NBA 2K27 Best Player Ratings

NBA 2K27 Best Players Quick Overview:

1. My top NBA trio: I have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic sharing the top spot at 97 OVR.
2. My highest-rated player overall: I have A'ja Wilson leading the combined NBA and WNBA rosters at 98 OVR.
3. The offensive specialists I want to try first: I am most curious about Stephen Curry's 99 Three-Point Shot and Kyrie Irving's 99 Ball Handle.
4. My athletic and defensive standouts: I have Anthony Edwards leading Driving Dunk at 97 and Ausar Thompson leading Perimeter Defense at 97.
5. My 2026 rookie watchlist: I am starting with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer, who share the class lead at 79 OVR.

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Best NBA 2K27 Players Overall

NBA 2K27 is coming soon, and I have not played the series since NBA 2K15. Most of my friends have always cared far more about football, but I was the one following the NBA. That is why I am genuinely excited to see how much the game has changed after more than a decade away.

I am not actually expecting to find Shaq back in an Orlando Magic jersey, but opening this roster still feels a little like arriving from another era. I recognize the established names, yet many of today's best players were not even in the league when I last played 2K.

The biggest surprise is right at the top. I found three players sharing the highest current NBA rating: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic at 97 OVR. None was a playable NBA star when I last touched the series, and each represents a completely different version of modern basketball.

I based the ratings below on the official NBA 2K27 Top 100 and cross-checked them against the current player database at 2K Ratings. I expect current-roster ratings to change during the 2026-27 season, so I will update the tables as often as I can.

Rank	Portrait	Player	Team	Position	OVR	3PT	Driving Dunk	My Take
1		Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Oklahoma City Thunder	PG/SG	97	82	75	Elite creator with a 96 Ball Handle rating
2		Victor Wembanyama	San Antonio Spurs	C/PF	97	80	85	Two-way center with unmatched size and rim protection
3		Nikola Jokic	Denver Nuggets	C	97	85	75	Best playmaking center and a complete half-court hub
4		Luka Doncic	Los Angeles Lakers	PG/SG	96	92	75	Oversized primary ball handler with elite shooting
5		Jalen Brunson	New York Knicks	PG	96	88	35	Precise scorer with a 96 Ball Handle rating
6		Giannis Antetokounmpo	Miami Heat	PF/C	96	62	91	Relentless transition finisher and interior force
7		Anthony Edwards	Minnesota Timberwolves	SG/SF	95	92	97	Best driving dunker among current NBA players
8		Cade Cunningham	Detroit Pistons	PG/SG	94	86	75	Tall lead guard with scoring and passing versatility
9		Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors	PG/SG	93	99	36	Best three-point shooter in the game
10		Kevin Durant	Houston Rockets	SF/SG	93	92	85	Elite shot creator at nearly seven feet tall
11		Kawhi Leonard	Toronto Raptors	SF/SG	93	85	80	Strong two-way wing with few obvious weaknesses
12		Jayson Tatum	Boston Celtics	PF/SF	93	88	89	Versatile scorer who works in almost any lineup
13		Donovan Mitchell	Cleveland Cavaliers	SG/PG	93	88	92	Explosive three-level scorer
14		Karl-Anthony Towns	New York Knicks	C/PF	93	82	75	Floor-spacing center with reliable inside scoring
15		Tyrese Maxey	Philadelphia 76ers	PG/SG	92	88	70	Fast guard who pressures defenses on and off the ball

What surprised me most is how balanced the top of the list looks. I see SGA as the smoothest guard, Wembanyama as the biggest two-way advantage, and Jokic as someone who can run an entire offense from center. Luka, Brunson, and Giannis sit only one point behind them, so I would choose between these stars according to playstyle rather than a single OVR point.

I counted 21 current NBA players rated 90 OVR or higher, with Anthony Davis closing the group at 90. The familiar names also give me a useful bridge back into the series. LeBron, Curry, Durant, Kawhi, and Davis were already part of the NBA landscape when I last played, although their roles and teams look very different now.

