I was cornered by NBA star after 2K decision but this is why Nikola Jokic has edge over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The commercial release of NBA 2K26 – the world’s biggest basketball video game – is just days away.
Ahead of its global launch on September 5, talkSPORT was invited to San Francisco, California to get a hands-on experience of 2K’s flagship title before anybody else.
There was also the opportunity to speak to the face of NBA 2K himself in Ronnie Singh – more commonly known as Ronnie 2K – to discuss all things basketball and more specifically, player ratings.
Every edition fans wait to see who comes in ranked at No. 1 overall, with 2K opting to countdown from the top 100 players to one over the course of August this year.
It’s not only the fans who are eager to see the rankings, NBA stars are known to get obsessed with where they themselves rank against their colleagues and rivals, as well as dive deep into their individual attributes.
NBA players get obsessed about their ratings in the game
According to Ronnie 2K, players have even confronted him personally when they’ve taken issue with their rating in the game, something Singh has had to get used to over the last decade.
“Constantly [players express their disappointment], though it didn’t happen as much this year, just because I think there’s a lot more understanding about the ratings,” Singh exclusively told talkSPORT.
“Even the young guys come up and they’re like, ‘Oh, the max rating I’m gonna have is a mid-80s.’ Even that would be remarkable with Victor Wembanyama having an 84 [in NBA 2K24].
“So, I think they have an understanding of how that goes. The dramatic differences are probably the ones that we should talk to, and we do talk to, but I will say, there’s always someone.”
Just two years ago when generational talent Wembanyama was taken with the No. 1 overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs, NBA 2K24 gave him an instant rating of 84 overall.
In 2K26, the Frenchman has risen to a 94 overall, which sees him as the ninth-highest rated player in the game, ahead of Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant (93) who rounds out the top 10.
Former Duke star Cooper Flagg who is now a member of the Dallas Mavericks following their shocking acquisition of the No. 1 overall pick despite the odds being very much stacked against them in 2025 enters NBA 2K26 ranked an 82 overall.
The next-best player from the 2025 rookie class is Dylan Harper, who is ranked a 78 overall. But Flagg’s rating is the same as the highest-ranked player in the sophomore class, with the Spurs’ Stephon Castle also notching an 82 overall.
The rookie also ranks above Alexandre Sarr (81 overall), Zacharie Risacher (80 overall) and Jared McCain (80 overall) – the only members of the 2024 draft class to eclipse an 80 overall ranking.
Meanwhile, the likes of Bronny James – son of superstar LeBron – is ranked a mere 68 overall after averaging a lowly 2.3 points on 31.3 percent shooting from the field, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 6.7 minutes per game, of which he saw the hardwood just 27 times all season.
OG Anunoby is the latest to confront Ronnie 2K
While he admits that its now a much rarer occurrence for players to confront him, Singh does recall New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby as being someone who had something to say after he was left disappointed with his ranking.
“This year, I was at the Las Vegas Summer League, and this is about last year’s ratings going into this year,” he prefaced. “OG Anunoby cornered me in this restaurant and talked to me about it for like, a half an hour. I’m like, ‘Dude, we’re in Vegas. Why aren’t you outside having fun, but cool?’
“And unfortunately, his rating is lower than last year at the end of the year, so I’m sure he’s pretty fired up about it.
“But it’s just really remarkable that the culture we built means so much to these guys that it is a real barometer of their performance and how they stack up against their colleagues and people that play the same position, but it’s just a number, guys.”
Having helped the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals, averaging 18 points at a 47.6 percent shooting clip, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in the regular season, the British-born forward enters 2K26 with an 85 overall, down from the 87 overall he finished 2K25 with.
But with a 90 perimeter defense rating and 82 three-point shot rating, he is nonetheless still the third-highest ranked player on the Knicks behind Jalen Brunson (93 overall) and Karl-Anthony Towns (92 overall).
Nikola Jokic vs 2K26 cover athlete Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
It was inevitable that either Nikola Jokic or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of this year’s cover athletes, would be the number-one ranked player in NBA 2K26.
