NBA 2K27 is almost here, and whether you’re into gaming or not, the annual ratings make for an interesting read.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama stand above the rest as the only 97-rated players in the game, which makes sense given the three-horse race for the MVP that unfolded last season.
But what about the specialists? Which players are considered the best in a particular area of the game?
2K have attempted to answer that question. Some are nothing more than formalities, but some will surprise you. Let’s get straight in, starting with the one that leaves no room for debate.
NBA 2K27 Attribute Leaders
3-Point Shooting
- Stephen Curry — 99 (93 OVR)
- Kon Knueppel — 94 (84 OVR)
- Damian Lillard — 93 (86 OVR)
The greatest shooter ever, Steph Curry, will likely remain on his perch until the day he retires. He gets the maximum 99 rating for his shooting beyond the arc, and that makes sense.
Behind him, Charlotte’s Knueppel already has a 94 rating, despite entering the league just 12 months ago. He shot 42.5% in his rookie year, better than Curry’s 39.3%, but on less frequent and less difficult attempts.
Damian Lillard might feel hard done by to be overtaken by Knueppel already, but 93 ain’t bad.
Mid-range Shooting
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 99 (97 OVR)
2. Tre Johnson — 98 (78 OVR)
3. Nikola Jokic — 98 (97 OVR)
4. Kyrie Irving — 98 (87 OVR)
The back-to-back MVP owns the most reliable pull-up in basketball, so nobody will argue with 99. Jokic and Irving on 98 is equally uncontroversial.
Tre Johnson is the one that jumps off the page — 78 overall with a 98 mid-range.
There’s a reason for it. Washington’s sixth pick in 2025 has one of the cleanest jumpers in the league, and he averaged 12.2 points on 42% shooting as a rookie while sitting above 41% from deep before a leg injury set him back.
Mechanics-wise, his jumper is that of a veteran. He’s one to watch this season.
Layup
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 97 (97 OVR)
2. Jalen Brunson — 96 (96 OVR)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo — 96 (96 OVR)
4. Luka Doncic — 96 (96 OVR)
Four players, four completely different builds. Brunson is 6’2″, Shai 6’6″, Luka 6’8″, Giannis 6’11”. There is no single blueprint for elite finishing at the rim.
Brunson deserves the most credit of the group. He has none of the length or burst the other three lean on, and he still gets to the same places using footwork, angles and timing.
Driving Dunk
1. Anthony Edwards — 97 (95 OVR)
2. Jalen Johnson — 96 (87 OVR)
3. Amen Thompson — 96 (86 OVR)
4. Ja Morant — 96 (84 OVR)
Edwards at the top is fair. His poster collection is right up there with the best, maybe Ja would have something to say about being behind him, though.
His teammate, Shaedon Sharpe, can feel unlucky to land on 95 and miss the list by a point. Either way, every name here is box office the moment they get a runway.
Speed
1. De’Aaron Fox — 97 (84 OVR)
2. Tyrese Maxey — 96 (92 OVR)
3. Amen Thompson — 96 (86 OVR)
All three can go coast to coast in a couple of seconds, and Fox is probably still the most rapid of the three.
Thompson is the most impressive, though. Maxey and Fox are guards built to move that quickly. Doing it at 6’7″ is something else entirely. It’s why he and his brother Ausar are considered freak athletes even by the NBA standard.
Ball Handle
1. Kyrie Irving — 99 (87 OVR)
2. Stephen Curry — 97 (93 OVR)
3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 96 (97 OVR)
4. Jalen Brunson — 96 (96 OVR)
Only one winner was ever likely here. Irving’s handle has been the reference point for a decade.
There’s a long queue of players on 95 just below this group, and some names down there who would back themselves as good enough for third. Irving and Curry, though, are a clear cut above everyone else.
Perimeter Defense
1. Ausar Thompson — 97 (85 OVR)
2. Derrick White — 95 (83 OVR)
3. OG Anunoby — 94 (88 OVR)
4. Dyson Daniels — 94
Ausar makes the cut on defense, with similar athleticism and a more polished defensive game than his brother, Amen.
Derrick White at 95 is the pick of the chasing pack. He never gets the billing that comes with being a designated stopper, but he has quietly been one of the best guard defenders in the league for years.
Interior Defense
1. Victor Wembanyama — 97 (97 OVR)
2. Rudy Gobert — 96 (84 OVR)
3. Bam Adebayo — 95 (87 OVR)
4. Chet Holmgren — 95 (86 OVR)
Two Frenchmen at the top, and Gobert’s four Defensive Player of the Year awards make him a natural fit behind his compatriot.
The question is what Wembanyama actually has to do to reach 99. He averaged 3.1 blocks last season, reached the Finals and is already the most disruptive rim protector the sport has seen. If 97 is the ceiling for that, it’s hard to picture what a 99 looks like.
READ MORE:
Every member of the NBA’s 50/40/90 club, from Larry Bird to Kyrie Irving
Jonathan Kuminga signing lifts Timberwolves into NBA’s Top 5 starting lineups
Stephen Curry’s $29.1 million house sale doesn’t signal a Golden State exit, but it should
Discussion about this post