Image via Complex Original
Michael Beasley is known more for his hairdos than his hoops I.Q. He wouldn’t pass to a wide-open LeBron on a fast break. And he hasn’t grabbed a rebound since, oh, high school.
But about a month ago, the Timberwolves’ 6-10 youngster figured out something that all those brains at Visual Concepts somehow didn’t: Beasley’s 80 rating in NBA 2K12 was just a wee bit too high. Beasley fired out a tweet about it, everyone admired his humility, and the rest is history.
Except it’s not, because it got me thinking of all the other out-of-place ratings in NBA 2K12. I know we’ll get an update when - make that if - the NBA season finally gets rolling. But just in case the season never comes back (gasp, it could happen, folks), Visual Concepts should heed Beasley - and Complex - and give us a pre-no-season ratings update.
And it can start by re-rating these 25 guys.
25 Nate Robinson, Thunder, 74 rating DOWN ARROW
Name: Nate Robinson
Team: Thunder
Current Rating: 74
Complex Rating: 67
Geez. A 5-8 shoot-first, never-pass guard dunks on Yao Ming and beats Dwight Howard in some lame slam dunk contest, and everyone forgets that he’s nothing but a 5-8, shoot-first, never-pass guard. That shoot-first, no-pass guard shot .399 from the field and averaged 6.8 points per game. But somehow, the Visual Concepts ratings gods try to say he’s just as good as Thunder teammate James Harden. I’m not even sure he could take your next-door neighbor one-on-one.
24 Roy Hibbert, Pacers, 72 rating, UP ARROW
Name: Roy Hibbert
Team: Pacers
Current Rating: 72
Complex Rating: 76
And good old Nate-Rob certainly isn’t better than HIbbert, Indiana’s lunchpail center. Yeah, his name sounds like a hiccup, but last year’s 12.7 ppg, 7.5 rpg season was a sign of things to come. The guy started 80 games last season, and when Indy got him the ball down low, he produced. About time, 2K recognizes that production, starting with that 48 dunk rating. The guy’s 7-2! He could dunk by accident.
23 Jonny Flynn, Rockets, 70 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Jonny Flynn
Team: Rockets
Current Rating: 70
Complex Rating: 68
The Minnesota Timberwolves thought so much of Flynn last season that when he got injured, they sent him down to the NBDL to rehab. The last legit NBA player to head to the D-league to rehab? Oh, wait, there was none, because Flynn was the first. And when he returned? The T-Wolves thought so much of him that they started Luke Ridnour instead. Flynn’s 70 rating is purely based on some strange idea that he’ll get better. But, um, how about we see some proof first? He’s a 68 until he shows he’s still got it.
22 Earl Boykins, Bucks, 72 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Earl Boykins
Team: Bucks
Current Rating: 72
Complex Rating: 64
I’ve never met you in my life, but I’m pretty sure you’re taller than Earl Boykins. Boykins is all of 5-5, which should make it pretty tough to finish at the rim with Dwight Howard crashing in for a block, right? Except NBA 2K12 inexplicably gives him a 95 close shooting rating. Emailing 2K now to see if Boykins’ pops is on the development team. Then asking that he be re-rated in the 60s.
21 Joey Graham, Cavaliers, 70 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Joey Graham
Team: Cavaliers
Current Rating: 70
Complex Rating: 67
Whenever I start a Franchise, I can’t help tinkering, and one of the first things I always do is trade away horrible players with surprising ratings, knowing that they’ll fetch actual useful pieces in the market. And if I played as the Cavs, the first player I would deal would be Graham.
According to 2K12, he’s the fourth-best player on the Cavs, and while Cleveland is prety horrible, there’s no way that Graham is even that good. He’s as good as relentless rebounder Anderson Varejao, and that just isn’t true. Graham doesn’t defend, he doesn’t rebound any more, and he’s not even a legit floor-spacing shooter. So what does he do well? Answer: Earn gift ratings from video games.
20 Jeff Green, Celtics, 74 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Jeff Green
Team: Celtics
Current Rating: 74
Complex Rating: 70
There’s certainly some sentiment for rating Green this high, but not in our book. During his first four years, he flashed plenty of potential, but once he got traded to the Celtics last season, he was lost. Did Visual Concepts not see Green average 6 ppg and guard nobody against the Knicks in the playoffs? No, he’s not a 68 rating. But he does need oh, four points, off that 74. And he certainly isn’t better than Roy Hibbert.