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Best NBA 2K27 Players by Position

I find OVR useful, but I cannot build a sensible lineup from five large numbers. I still need a point guard who creates clean shots and a center who protects the paint, rebounds, screens, and finishes. I used those roles to compare the five highest-rated current NBA players at each primary position.

Point Guards

Point guard looks like the deepest elite position to me. I get three players rated 96 or higher, plus Stephen Curry and the 99 Three-Point Shot I am most excited to test. Curry is one of the few names here I remember using in NBA 2K15, but he has become a very different kind of virtual problem since then.

Portrait	Player	Team	OVR	3PT	Driving Dunk	My Take
	Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Oklahoma City Thunder	97	82	75	Best all-around PG and an elite isolation scorer
	Luka Doncic	Los Angeles Lakers	96	92	75	Size, shooting, and playmaking in one package
	Jalen Brunson	New York Knicks	96	88	35	Crafty half-court scorer with elite handles
	Cade Cunningham	Detroit Pistons	94	86	75	Tall creator who can score or facilitate
	Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors	93	99	36	Ultimate shooting threat from any range

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the dude for me. I have never controlled him in a 2K game, so starting with the highest-rated point guard feels like the obvious way to meet modern NBA 2K. Luka should punish switches more easily because of his size, while Curry has the lowest OVR here but may still change defensive spacing more than anyone else.

Shooting Guards

At shooting guard, I want outside scoring without losing athletic finishing. Anthony Edwards immediately jumps out because he combines a 92 Three-Point Shot with the best current Driving Dunk rating. That sounds like the sort of build I would have considered completely unfair back in 2K15.

Portrait	Player	Team	OVR	3PT	Driving Dunk	My Take
	Anthony Edwards	Minnesota Timberwolves	95	92	97	Elite power, shooting, and downhill pressure
	Donovan Mitchell	Cleveland Cavaliers	93	88	92	Explosive scorer with deep range
	Jaylen Brown	Philadelphia 76ers	91	82	94	Powerful slasher and two-way wing
	Devin Booker	Phoenix Suns	91	86	75	Polished shot creator from every level
	Austin Reaves	Los Angeles Lakers	88	85	70	Reliable secondary creator and shooter

Edwards is a great choice, no doubt about it, but I see Booker and Reaves are good alternatives, no cap.

Small Forwards

Small forward feels more familiar to me because Durant and Kawhi were already major names when I last played. I would take Durant for the stronger shooting profile and Kawhi when I want more strength and defense on the wing. Seeing both still sitting at 93 OVR makes my decade away feel much shorter.

Portrait	Player	Team	OVR	3PT	Driving Dunk	My Take
	Kevin Durant	Houston Rockets	93	92	85	Nearly impossible to contest when creating his own shot
	Kawhi Leonard	Toronto Raptors	93	85	80	Elite two-way option for balanced lineups
	OG Anunoby	New York Knicks	88	85	85	Strong defender who does not hurt floor spacing
	Deni Avdija	Portland Trail Blazers	88	75	75	Versatile wing who can handle multiple roles
	Cooper Flagg	Dallas Mavericks	87	71	80	Young two-way forward with a broad skill set

Durant is my best offensive small forward, but Anunoby may be easier for me to place into an existing lineup. I can ask him to defend dangerous wings, hit open threes, and contribute without keeping the ball. Cooper Flagg is the name I know least well here, which also makes him one of the players I am most curious to try.

Power Forwards

Power forward gives me the widest range of playstyles. I can attack the rim with Giannis, create from the perimeter with Tatum, control the offense through LeBron, or build my frontcourt defense around Anthony Davis. LeBron at 91 OVR is the rating that really makes me pause. I left the series with him as its defining superstar, and he is somehow still near the top.

