to College, sign with the G League after graduation, and only then declare for the NBA Draft.
With that path, you'll get the best of all worlds and really get the most out of a single run in MyCAREER for NBA 2K22.
Each other path has value, so don't feel like you've made the wrong call by leaning in another direction, just keep in mind what will be different if you pick G League or go right to the NBA Draft.