NBA 2K23: The 10 Highest Rated Players In The Game

The time has arrived for NBA 2K23, the latest installment in the NBA 2K series which is the most consistently great sports gaming franchise around. Before the game officially was released, news dropped about the entry, including some of the ratings for the top players in real life.

Each year debates rage on about these ratings as fans agree or disagree with them. In some cases, a few players even get in on the discussion as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson did this year. Of course, most of the talk surrounds which players have the best overall ratings.

10 Jonquel Jones (94)

There are only two players in this year’s game with a 94 overall. One of them is two-time NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard and the other is 2021 WNBA MVP Jonquel Jones. Since Leonard hasn’t played in a few seasons due to injury and to showcase more female players, Jones is being discussed here.

The former #6 draft pick has shined in every season of her WNBA career. In NBA 2K23, she is pretty much the ideal player to pick since she is a two-way scorer who has a ton of special badges. Throw in her rebounding ability and she’s the kind of player you want to build a squad around.

9 Luka Dončić (95)

While two players are rated 94 there is only one at a 95 and that is Luka Dončić. He is a phenom who dominates the league despite being just 23 years of age. Last season, Dončić managed to take his Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals without the help of a second major star.

He nearly averaged a triple-double, is finding new ways to improve each season, and in last year’s game, had a whopping 50 badges. That makes him a specialist in so many categories and allows the gamer to have a ton of fun while controlling him. Luka was top 10 last year and should be for a long time.

8 Joel Embiid (96)

Several players from both the NBA and WNBA are tied with a 96 rating and all are deserving of such an impressive number. First, there’s Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers who has a case for being the most dominant big man in the entire league.

He might not have taken home the MVP trophy but he did win the scoring title because he can put it in the bucket with a variety of post moves or with a deep three-point shot. Along with that scoring ability, Embiid also has major defensive capabilities, making him a dual threat.

7 Kevin Durant (96)

In terms of pure skill, it is difficult to think of a better NBA player in history than Kevin Durant. He’s seven feet tall but can handle the ball like a point guard and his jump shot from anywhere on the court is among the best around. Durant is nearly unstoppable when he puts his mind to it.

Although he feels like he should be a 99 overall, 96 is nothing to scoff at. Durant had 47 badges in last year’s game and is likely to have a similar number this time around. Given his size, abilities, and versatility, he’s a great choice in NBA 2K23 to build your team around.

6 A’ja Wilson (96)

The 2021 WNBA MVP already made the list and the 2020 MVP has an even better rating. A’ja Wilson is the star of the Las Vegas Aces and has made the All-Star team nearly every season of her career. She also won an Olympic Gold Medal and has several NCAA accolades to her name.

When it comes to NBA 2K23, Wilson has a great shot, plays solid defense, is a strong rebounder, and has an outstanding intangibles rating. She is the kind of player who will help her team win in every possible way.

5 Nikola Jokić (96)

While Joel Embiid is likely the most dominant center in the league, he isn’t the two-time reigning Most Valuable Player. That nod goes to the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić, who has redefined what it means to be a center with his versatile skillset.

Unlike centers of the past, Jokić will shoot a jump shot just as often as he’ll bang in the paint with other bigs but what truly sets him apart is his impressive passing. In last year’s game, Jokić had the highest Pass IQ rating which put him above the likes of LeBron James, Chris Paul, and every point guard in the league.

4 LeBron James (96)

They say that Father Time is undefeated as everyone gets beaten by old age at some point. However, LeBron James seems to be taking Father Time to about a dozen overtimes in their battle as he’s coming up on his 20th season and is as good as ever.

For example, James posted the second-highest scoring average of his career and at 37, reached numbers he hadn’t touched since he was 23. Two years ago, he led the league in assists too. It’s no wonder that James still has a 96 overall because there isn’t a thing on the court he can’t do.

3 Breanna Stewart (96)

The legendary Breanna Stewart has been the best player in the WNBA for a while and has shined since she first debuted in the league. She’s not even 30 years old yet but she already is a four-time All-Star, won the MVP Award, and is a two-time champion.

In 2022, Stewart tied her highest scoring average and led her team incredibly close to another WNBA Championship. Her defensive ratings aren’t that high but she scores at a high level, is athletic, has a high basketball IQ, and is a good passer for her size.

2 Stephen Curry (96)

It’s actually kind of surprising that Stephen Curry doesn’t have the highest rating in the game. He’s coming off of a remarkable season where he broke the all-time three point record and led the Warriors back to a championship years after experts believed the franchise was done as a title threat.

What Curry does have is the highest three point rating in the game at 99, which is the max number a player can attain. He is the greatest shooter in history and has all sorts of badges, amassing 48 in last year’s installment.

1 Giannis Antetokounmpo (97)

Despite Curry’s recent play, Giannis Antetokounmpo having the highest rating is pretty fair. In the past few years, he has won two MVP Awards, the All-Star MVP, Finals MVP, an NBA Title, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and more.

In NBA 2K22, Antetokounmpo had a staggering 57 badges that displayed his outstanding skillset. He is a beast inside, scoring with ease due to his strength, and he’s a defensive stalwart. On top of it all, he has continued to improve his shooting, making him unstoppable.