NBA 2K16: Release Date, Top Player Ratings and Best Early Pro-Am Designs
The official rollout for the NBA 2K16 player ratings hasn't happened yet, but we have learned the marks for a good number of players. Operation Sports has a running list on their website.
As of Friday morning, the highest-rated player to be revealed is Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder. KD cracks the 90 mark, which is especially rare in this year's game.
Mike Stauffer, the man behind the ratings, tweeted his philosophy on ratings this year. The font is a little small. In case you can't see it, Operation Sports' Steve Noah copied it and posted the information.
Essentially, all players are rated based on a scale that makes the greatest practitioners in each category the measuring stick, with all others following behind them. It's good to have a clear system in place with defined logic. With Michael Jordan as the overall standard bearer, and the game's only 99-rated player, it makes Durant's 91 all the more impressive.
The second-highest player rating revealed belongs to the Washington Wizards' John Wall.
Knowing what we know about the ratings system, an 87 seems a bit high. It makes you wonder what rating the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook—or even legendary players like the 2004-05 Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash will have in the game.
Look for information about player ratings to continue to pour in as we move closer to the early tipoff release on September 25 and the official retail release on September 29.
What's Happening with Pro-Am?
In case you hadn't heard, NBA 2K16 is set to feature unprecedented customization options in almost every aspect of the game. One of the modes that will be notably boosted by community customization is the new 2K Pro-Am.
This expansion and amalgamation of Jordan Rec Center and the cult favorite Crew mode will allow gamers to create their own logos, uniforms and arenas. Check out the trailer for all the details:
With so much freedom being given to gamers, it's going to be a blast seeing what they create. In fact, I already started my search to find the best early custom-designed 2K Pro-Am courts. The three best are in the video below:
All three of those courts look sweet, but the Pack just looked downright fearsome. Even as a visitor, you'd have to enjoy playing on a court like that. Look out for more Pro-Am designs and information on NBA 2K16 as we get closer to its release.
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