NBA 2K15: Release Date, Top Rookie Ratings and New Additions to Series
Basketball fans and hardcore gamers have come together once again for the annual release of 2K Sports' NBA 2K15 on October 7.
The series is widely considered the benchmark for basketball games, and this year's edition for the next-generation consoles has everyone ready to witness the visual upgrades and the gameplay improvements.
Here are the top rookie rankings and new additions to the series fans can't miss.
| Jabari Parker | Milwaukee Bucks | 78 |
| Andrew Wiggins | Minnesota Timberwolves | 77 |
| Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | 77 |
| Julius Randle | Los Angeles Lakers | 76 |
| Marcus Smart | Boston Celtics | 76 |
| Doug McDermott | Chicago Bulls | 75 |
| Aaron Gordon | Orlando Magic | 74 |
| Shabazz Napier | Miami Heat | 74 |
| Elfrid Payton | Orlando Magic | 74 |
| Nik Stauskas | Sacramento Kings | 74 |
| Zach Lavine | Minnesota Timberwolves | 72 |
| T.J. Warren | Phoenix Suns | 72 |
| Tyler Ennis | Phoenix Suns | 71 |
| P.J. Hairston | Charlotte Hornets | 71 |
| James Young | Boston Celtics | 68 |
| Kyle Anderson | San Antonio Spurs | 67 |
*Stats via Bleacher Report.
New Additions Fans Can't Miss
While other companies continue to join the next-gen fray, 2K Sports has been at the forefront of pushing the visual boundaries of its releases, and the result will be one of the most visually pleasing sports games in history.
The presentation of the game and the actual on-court action has been improved to further utilize the advanced technology of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. If you have one of the next-gen systems, NBA 2K15 is a must-own game.
The biggest upgrade to the game is the addition of the MyLEAGUE mode. For the longtime fans of the series, this is an expanded version of the Association Mode but with the developers going all in on customizable options for everything from trade difficulty to the strength of the next draft class.
If a gamer is looking for a fully immersive mode, the fact that he or she can continue playing MyLEAGUE mode for 80 years in the game, according to Ronnie 2K, will ensure no gamer runs out of things to do:
One of the most underrated changes made behind the scenes is the overhaul to injuries. Instead of players missing time for completely random ailments, the developers at 2K Sports have given injuries rhyme and reason.
When asked about the revamped injury system, Rob Jones and Erick Boenisch of 2K Sports told Steve Noah of Operation Sports all of the details fans were looking to find out:
"This question allows me to introduce one of many new features that we've created for NBA 2K15. Injuries have been completely re-written for NBA 2K15; internally we like to call the new system 'Injuries 2.0'. Historically, players in our game had a single Durability rating that would define how likely they were to get injured. When a player then got injured, a body part would randomly get chosen. Not great.
With 'Injuries 2.0', every player has a unique durability rating for 16 different body parts (think left foot, right foot, left ankle, right ankle, etc.). This level of control allows us to pick a player like Russell Westbrook and say that he has a right knee with a significantly higher chance of getting injured than his left knee, or any other body part for that issue. In short, player injuries are going to be a lot more relevant, and a lot less random.
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This is a huge step in the direction of realism gamers and sports fans have always wanted. The reality that a player like Derrick Rose would go down with a knee injury before anything else lends further credibility to the game.
The developers also brought back Crew Mode this year but gave it the touches that made many fans enjoy it initially. While hardcore gamers will find the reintroduction of the mode appealing, many of the new fans will fall in love for the first time.
Developers have done expansive work to this game in order to make this year's edition better than the last, and the biggest winner will be the gamers at home. NBA 2K15 is a must-own game.
*Stats and info via 2KSports.com.
