We are less than a month away from teams reporting to training camps around the NBA, and the official first sign that the new season is almost upon us is the annual release of the latest installment of the NBA 2K franchise, NBA 2K24.
While fans of the game will be concerned mostly with the gameplay changes and updated game modes, general NBA fans are always interested in seeing how the ratings folks at 2K grade out all of the players and teams in the league. Player ratings always spark debate, particularly among how they rank top stars and regarding players whose impact often isn’t fully felt in the box score — or, vice versa, those who put up big stats but might not always contribute to winning basketball. As far as team ratings, 2K has moved away from dramatic differences between top and bottom teams, as the lowest rated team in this year’s edition is an 86 OVR and they don’t even show team ratings in the game setup screen (you can find them in MySeason mode when picking through teams to start a franchise with).
The New Orleans Pelicans feature one of the most exciting potential rosters in the league and, especially, in 2K, with Zion Williamson as an unstoppable force when he’s on the floor, Brandon Ingram as a dynamic scorer, and an intriguing mix of veterans and young talent around them. The big question facing the Pelicans is not new to them, as their ability to threaten the West playoff race will almost entirely be determined by health. Keeping Williamson on the floor has proved extremely difficult, Ingram has had his own injury issues, and they’re going to start the season without the services of their best 3-and-D wing as Trey Murphy III recovers from a knee injury. In the world of 2K, Pelicans fans can see what the full potential of this roster is when all together, and then hope to finally get the chance to see that in real life this season.
New Orleans Pelicans: 93 OVR, 99 OFF, 87 DEF
Zion Williamson: 90
Brandon Ingram: 85
CJ McCollum: 84
Jonas Valanciunas: 83
Herbert Jones: 79
Trey Murphy III: 79
Jose Alvarado: 76
Larry Nance Jr.: 76
Cody Zeller: 76
Naji Marshall: 75
Dyson Daniels: 75
Jordan Hawkins: 72
Kira Lewis Jr.: 72
EJ Liddell: 70
Dereon Seabron: 67