Predicting Every Washington Wizards Player’s 2K Rating

WASHINGTON, DC -  DECEMBER 8:Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards (R) sits next to John Wall #2 (L) before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 8, 2016 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC -  DECEMBER 8:Bradley Beal #3 of the Washington Wizards (R) sits next to John Wall #2 (L) before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 8, 2016 at Verizon Center in Washington, DC. Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Washington Wizards fans probably have some gripes with the creators of NBA2K, just as the face of the franchise did earlier this summer. Either way, with the NBA season just over 40 days away, it’s time to prepare for the upcoming release of NBA 2K18. Much has been made over the released player ratings. How will your favorite Wizards players fare in one of the hottest video games?

NBA 2K is one of the more successful video game franchises around. Every year, average basketball fans to hardcore gamers invest themselves in the game. This year, there’s much hype surrounding the release of NBA2K18. Fans and players alike have been interested in the ratings of players.

What will the Wizards roster look like in the new edition of NBA2K?

Already confirmed:

John Wall (90) & Bradley Beal (87)

Overall fair ratings for the house of guards. After the season he had last year, John Wall should arguably be rated higher. Paul George & Giannis Antetokounmpo are both 91 overalls, and Wall is arguably better than them. Bradley Beal took advantage of a career year, and upped his rating by 6+ points. As with most NBA players it seems, they may not be happy with their ratings, but the D.C duo will certainly be fun to play with in 2K18.

Otto Porter Jr. (81 Overall)

Otto Porter‘s max contract screams 90 overall, but 81 seems pretty realistic. Porter began last season as a 76 overall, which was fair given his status in the league. But after a career season, he ended the season as an 80 overall.

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One of the best shooters in the league last year, Porter is also a very solid defender. “3&D” specialists make for quality 2k players, and Porter is one of the best in the league. With continued growth as an offensive player, it’s not hard to see Porter’s rating creep into the 84-86 range by season’s end.

Chris McCullough (70)

With the departure of Bojan Bogdanovic, the Wizards essentially traded a first round pick for Chris McCullough. The fact that he’s a borderline roster spot right now is somewhat disappointing. McCullough will likely make the team for big man depth, but he won’t wow anyone on the court or in the video game.

His rating could easily have been lower, like a 68 or 69, but McCullough most likely hit 70 based on athleticism and potential. If Scott or Smith get injured, McCullough could see some playing time and his rating could increase. But he’ll most likely be buried on the depth chart for most of the season.

Everyone else:

Markieff Morris (79 Overall)

Keef doesn’t do anything I’m exceptionally well, but he’s solid all-around. There’s only a handful of big men who are athletic, can space the floor, and defend. Markieff Morris is one of them.

He’s almost like a poor man’s Paul Millsap, in the sense that he possesses many of the same skills but isn’t quite as good. Morris is one of those 2k player whose better than his rating suggests. He’s probably not quite good to crack the 80 overall tier, but a 79 isn’t too shabby.

Marcin Gortat (77 Overall)

While he’s somewhat on the decline in real life, Marcin Gortat should still hold a decent 2k rating. Gortat still brings valuable skills to the table as a center. He’s one of the better rebounders and P&R men in the league. He’s also very durable, rarely missing any games due to injury.

But at 33 years old, his decline as a defender, scorer, and athlete may be too much to prevent his rating from dropping towards a 74-75 by the end of the season. Only young, athletic big men are fun to play with in 2k, like a KAT or an Anthony Davis. Unfortunately, Gortat is far from that.

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Kelly Oubre Jr. (75 Overall)

Although oozing with talent and potential, Kelly Oubre‘s development has been rather slow in his first two NBA seasons. He averaged just 6.3 PPG and 3.3 RPG last season in 20 minutes. But his impact as a defender doesn’t show up in the box score.

Oubre is a pest on the defensive end, capable of guarding 1-3 effectively and even holding his own against some power forwards. His defensive chops and elite athleticism should be enough to earn him a rating of 75, up from 73 last season. If he can expand his offensive game and become more consistent, Oubre could easily see the biggest increase in rating on the roster after this season.

Ian Mahinmi (74)

If Ian Mahinmi was on the court for more than just 31 games last season, his rating would likely be in the upper 70’s. Nagging injuries prevented him from making a true impact in his first season in D.C. But when he was on the court, Mahinmi was effective.

