NBA 2K13: Why LeBron James Deserves 99 Overall Rating in Newest Version of Game

[cmebfresh]

By: Bleachereport writer Brian Mazique

LeBron James should have effectively stomped out any issues that would keep 2K Sports from maxing out his overall rating for NBA 2K13.

2K Sports is releasing overall ratings for players three at a time via Twitter. Every time they reach another 1,000 followers, they release a trio of overall ratings.

To date, these are the players that have had their overall ratings revealed, via Pasta Padre:

Michael Jordan 99
Allen Iverson 95
Kevin Durant 94
Chris Paul 94
Kobe Bryant 93
Carmelo Anthony 92
Derrick Rose 92
Rajon Rondo 90
Kevin Love 89
Andrew Bynum 87
Josh Smith 87
Steve Nash 87
Andre Iguodala 87
Pau Gasol 87
Blake Griffin 86
Monta Ellis 86
Amare Stoudemire 84
Danny Granger 84
Marc Gasol 83
Tyreke Evans 81
Serge Ibaka 81
Anthony Davis 80
Kemba Walker 78
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 78
Grant Hill 77
Kenneth Faried 76
Harrison Barnes 75
Evan Turner 75
Thomas Robinson 75
Jared Dudley 75
JaVale McGee 74
Dion Waiters 71
Austin Rivers 67
Kendall Marshall 65

In the final official roster update for NBA 2K12, James was given a 98 overall rating. The last update was released on June 27, per the NBA 2K Insider:

Since then James helped lead Team USA to an undefeated run at the London Olympics and again established himself as the game's best all-around player in capturing the gold medal.

Is the Olympic performance not worth another notch on his overall rating?

Remember the 99-overall rating doesn't mean you have a 99 rating in every category. The overall is weighted in certain categories specific to that player's position.

As you can see from the screenshot below, James is rated far higher than the average small forward in the NBA in every category.

He's coming off a season that saw him do special things—even by his lofty standards. Beyond leading his team to an NBA championship, he had per game averages of 27.1 points, 6.2 assists, 0.8 blocked shots and 1.9 steals.

James also shot career-highs from three-point range (36 percent) and the field overall (53 percent). For the fifth straight season, he led the NBA in PER (link defines the rating created by John Hollinger of ESPN) with a rating of 30.7.

He won the MVP of the season and the NBA Finals.

James has been good so long, where should the increase come from? That's easy. 2K Sports needs to increase the clutch rating and the defense awareness ratings.


Along the way to all the honors, he crushed any talk of him not being a clutch performer. In the 2012 NBA Playoffs, James put in clutch work.

His performance in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Boston Celtics, and the three-pointer at the end of the Cramp Game in the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder are two examples.

I don't mean to pick on Kevin Durant, but take a look at the screenshot below. Durant has a higher clutch rating than James in the final NBA 2K12 update. Durant has proven his prowess in being clutch, but at this point so has James.



As far as the defense awareness rating is concerned, I think we all saw who deserves the edge in that category. James shined as a defender from the regular season all the way through Olympic play. Durant looked like a defensive liability at times in the NBA Finals.

A man that can effectively guard at least four positions needs to have a defense awareness rating of at least 90. In addition to that, James has clearly outperformed the clutch ratings as well.

It is only a one-point difference between the 99 and James' final NBA 2K12 rating, but this is about principle. James had an amazing year, and he has earned the cyber honor with his real life greatness.



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[Biagas]

lol
....




no

[lostsoul]

if you make lebron a 99, mj would have to be a 100.

'the cramp game' lol...

[NowAndLaterCARZ]

as good as lebron is, i would hate to see a current nba player with 99 ovr. 97 is good enough with the new signature skills imo

[BluFu]

Quote: Originally Posted by lostsoul

if you make lebron a 99, mj would have to be a 100. 'the cramp game' lol...

i would say 110

[the_future420]

I actually agree with this, especially based on the ratings that have already been released. What should have happened is that MJ was a 99 overall and the next highest players were around 95 or 96-the likes of Wilt, LeBron or Magic. Then adjust everybody down accordingly. But since everybody's rating seems to be too high, not sure why LeBron wouldn't garner a 99.

[cmebfresh]

I didn't notice Lebron def. awareness is a 85 in Nba 2k12. wow need that up to a 90 in Nba 2k13

[beast10]

Quote: Originally Posted by lostsoul

if you make lebron a 99, mj would have to be a 100. 'the cramp game' lol...

MJ is over a 99 in the game you just can't see it, Rashidi said he's approximately a 107.