Much as gamers love to criticize the ratings adjusters in games likeNBA 2K22, they’re usually proven right more often than they’re proven wrong. It’s hard to gauge who will be a superstar going in one year and who is going to fall off of the map in the next.
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Almost all players are either left the same or given a few points in one direction or another. However, there are a few players that greatly exceed their expectations and shock the NBA by proving they belong. These are the players who embarrassed the pros who assigned them theirNBA 2K21rating inNBA 2K22.
10Eight Tied At +6
Eight players denied expectations last season to the tune of a bump of 6 to their overall rating: Saddiq Bey (72 to 78), Isaiah Stewart (72 to 78), Terance Mann (71 to 77), Desmond Bane (70 to 76), Payton Pritchard (70 to 76), Juan Toscano-Anderson (69 to 75), Yuta Watanabe (68 to 74), and Drew Eubanks (68 to 74).
Much asplayers make mistakes while they’re learning the game, there’s usually a crop of rookies every year that somehow fly underneath the radar. Of these, only three are not newcomers to the NBA. Mann was the guy who stepped up for the hobbling Clippers to knock the number one seeded Jazz out of the playoffs last year.
9Immanuel Quickley +7 (71 to 78)
At the start of the year, it was actually looking like Immanuel Quickley might get a nerf to his ratings. He was injured in his debut game and spent lots of time getting healthy. But when he did get healthy, he was something else, scoring 31 points in a single game.
Knicks fans are hoping that he turns into one ofthe best shooting guards in the NBA, but, for now, he’s a welcome addition to the team coming off of the bench. New York will need players who can put up points and the brief window on Quickley makes it look like he’s the man for the job.
8Tyrese Haliburton +7 (74 to 81)
Some 2020 draft boards had Tyrese Haliburton going second overall. Somehow, he slipped all the way back to number twelve and was signed by the Kings. People will always be guessing what the scouts saw that scared them away because he shined in the NBA as many had expected.
He finished in the top three of Rookie of the Year voting and was named to the All-Rookie First Team. His first season was good enough but, with some time to improve, it’s expected that in a few years, Haliburton will be listed as one ofthe league’s best point guards.
7LaMelo Ball +7 (77 to 84)
Brother Lonzo Ball was also close to making this list, going up by five points as well. Both he and LaMelo Ball proved that adjusters should realize thatpoint guards need the right team situationto showcase their talents.
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Many believed that the Hornets were a rough landing place for the young guard, but his Rookie of the Year win proved them wrong. Ball played professionally in international leagues prior to his entry into the season, so perhaps the experts should have realized he would play better than an average amateur.
6Julius Randle +7 (80 to 87)
Julius Randle is the highest-rated player on this list, which reflects his award of the NBA’s Most Improved Player last year. As an 80 going into this year, Randle was already a solid power forward, but he did everything right and is now regarded as one ofthe best power forwards in the business.
Last year, Randle added the three-point shot to his physical repertoire and it paid off immediately. He landed seven long-range shots in a single game and twice scored forty-four points. Versatility is a gift among bigs, meaning 87 might not even be Randle’s ceiling.
5RJ Barrett +8 (75 to 83)
RJ Barrett joins Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley as the Knicks on this list. Knicks fans deserve some good luck and having two players that balled better than their ratings was a case of some rare good fortune for a city that hasn’t received much.
Barrett’s shooting improved, both at mid-range and from deep. As a shooting guard, the Knicks are going to lean on him to score some big points and for much of last season, he showed the world that he could do exactly that. If he and the Knicks progress again next season, he’ll be a legitimate scoring title contender.
4Darius Garland +8 (74 to 82)
It might have been predictable that Darius Garland simply needed an extra year to warm up. As a top high school recruit, an injury essentially ruined any semblance of a college career. Learning NBA-level play without getting reps in college can be tough.
Thankfully, Garland proved to be made of a stronger material than many other high school recruits. After one year, he substantially improved in all five major statistical categories, and added some improved shooting accuracy to go with his stat sheet stuffing.
3Oshae Brissett +9 (67 to 76)
To say that Oshae Brissett getting a starting job in the NBA this year feels like an impossible statement. Last year, he split time between the G League and the Raptors before being waived entirely. He then showed up to play for the Mad Ants and, after impressing there, was given two ten-day contracts with the Pacers.
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After his debut game, the Pacers were so impressed that he got himself a three-year contract. Part of Brissett’s game is his ability to rebound, block, and steal as well as put up points from the small forward position.
2KJ Martin +9 (67 to 76)
The competition at small forward is fierce in the NBA, with some of the league’s best overall players frequently put there. The undersized KJ Martin was several inches below his competition at 6'6" and many thought he wouldn’t be able to compete with the best.
How wrong they were. As a bench player, Martin gained notoriety for blocking players who towered over him, like Boban Marjanovic, Kristaps Porzingis, Tacko Fall, and Rudy Gobert. Small forwards get asked to do a bit of everything and Martin doesn’t disappoint.
1Moses Brown +10 (67 to 77)
It is forgivable for gamers to forget that Moses Brown was inNBA 2K21at all as he appeared in just nine games for the Trailblazers, who had him playing for their G League affiliate. When brought up to the regular NBA, it was only to play for a couple of backup minutes before being released to sign with the Thunder, who also had him play in the G League.
After proving for over one year that he was one of the best centers in the G League, the Thunder finally gave him a chance in the big leagues where he became known for his offense and blocking. After only four games in which Brown improved in each one, the Thunder signed him to a three-year deal. The Mavericks then made a trade to pick up the undervalued player’s contract and hope he can continue his unparalleled rise to the top.
NBA 2K22was released on September 9th, 2021, and is available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