One of the better rim protectors in the league, Mahinmi is very good at disputing shots around the rim. He’s an effective defender in both isolation and P&R situations. However, he’s a limited offensive player. If he can crack 65-75 games played next year, Mahinmi could see a rating increase. But it’s unlikely that happens.

Tim Frazier (74)

The newest face in the never-ending revolving door that is the Wizards backup PG spot is Tim Frazier. Frazier has shown flashes of being a starting point guard in the NBA. In 2015-2016 with New Orleans, albeit in just 16 games, he averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.5 APG.

But his limitations as a shooter, defender and athlete have kept him in a reserve role, which is where he finds himself with the Wizards. These limitations also prevent his rating from being any higher than the mid 70’s. A rating of 74 is realistic for Frazier, whose quality backup point guard but not much else.

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Jodie Meeks (74)

Players who can light it up from deep are invaluable in today’s NBA, and even more so in 2k. Jodie Meeks is one of these players. Besides shooting, Meeks brings little to the table. He’s a below-average athlete, defender, and playmaker.

But it’s his shooting that’s kept him in the NBA for so long. Last season in Orlando, Meeks shot 40.9% from three on nearly 4 attempts per game. His shooting should be enough to earn him a 74 overall, which is fair considering his limitations elsewhere.

Jason Smith (73)

Jason Smith had a decent season last year for the Wizards. When he was signed last offseason, Smith was expected to be the 3rd center on the roster and play minimal minutes. But with Mahinmi injured for most of the year, Smith ended up playing a much larger role.

He did what he’s done well for most of his career; play with high energy and knock down mid range jumpers. Towards the end of the season, he actually showed flashes of three point range. Although attempted just 1.1 threes a game, he shot 47.4% on them. It’s unlikely he becomes a marksman out of nowhere, but it was encouraging to see him expand his range. A rating of 73 is likely for Smith, who provides solid play off the bench.

Mike Scott (71)

Mike Scott is somewhat of an unknown. He played just 18 games last season, providing minimal impact on the court while making more headlines off of it. In the 2015-16 season for the Atlanta Hawks, Scott averaged 6.2 PPG & 2.7 RPG off the bench.

He should be able to just crack the 70 overall tier based on athleticism and three point shooting from the PF spot, but seeing his rating any higher than 71 is highly unlikely.

Tomas Satoransky (70)

Tomas Satoransky, the Wizards 2nd round pick in 2012, is coming off his first season in the NBA. While he struggled to make an impact, he brings one invaluable skill to the table; versatility. Originally thought of as a point guard, Satoransky saw playing time at the 1, 2, and 3 last season.

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A rating of 70 overall seems about right for Sato. With the addition of Donald Sloan, Satoransky is unlikely to see any action running the point this season. Due to minimal playing time, Satoransky’s rating will probably stay exactly where it is.

Donald Sloan (70)

The Wizards most recent acquisition, Donald Sloan is a journeyman point guard who last played for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2015-16 season. Like Mike Scott, Sloan is an unknown due to the fact that he hasn’t played in a while.

Sloan was effective during that season, however. He averaged 7.0 PPG and 4.4 APG in a reserve role. However, it remains to be seen if he can still provide that sort of production. A 70 overall rating is likely for the 29-year-old, whose roster spot isn’t guaranteed.

Sheldon Mac (68)

Formerly known as Sheldon McClellan, Mac is also slightly on the roster bubble. His spot could go to Daniel Ochefu, who was also on the team last year. But due to his close friendship with John Wall, it’s easy to suspect he won’t be cut.

Mac won’t receive a very high rating, and for good reason. He hasn’t proven much at the pro level, besides a few games last season and in summer league. 68 seems about right, and he has the chance to get his rating up. Although there’s few minutes to go around, Mac is young and has the potential to earn them.

Next: Jason Smith’s Time to Shine in 2017-18

While I myself play 2k often, it’s very unlikely these ratings will be entirely accurate. In fact, it’s nearly impossible. Regardless, the Wizards will be a fun team to use in the upcoming game. With a dynamic duo and a solid supporting cast, users will find it’s easy to win with the Wiz. Fans will have to wait until the release of the game, which comes out on September 19th, to check out the full roster.