19 Tayshaun Prince, Pistons, 77 rating DOWN ARROW
Name: Tayshaun Prince
Team: Pistons
Current Rating: 77
Complex Rating: 72
About five years ago? Prince would have been underrated at a 77. But these days, he’s an increasingly limited, aging swingman. Prince hits just 0.4 threes per game these days, making him a somewhat limited floor-spacer, he doesn’t defend as well as he once did, and his 14.1 points per game would almost definitely go down if he played for a legitimate NBA contender. He’s living off the rep he built on those Piston’s champions of the early 2000s. That was a long time ago. Prince is a low-70s player these days.
18 Blake Griffin, Clippers, 85 rating DOWN ARROW
Name: Blake Griffin
Team: Clippers
Current Rating: 85
Complex Rating: 88
Give 2K some credit on this one. While the world ooh-ed and ahh-ed when Griffin jumped over a Kia in the latest sign that the NBA Slam Dunk contest is just one big publicity stunt, 2K12 didn’t buy in. Visual Concepts does its best not to buy into Griffin-hype, resisting the urge to put him in that 90-area. The result, however, is just too low.
A little perspective: On Dec. 12 of last year, Griffin hung 27 points on Superman himself, Dwight Howard, and grabbed 16 rebounds. And he went 32-13-7 against the Chicago Bulls, the best defensive outfit in the NBA. Sure, he can’t pass or shoot free throws, but he’s easily one of the game’s finest big men. Who would you rather have, Pau Gasol (86 rating) or Griffin? Yeah, that’s what we thought, too.
17 Kenyon Martin, Nuggets, 76 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Kenyon Martin
Team: Nuggets
Current Rating: 76
Complex Rating: 70
A classic case of 2K rating on the past instead of the now. A long long time ago, Martin was a bouncy, super-athletic forward catching alley-oops from Jason Kidd. But last season, at age 33, he couldn’t grab double-figure rebounds (6.2 a game), and couldn’t make an impact defensively (0.7 blocks per game). He’s never had an offensive game of his own, always playing off of others, and nowadays, he can’t finish above the rim with his old exuberance. On the bright side? He’s in China now and may not be able to come back at all this season. So 2K has an easy fix: Just take the not-so-grand Kenyon out of the game.
16 Chauncey Billups, Knicks, 79 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Chauncey Billups
Team: Knicks
Current Rating: 79
Complex Rating: 77
Really, 2K has done a good job of slightly lowering the 35-year-old Billups’ rating the last few years, but consider this a preemptive strike against a career in major decline. More and more, Billups is becoming a one-dimensional point guard, incapable of doing anything except standing on the perimeter and popping threes. His ability to penetrate really abandoned him down the stretch with the Knicks, and now, he’s a year older. Sure, he’s still clutch. But in videogames, clutch is overrated, too. Can you say 77 rating?
15 Quentin Richardson, Magic, 71 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Quentin Richardson
Team: Magic
Current Rating: 71
Complex Rating: 66
!?@??!@?@!@? That’s how we reacted when we saw Q’s rating alongside that .341 field goal percentage and his 4.4 points per game from last season. Quentin Richardson does exactly one thing well: He shoots the three well. He stands in the corner, waits for Dwight Howard, then pops from long range. Except he didn’t even do that well, shooting .288 from outside last season. We’d rather have Anthony Morrow waiting in that corner. Oh, and Morrow has a 64 rating.
14 Joakim Noah, Bulls, 82 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Joakim Noah
Team: Bulls
Current Rating: 82
Complex Rating: 79
Don’t get us wrong. We love a good hustle player, especially one with such a fantastically wild hairdo. But really, is Noah anything more than a hustle player? Is he really anything more than Anderson Varejao (70 rating) on a playoff team? He plays off Derrick Rose, creates nothing, and he shoots the ball like it’s a bowling ball. That’s not a forward just ratings points away from Blake Griffin. That’s a complementary player if we’ve ever seen one. Give him a 99 hustle rating and drop everything else off a cliff.
