The season of NBA 2K ratings is upon us. Yesterday, NBA 2K, the widely popular basketball video game released their player rankings for the rookies. This list included all four of UConn men’s basketball’s NBA draftees, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton. Based on the way the ratings compare to previous years, the Huskies’ positioning seems on the low side of fair. Obviously they’re not going to be rated in the 80s (out of 99) but there are some comparisons that feel a bit off.
One such comparison is Bronny James, the son of Lebron James. Bronny was drafted with the 55th overall pick by the LA Lakers, his father’s team. Whether or not he was deserving of being drafted, one would think that NBA 2K would see a difference between him and some players picked in the same zone. Bronny’s rating is a 68, tied with Newton and Spencer. I’ll dive into how silly this is later, but for now we can jump into each player’s rating and how it seems.
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STEPHON CASTLE: 73 OVERALL
Many analysts project Castle to compete for a starting spot from day one, but the raters over at 2K seem to disagree. Though he did have an illustrious year in Connecticut, serving as a top player on the team that won the championship, his statistics were not amazing. 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists seem like a player who should be rated as a 73… if you didn’t watch him play. Castle is a glue guy, someone who does exactly what the team needs to pick up a win on any given night. As a Husky, that role happened to be a defensive anchor and facilitator.
Right now, a 73 puts Castle just below Malachi Flynn, the current third best PG on the Spurs roster. Flynn averages 5.5 points on his career and has started 21 NBA games. Really? Maybe a 75 is more fair, but if Castle’s production is anything like it was at UConn, the rating will be adjusted quickly.
DONOVAN CLINGAN: 73 OVERALL
One of the biggest concerns for the No. 7 pick in this year’s draft is his stamina and durability, but even if 2K gave him a 0 for that category, he should still be higher than a 73. An offensive and defensive cheat code at the center position, Clingan had some of the best efficiency numbers in the nation last year. The Bristol-native even contended for the first overall pick in the draft, getting passed on in favor for Zaccharie Risacher. The consensus seemed to be that while Clingan might be a better option from day one, Risacher had more upside down the road. However, we’re not down the road yet, we’re in the present. Which is why it’s odd that Clingan’s rating is two points lower.
A player rated one point ahead of Clingan on the Trail Blazers is Kris Murray, who did not have an inspiring first year in the league. Murray averaged 6 points and 4 boards per night, which is fine, but nothing special. This ranking might play out to be correct (who knows), but from today’s standpoint seems unkind to Clingan.
TRISTEN NEWTON: 68 OVERALL
This is where the comparisons get fun. Newton was an AP First Team All-American during his final year in college, the Final Four MOP and a 2-time champion. He has perhaps the two most storied years in Connecticut history, averaging 15 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists his last season. Bronny James also happens to be rated a 68. Surely James stuffed the stat sheet during the lone year at USC and at least drew a spot on his conference’s second team, right? Wrong. He averaged a 5-3-2 line on a bad team. Yes, he was returning from cardiac arrest the previous summer, but that doesn’t mean he deserves to be rated equally to Newton.
Many teams didn’t want Newton because of his age and “low motor,” but he’s a very good basketball player right now. Players with his credentials out of college often do well from the jump when given the chance from NBA teams, even if they are generally surpassed. The 68 might be warranted, it might not be. But James doesn’t deserve to be rated within 10 points of Newton, as a low-level college player.
CAM SPENCER: 68 OVERALL
The folks at 2K also decided to slap a 68 on Spencer, which is similarly bizarre. Spencer didn’t quite have the stats Newton did (14-5-4), but he complimented Newton in all the right ways. What Newton lacked in 3-point efficiency, Spencer delivered on, and the same was true with intensity and his absurd competitiveness. Spencer was electric, had a high IQ and got things done. And that stroke from beyond the arc
I don’t mean to keep ragging on James, but it’s a good demonstration of how little thought went into these ratings. Spencer has proven almost everything at the collegiate level, which is the level that shows that one deserves to be in the NBA. Maybe Spencer should be below John Konchar (72 overall), a player with a career 4.5 PPG and hasn’t shown promise he’ll improve on that. He might not be. But tied with James is ridiculous. Him, Newton and the other 14 68-overalls should be upset that they’re in this position.
THE BOTTOM LINE
It seems likely that 2K decided to give the top-drafted players 75 overalls and went down from there based on draft pick. Not a lot of thought appears to have gone into these, and we’ll see how that changes as the season starts.
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