Portrait	Player	Team	OVR	3PT	Driving Dunk	My Take
	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Miami Heat	96	62	91	Best transition and paint attacker at the position
	Jayson Tatum	Boston Celtics	93	88	89	Complete scoring forward with strong lineup flexibility
	LeBron James	Philadelphia 76ers	91	76	85	Powerful playmaker who can run the offense
	Anthony Davis	Washington Wizards	90	70	85	Defensive anchor with reliable inside finishing
	Scottie Barnes	Toronto Raptors	88	77	80	Versatile defender and secondary creator

Giannis has the highest OVR here, but I cannot ignore how his 62 Three-Point Shot may shrink the floor. I would find Tatum easier to use in a five-out offense, while Davis would be my choice when I need defense more than another primary scorer.

Centers

Center may show the difference between NBA 2K15 and NBA 2K27 better than any other position. I left a game where I mostly thought of centers as paint scorers, rebounders, and rim protectors. Now I get Jokic running an offense and Wembanyama stretching the floor while protecting the rim, both at 97 OVR.

Portrait	Player	Team	OVR	3PT	Driving Dunk	My Take
	Nikola Jokic	Denver Nuggets	97	85	75	Best offensive hub at center
	Victor Wembanyama	San Antonio Spurs	97	80	85	Best two-way physical advantage at center
	Karl-Anthony Towns	New York Knicks	93	82	75	Elite floor spacer for the position
	Joel Embiid	Philadelphia 76ers	91	79	80	Powerful post scorer with strong interior defense
	Alperen Sengun	Houston Rockets	87	74	80	Skilled interior creator and passer

I would choose Jokic when I want to run the offense through the high post. I would choose Wembanyama when I want to erase mistakes on defense and finish over smaller lineups. If I mainly want a center who keeps the paint open, Towns looks like the cleanest option.

 

Best NBA 2K27 Players by Attribute

OVR is a good place for me to start, but the specialist ratings are where this list becomes more fun. After so many years away, I want to know which players can still take over one specific part of a possession even without superstar OVR. These are the lads I would test first:

Best Three-Point Shooters

Rank	Portrait	Player	Team	3PT	OVR
1		Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors	99	93
2		Kon Knueppel	Charlotte Hornets	94	84
3		Damian Lillard	Portland Trail Blazers	93	86
4		Duncan Robinson	Detroit Pistons	93	79
5		Luke Kennard	Phoenix Suns	93	75

Curry at 99 feels both familiar and completely ridiculous to me. I remember him from my last 2K, but I never played a version where the entire defense had to bend around his range like this. I also like the value below him: Knueppel, Robinson, and Kennard give me elite spacing without requiring a 90 OVR player.

Best Ball Handlers

Rank	Portrait	Player	Team	Ball Handle	OVR
1		Kyrie Irving	Dallas Mavericks	99	87
2		Stephen Curry	Golden State Warriors	97	93
3		Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Oklahoma City Thunder	96	97
4		Jalen Brunson	New York Knicks	96	96
5		Luka Doncic	Los Angeles Lakers	95	96

Kyrie is another familiar name from 2K15, and seeing him lead Ball Handle at 99 feels right. His 87 OVR also gives me the clearest reason to look beyond the headline number. If I want an isolation guard, I care more about what he does with the ball than where his overall rating places him.

Best Driving Dunkers

Rank	Portrait	Player	Team	Driving Dunk	OVR
1		Anthony Edwards	Minnesota Timberwolves	97	95
2		Jalen Johnson	Atlanta Hawks	96	87
3		Amen Thompson	Houston Rockets	96	86
4		Ja Morant	Portland Trail Blazers	96	84
5		Shaedon Sharpe	Portland Trail Blazers	95	81

Edwards looks like the complete package to me because he combines a 97 Driving Dunk with a 92 Three-Point Shot. He is exactly the sort of new-generation star I missed while I was away from the series. Sharpe is my hidden-value pick: his 81 OVR looks modest, but I would still treat that 95 dunk rating as a serious transition and backdoor threat.

Best Perimeter Defenders

Rank	Portrait	Player	Team	Perimeter Defense	OVR
1		Ausar Thompson	Detroit Pistons	97	85
2		Derrick White	Boston Celtics	95	83
3		OG Anunoby	New York Knicks	94	88
4		Dyson Daniels	Atlanta Hawks	94	81
5		Amen Thompson	Houston Rockets	93	86

The defensive list may be the most useful one for me while I relearn the game. I do not need every defender to be a superstar if Ausar Thompson gives me 97 Perimeter Defense and White or Daniels can bother much more expensive scorers. Those are the ratings I expect to appreciate more after a few losses.