13 Serge Ibaka, Thunder, 74 rating, UP ARROW
Name: Serge Ibaka
Team: Thunder
Current Rating: 74
Complex Rating: 77
One of the most criminally underrated players in the game. Ibaka’s numbers (9.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.4 bpg) tell you this rating makes sense, but Ibaka is far better. He has a great sense for when to swoop in for a block, and he’s a tremendous offensive rebounder. He’s also a great free throw shooting big man. How about a 77 or something? That’s where Ibaka slots in for us.
12 Paul George, Pacers, 74 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Paul George
Team: Pacers
Current Rating: 74
Complex Rating: 72
We get it. George is 6-8, he’s a great athlete, and he’s got crazy hops. That’s great NBA potential, and it’s backed up by a 7.8 ppg rookie season. Thing is, if you actually watch George on the court, you see a player who’s lost, especially on defense. Teammate Darren Collison, a savvy young point guard, is rated a 75. No way George is as close to Collision 2K12 lets him be.
11 Stephen Jackson, Bucks, 83 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Stephen Jackson
Team: Bucks
Current Rating: 83
Complex Rating: 78
Again, people, points don’t mean everything. If they did, Jackson wouldn’t have played for six different teams in his 11-year career. The guy can score, sure, but he does little else, and he takes a whole ton of shots to get to those 18.5 points per game. He’s always played on losing teams. No, there’s no Winners’ rating in NBA 2K12, but if there was, Jackson’s rating would stumble.
10 Monta Ellis, Warriors, 83 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Monta Ellis
Team: Warriors
Current Rating: 83
Complex Rating: 79
Meet the emptiest scorer in the NBA. Sure, he pours in 24.1 points per game, and he could beat the Road Runner in a 100-meter dash. But move Ellis from Golden State to a playoff contender, a team where discipline actually matters, and watch those numbers tumble when possessions count for something. He has plenty of athleticism and offensive ability, but he’s most definitely not just two rating points behind Blake Griffin.
9 Kris Humphries, Nets, 70 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Kris Humphries
Team: Nets
Current Rating: 70
Complex Rating: 65
If Kim Kardashian still had Kris’ rock on her finger, we just might let this one slide. Then again, even with Kimmy K sitting front row at all his games, Humphries is really a below-average power forward. His 10 ppg come simply because Brook Lopez draws defenses, and his 10.4 rebounds a night happen because, well, Lopez is allergic to the paint. Humphries took advantage of a few opportunities, but he’s really more of a 65 player, with less upside than, say, Lewis Sanders. But hey, somebody will overpay for him if the NBA gets back in session. After all, he’s Kim’s ex-hubby.
8 Andre Iguodala, Sixers, 85 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Andre Iguodala
Team: Sixers
Current Rating: 85
Complex Rating: 82
Iggy is overrated in NBA 2K12, just like he’s overrated in reality. The 14.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game are nice, but really, they scream complementary player, not certifiable superstar. That’s who Iguodala really is, that why the Sixers couldn’t peddle him for as much as they wanted to last season, and that’s why he should be oh, an 82 or 83 instead of that 85.
7 JJ Barea, Mavericks, 65 rating, UP ARROW
Name: JJ Barea
Team: Mavericks
Current Rating: 65
Complex Rating: 72
Let’s get this straight. Barea drops 9.5 points per game during the regular season and plays a clutch role in the Mavs’ run to the NBA title, and 2K12 treats him like a benchwarmer? Puh-leeze! No, Barea isn’t a future superstar, but at the moment, we’d take him over much-hyped Dallas prospect Rodrigue Beaubois (69 rating). Oh, and Boykins and Nate-Rob, too. And give the guy a few bonus points for his taste in women; he’s dating the ultra-sexy Zuleyka Rivera.
6 John Wall, Wizards, 82 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: John Wall
Team: Wizards
Current Rating: 82
Complex Rating: 79
Simply amazing. That’s John Wall, and aside from Blake Griffin, there isn’t a player in the NBA with more unlimited potential. In that light, the 82 rating makes sense. But at the moment, Wall is also vastly undisciplined (3.8 turnovers per game) with not even the barest hint of a jump shot (.296 from downtown). Drop a few points off of this for now, because he’s not a superstar. Yet.
