NBA 2K21: Best Young Stars to Build a Franchise Around in MyGM and MyLeague

One of the guilty pleasures of any NBA 2K game is the ability to get an updated virtual edition of the league and its best up-and-coming players. 

And then take them into MyGM and MyLeague, of course. 

While the playoffs proceed as planned from the bubble in Orlando, Florida, 2K Sports still has a Friday launch date for NBA 2K21.

There is one small catch, though: The player ratings included in the game at launch will mirror the current player ratings in NBA 2K20 given the playoffs have yet to crown a champ and big items such as the draft and free agency haven't happened. 

Still, it's pretty easy to see which players stand out as the best young stars to build around over the long term in the upcoming game (and which stars are likely to get ratings bumps when the big ratings patch happens). 

Take Luka Doncic as the perfect example. The No. 3 pick from the 2018 draft kept the Dallas Mavericks right in the thick of it in the Western Conference playoffs before succumbing to the second-seeded Los Angeles Clippers in a 4-2 series. 

But Doncic capped off a downright incredible season in which he averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the floor. That epic six-game series saw him average 31 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists while bumping his shooting percentage to 47.4 percent. 

Grabbing a 6'7" guard with that sort of scoring potential at all of 21 years old is a no-brainer in long-term modes like MyGM. Doncic had already elevated his rating to the 95-plus area and there's no reason to think that changes anytime soon. 

Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz is another Western Conference powerhouse to consider for such a role. His third season saw him post averages of 24 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 44.9 percent from the floor. 

Like Doncic, all Mitchell did in the playoffs was erupt in a seven-game series against Denver, ultimately losing but averaging 36.3 points on 52.5 percent shooting from the floor, highlighted by two games with 51-plus points. 

Soon to be just 24 years old, one of the NBA's premier young scorers makes for an obvious choice when players have to start building a franchise around a centerpiece, as that sub-90 rating isn't going to hold for much longer. 

One really can't rattle off about the next wave of big NBA superstars under the age of 25 or so without talking about New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who turned 20 in July.

The 2019 draft's top pick only got in 24 games last season, yet he averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor—a mid-80s rating will go mid-90s in a hurry. 

Realistically, the NBA is in such a talent-rich era when it comes to the next generation of stars that it would be hard for players to mess up picking out solid foundational building blocks for MyGM and MyLeague. 

So far, 2K Sports has kept the two modes shrouded in mystery for the most part, only offering the following in a new developer blog: 

"Sit in the boss' chair, and make decisions that matter not only to your player or team—but to the entire franchise and league. From drafting impact rookies to trading players to relocating your team, every move, big or small, counts towards the long-term success—or failure—of your basketball franchise."

Given the depth of the modes in the past, it's hard to envision an NBA 2K release that won't feature these modes prominently while they guarantee players keep coming back for more. 

It certainly doesn't hurt that players will have a vast arsenal of younger superstars to pick from while formulating rosters for the future in the pursuit of building dynasties. At one point, NBA 2K21 cover star Damian Lillard was mentioned in the same manner, so a future cover star could easily be one of the above.