NBA 2K16: Best Legends to Create for Custom Rosters
One of the best features ever introduced to sports video games is the ability to create custom rosters. It allows gamers to create their own alternate universes within the one the gaming developers have already created.
Taking the concept further, the ability to share custom rosters with others online is awesome. I've been doing both since the concept was first introduced back in the days of PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox.
Last year, my Ultimate Legends roster for NBA 2K15 was downloaded more than 96,000 times. With that kind of community buy-in, I'll absolutely be creating my legends roster 2.0 for NBA 2K16. It will be for only the PlayStation 4, as was the case last year, however. Sorry, Xbox One fans.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
With that said, there's usually someone who duplicates the PS4 roster on the Xbox side.
The formula I use to create players is based on statistics, YouTube footage and general knowledge of the sport. The new ratings system in NBA 2K16 makes it easier to create players. Because Michael Jordan from the 1995-96 season is the only player with a 99 overall rating, we can assume that the rest of the basketball universe falls in line behind His Airness.
NBA 2K16 added a few of the most popular legends who weren't in the game before. There are now two different versions of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971-72 Milwaukee Bucks and 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers), two versions of Tracy McGrady (1999-2000 Toronto Raptors and 2007-08 Houston Rockets), Yao Ming and a young Vince Carter.
Kareem shared his excitement about the game on Twitter:
Who's left to create?
Obviously, there's Charles Barkley. He's the first player I usually create:
One question is this: Do you create a Phoenix Suns version of Sir Charles, or do you capture him in his athletic prime, when he was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers? For me, the answer is both.
NBA 2K16 is filled with multiple versions of the greatest players and even some midtier guys: Kareem, McGrady, Jordan, Carter, Paul Pierce, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and a host of others have more than one version in the game.
To keep it consistent, there need to be two Barkleys. Another guy who needs to be included is Indiana Pacers great Reggie Miller. Here's a look at the version I created last year:
Fortunately, you need just one version of Miller, as his game didn't change drastically over the course of his career. Grant Hill is another must for any legends roster worth its salt.
Many of today's younger hoops fans know Hill only from his days with the Suns and Los Angeles Clippers. They don't know that, from 1994 to 2000, Hill was one of the game's best players. A legends roster should bring the ones who don't know up to speed:
Some of the other players who may not be obvious but are fun to create are 7'7" giants Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan. There's a catch—and one of the few drawbacks of the create-a-player system in NBA 2K16. You can't create guys taller than 7'2".
The workaround I've used for this is elongating their wingspans to compensate for the "lack" of height.
The game features 150 create-a-player slots and a workaround to get more—which still works in this year's version. The players listed here are just the elite guys who aren't in the game. Which other players would you like to see created for a custom roster?
Leave some suggestions in the comments section.
Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
