(This article was published on September 8, and the author is Andy Bailey, a reporter from the open stands. The content of the article does not represent the translator's views.)

The tradition of downloading the NBA2K series every year and being angry at the player's ratings is here again.

Every summer, there are always some players who seem to have different ratings in this popular sports game, and this year's NBA 2K26 is no exception.

With the full release of the game, we can be able to browse the entire roster and bewildered by some of these players’ ratings. Here are some ratings that may make real players unhappy:

10, Avdia (82)

Avdia barely made the list, although there is still a little doubt about him.

Last season, he averaged 16.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game, which are not particularly eye-catching. However, during the All-Star game, his performance improved significantly, with averaged 26.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. This period is usually a period when many teams are entering the end of the regular season and the pace of the game is relatively slow.

But considering his performance in March and April and his defensive contribution throughout his career, these stats should be enough for 2K game developers to give him a higher rating. Avdia's rating in the game was 82, a point lower than Jaylen Lin, and last season, Avdia surpassed Green in almost every related stat, except for scoring average. Given that neither of them has reached their peak yet, it is hard to say that Green's upward trend will be more obvious than Avdia.

9. Dezhangtai Murray (81)

Dezhangtai Murray may be worthy of more tolerance in the 2K score.

It has been nearly four years since his only All-Star debut, and his 2024-25 season came to an abrupt end after only 31 games due to a ruptured Achilles tendon - a serious problem for any player's prospects.

However, Murray is still in his golden age in his twenties. In the three seasons before the latest season, he averaged 21.4 points, 7.2 assists, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.

His instability in the perimeter shooting could have cost him a point or two in the rating, and his defense is no longer as good as he was when he became an All-Star. But Murray's 81 score seems to be too far from defenders like Norman Powell (84) or Reeves (85).

8. Larry Nance Jr. (74)

Nance Jr. has been plagued by injuries in his career. In the 2024-25 season, he played only 24 games for the Hawks.

However, historically, the lower durability score has not had much impact on his overall evaluation. Although he scored 83 on this item, it may be a bit too high.

In fact, he did not get the recognition he deserved in other aspects. When staying healthy, Nance is one of the best all-around players in the league, and he excels in every aspect except scoring.

Among active players, he ranks in the top 70 in his career plus or negative values, contributing an average of 9.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per 75 rounds. His three-point shooting percentage has reached 43.3% in the past two seasons.

In short, it doesn't make sense to group him with players like Sharic and Vincent into a 74-rating group.

7, Li Kaier (74)

Although Li Kaier, like Nans, was prematurely classified as a player with a rating of less than 75, he still contributed great value to the team. You may have noticed a trend that basketball games are more than just scoring. Lee Kyle performed well in other aspects and could help the team get more points.

He is a smart defender who can defend multiple positions. He can also organize his offense as independently as a point guard. In short, he is a typical "doing every little thing" player in the league.

6, Aldama (78)

Some people may think that it is a bit generous to include Aldama on this list. However, in the 2024-25 season, he was ranked in the top 40 in the top 40 in the positive and negative values, while his 78-point score prevented him from entering the top 100 in the game.

Now, no one can guarantee that he can contribute 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per 75 rounds and maintain a solid defensive performance, but he is only 24 years old.

At his age, it makes more sense to expect him to continue to improve than to predict that he will decline, and the 78-point rating is actually doing the latter.

5. Markkanin (84)

Although his performance declined in the 2024-25 season, Markkanin's performance still needs to be viewed in combination with the Jazz's bad strategy. Throughout the season, he frequently entered and exited the lineup due to various injuries, and the Jazz team had almost no stable lineup match. Even so, he still averaged 19 points per game.

In the two seasons before the 2024-25 season, the 28-year-old averaged 24.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, hit 3.1 three-pointers, and his three-point shooting percentage was as high as 39.5%.

Markanen has been one of the best and unique finishers in the league since joining the Jazz, not having to hold or dribble too much, but always tops the dunk and 3-point rankings.

If he can stay healthy or be traded to a team with more experienced players backing, Markkanen will prove that his value is much more than that.

4. Aaron Gordon (82)

Since joining the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon has contributed far more than scoring.

Over the past four seasons, he has averaged 14.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. During this time, he ranked third in the team's positive and negative rankings, behind only the recognized world's best player and Jamal Murray.

Meanwhile, the Nuggets ranked second in the league in winning rate during this period, thanks in large part to Gordon's defensive ability, secondary organizational ability and efficient performance at the basket.

3, Doncic (95)

Although Doncic scored as high as 95 and only three people were ahead of him, it seems absurd to suggest that he felt despised. However, in the summer of 2024, not long after the finals, some serious analysts had seriously discussed whether Doncic was the best player in the world.

Doncic's injury history, and the most puzzling deal in NBA history, may have changed our view of him in the past 12 months, but he is only 26 years old after all. Over the past six seasons, he has averaged 30.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 3.2 three-pointers per game. He has even better performance in the playoffs.

Therefore, even if Doncic is listed as the fourth best player in the league, he is two points away from Antetokounmpo's overall rating and three points away from Alexander's overall rating, the gap seems to be a bit too large. A blind test earlier this month showed that Doncic's 2023-24 season exceeded SGA's performance in the 2024-25 season.

2, Wagner Jr. (86)

In many cases, you may feel that a player's rating is not right. But usually you need to confirm this by background or comparison. For Wagner Jr., the key comparison target is his teammate Ben Kairo.

Most fans and analysts consider Ban Keiro the Magic's best player, he is often mentioned and has been selected for the All-Star roster, and Wagner Jr. has not been mentioned.

However, based on almost all available data metrics, the German player is at least as good as his teammates, while Ben Keiro has a 90 rating in the 2K26. Wagner Jr. is more stable in defense, he is better at protecting the ball and is more efficient in scoring. In addition, he also scored higher in the "blind-select" voting than Bankairo, because his statistics in the 2024-25 season were significantly better than Bankairo.

And, it seems that this is not enough, Wagner's contribution is obviously more translated into victory than Bancero. In the past three seasons, the Magic have netted 1.4 points per 100 rounds when they are on the court at the same time; when Wagner Jr. is alone, the team has netted 7.1 points per 100 rounds when they are on the court; and when Kaylo is alone, the team has netted 7.8 points per 100 rounds. These data are basically consistent when analyzing any season separately.

In short, Wagner should have at least the same rating as his All-Star teammates.

1. Jaylen Johnson (81)

Jaylen Johnson is one of the most eye-catching rookies in the NBA. He won't turn 24 until December. Last season, he averaged 18.9 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1.6 steals and 1 block per game.

He is not only an excellent finisher, but also has underrated organizational capabilities, and his adaptability to multiple positions on the defensive end is also increasing. At a brief moment in the 2024-25 season, his full performance even made people ask: "Will Jaylen Johnson be the best player for the Hawks?" Of course, the possibility that the answer to this question ended up being "yes" is very small, because Trae Young is still one of the best offensive engines in the league. But it is almost ridiculous to regard Jaylen Johnson as the second leader in the Hawks' 2025-26 season and beyond, but his rating is only fourth highest in the team (tying with Okonggu). Not to mention, his rating is actually on par with Sheden Sharp.

As the season progresses and the 2K updates to the roster, Jaylen Johnson's rating will almost certainly improve.

Original text: Andy Bailey

Compiled by: JayChan