But just like the MVP race, in which the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar came out on top, it was a closely-fought battle to be number one.
With them both ending up being ranked 98 overall, it was the Denver Nuggets‘ superstar center who took the top spot – for the third consecutive year – albeit by the barest of margins.
When asked how 2K26 differentiated between two players of the same overall rating to decide the final order, Ronnie 2K described that it’s the amalgamation of the formula of individual attributes that determines this, though he did also admit that Gilgeous-Alexander would be content ranking second on this occasion due to how “humble” he is.
“Obviously, that 98 OVR is a round number,” Singh described. “We put them in the formula, and that puts them in rank order with their number. And the formula had Nikola just a smidge over Shai.
“And probably, honestly, I think even Shai would admit this knowing how humble that guy is. It makes sense – the longevity with Jokic. He was right there in the MVP race. If it wasn’t for that remarkable season by SGA, Jokic would have won his third [MVP award] in a row.
“The numbers he consistently puts up, the amount of games he plays. He shows up. He’s the leader of that team, consistently putting up triple doubles. There’s no doubt he should be number one, but it’s really close.
“But there’s an opportunity, with our dynamic ratings, for either of those guys to finish the season as the top-rated guy in NBA 2K26.”
Winning his first NBA title, the league MVP award, finals MVP award and two ESPY awards for Best Athlete – Men’s Sports and Best NBA Player, Gilgeous-Alexander was reportedly ecstatic about his rating when it was provided to him by Ronnie 2K.
However, at the time his rating was revealed to him, he was unaware that the Serbian would be ranked above him.
“I gave him his rating six weeks ago and he was stoked,” Singh said. “I mean, obviously he was a 74 at the beginning of the season. So a 98 is pretty remarkable.
“I don’t know if I told him that he was second. I don’t know if we were sure then, I mean, it’s so close between those two, I think he’d be fine. I think he’d totally get it. I really do. I think he would totally understand.”
Jokic dominates the mid-range rankings
Not only is Jokic ranked number one overall, but perhaps surprisingly, he comes in ranked as the highest ranked mid-range shooter in the entire NBA, albeit tied at 98 overall with mid-range maestro and elite ball-handler, Kyrie Irving.
Durant and Devin Booker come in at third and fourth, respectively, before SGA rounds out the top five. In fact there are five players ranked 97 overall, with Andrew Nembhard and Steph Curry joining the aforementioned three.
Jokic’s mid-range prowess isn’t the first thing that would come to mind when thinking of the three-time MVP award winner. With him mainly operating in the post, he ranks first in post control (98 overall) with Joel Embiid second with a 96 rating.
However, it came as no surprise to Ronnie 2K once he had browsed the numbers in more depth.
“I wasn’t surprised because I dug into it a little bit deeper,” he said. “I looked at it like, ‘Oh that’s interesting’. There’s Shai, Kyrie [Irving], even Kawhi Leonard like just in terms of volume.
“So what I found out was, it’s a lot of the stats. I’ll give you an example in a different category. It is measured per 36 [minutes] so it’s an efficiency thing, and not actually a volume thing.
“So three pointers, Isaiah Joe’s number five with an 88 rating, and you’re like, ‘But he plays like, 20 ish minutes a game. How’s that possible?’ His per 36 is second in the league to Steph [Curry].
“And so, like, he doesn’t get to play on that loaded Thunder roster, but we shouldn’t punish him for that in terms of his ability to shoot three pointers, right? So I think that factors in a lot.
“And Jokic, his numbers stack up phenomenally well when it comes to lack of volume, when it comes to the mid-range – he just doesn’t shoot as many of them because he dominates so much inside.
“But without the research, it does kind of leap off the page, because you don’t think of him as a traditional mid-range shooter, but the guy can do anything.”
Pre-orders for NBA 2K’s latest instalment is live, allowing players to get early access to the game, now available for purchase here.
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