5 Kobe Bryant, Lakers, 94 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Kobe Bryant
Team: Lakers
Current Rating: 94
Complex Rating: 90
True confession. Kobe Bryant is my favorite player in the NBA. And that’s why the truth is so hard to face. He’s not nearly as good as that 94 rating, which makes him a more devastating weapon than Kevin Durant (92). 2K12 finally dropped Kobe’s dunk rating to a 74, but somehow, despite the fact that Bryant is a walking commercial for living with arthritis, he draws a 99 durability rating.
More and more, his game is defined by jump shots and glares at refs, yet he’s still viewed as a phenomenal slasher. Sure, the lockout is giving him time to test his knee, and maybe 2K12 thinks that will lead to a bigger, badder Mamba this season. But right now, it needs to drop, oh, 3 or 4 points.
4 Demar Derozan, Raptors, 69 rating, UP ARROW
Name: Demar Derozan
Team: Raptors
Current Rating: 69
Complex Rating: 74
I know what you’re thinking. Who? Well, the lowdown on Derozan is this: The Raptors’ third-year guard had a breakout 2010, dropping 17.8 points per game and shooting .467 from the field. I’ve said many times that numbers aren’t everything, and Demar does play for a league doormat. But you can’t dismiss that kind of production with a 69 rating. That’s lower than Nate Robinson and Earl Boykins, two guys that Derozan could school with one hand tied behind his back. Of course, he really only has one hand (his right), and he’s got plenty of holes in his game. But a 69? That’s criminal. Give him at least 4 points.
3 Steve Nash, Suns, 84 rating, UP ARROW
Name: Steve Nash
Team: Suns
Current Rating: 84
Complex Rating: 87
A few years ago, Nash was one of the best point guards in the NBA, good for 10-15 assists and 15-20 points a night. And now, even at age 37, he’s still that good. Thing is, the talent around him has completely degraded. Where once he had Amar’e Stoudemire, he gets - wait for it - Channing Frye. Bouncy Shawn Marion is now aging Grant Hill. And sharpshooting Leandro Barbosa? Well, at least Jared Dudley tries hard. Despite all that, Nash still dropped 14.7 ppg and 11.4 apg. He’s not nearly as flashy as the Rajon Rondos and Chris Pauls of the world, but Nash is still in their class. A 3-point bump. At least. Please.
2 Manu Ginobili, Spurs, 85 rating, DOWN ARROW
Name: Manu Ginobili
Teams: Spurs
Current Rating: 85
Complex Rating: 80
I don’t get Visual Concepts infatuation with Ginobili, or anyone else’s Manu-love, for that matter. Manu drops 17.4 ppg last season (less than Derozan), and just because he plays for methodical San Antonio, that’s some big accomplishment.
Sure, you could make the case that the Spurs played through Gino more than ever, but guess how that worked out: He shot .433 from the field, the second-worst mark of his career. Manu’s another Iggy: Miscast as “Da Man” and best used as option 1A. But somehow, he garners Griffin-love. Crystal ball says? A 5-point rating drop.
1 Dirk Nowitzki, Mavericks
Name: Dirk Nowitzki
Team: Mavericks
Current Rating: 85
Complex Rating: 90
If you watched the regular season - like Visual Concepts apparently did - you just might have seen a player in decline, as Dirk averaged just 23 points and seven boards a game. But as we’ve seen throughout this list, hoops is about more than stats. It was a smarter, more efficient Dirk last season, shooting a career-best .517 from the field.
But in the playoffs, when it counted most, Nowitzki was unstoppable, dropping 27.7 a night and leading the Mavs to the NBA title. And that counts for plenty in our book, because really, the regular season is an 82-game waste of time, and when it mattered Nowitzki was a clutch leader who outdid the Miami Heat’s Not-So-Big Three. He shot it from outside, fought off double-teams and nailed big buckets throughout the playoffs.
So how, oh how, does he get shafted with the same rating as Manu, and Blake Griffin (a talent who isn’t quite there yet), and the eternally overrated Iguodala? How are Rudy Gay and Pau Gasol, guys who aren’t even top dogs on their own team, rated better than Dirk?
It makes no sense, and that’s why Dirk should get a nice little five-point bump - at least - so he joins the NBA’s finest players. After all, he’s one of the best, and now, he’s got the ring to prove it.