NBA 2K27 Rising Stars

I do not need a superstar rating in every lineup slot. In fact, these lower-rated players may help me understand modern roster building better than the obvious 97 OVR stars. I value them for bench units, role-based lineups, and MyNBA teams where I cannot stack every position with a 90 OVR player.

Portrait	Player	Team	OVR	Standout Rating	Why I Like Them
	Luke Kennard	Phoenix Suns	75	93 Three-Point Shot	Elite floor spacer at a very low OVR
	Duncan Robinson	Detroit Pistons	79	93 Three-Point Shot	Forces defenders to respect him off the ball
	Cason Wallace	Oklahoma City Thunder	81	98 Steal, 93 Perimeter Defense	Excellent point-of-attack defender
	Dyson Daniels	Atlanta Hawks	81	98 Steal, 94 Perimeter Defense	Disruptive wing who creates turnovers
	Shaedon Sharpe	Portland Trail Blazers	81	95 Driving Dunk	Explosive finisher for transition-heavy lineups
	Derrick White	Boston Celtics	83	95 Perimeter Defense	Dependable two-way guard who fits beside stars
	Kon Knueppel	Charlotte Hornets	84	94 Three-Point Shot	One of the best shooters in the entire game
	Ausar Thompson	Detroit Pistons	85	97 Perimeter Defense, 98 Steal	Elite defensive specialist with a 91 dunk rating

I would choose Knueppel or Kennard when spacing is my only concern. Wallace, Daniels, White, and Ausar Thompson give me the opposite solution: elite perimeter defense without a superstar OVR. I do not see them as worse players. I see them as narrower tools that become excellent when I use them in the right role.

Best NBA 2K27 Rookies

The 2026 rookie class is where my knowledge gap becomes impossible to hide, which is part of the fun. I do not see an 80 OVR player in the initial roster. AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer share my top spot at 79 OVR, while Caleb Wilson follows at 77.

Portrait	Player	Team	Position	OVR	My Take
	AJ Dybantsa	Washington Wizards	SF	79	Joint-highest-rated 2026 rookie
	Darryn Peterson	Utah Jazz	PG/SG	79	Joint-highest-rated rookie guard
	Cameron Boozer	Memphis Grizzlies	PF/C	79	Joint-highest-rated rookie big
	Caleb Wilson	Chicago Bulls	PF/C	77	Best-rated rookie outside the leading trio
	Keaton Wagler	Los Angeles Clippers	PG/SG	75	Tall backcourt prospect
	Darius Acuff Jr.	Sacramento Kings	PG	75	Scoring guard with room to develop
	Mikel Brown Jr.	Brooklyn Nets	PG	74	Young lead-guard option
	Kingston Flemings	Atlanta Hawks	PG	74	Developmental point guard
	Morez Johnson Jr.	Dallas Mavericks	PF/C	73	Physical frontcourt prospect
	Brayden Burries	Milwaukee Bucks	SG	73	Young wing for long-term MyNBA saves

I initially had to remind myself not to group Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Kon Knueppel with these rookies. They are already entering their second NBA season in NBA 2K27, which explains why their ratings are much higher than those of the new 2026 class.

I care about the rookie ratings most in MyNBA. I would not expect any of these players to carry a contender immediately, but the three 79 OVR prospects give me a strong base for a rebuild. Starting with unfamiliar young players and learning alongside them may be the perfect way for me to return to the series.

 

 

Best WNBA Players in NBA 2K27

I also do not want to treat the NBA Top 100 as the whole game. The WNBA was not part of NBA 2K when I last played, so this entire side of NBA 2K27 will be new to me. A'ja Wilson is the highest-rated current player across both rosters at 98 OVR, one point above my leading NBA trio.

Rank	Portrait	Player	Team	Position	OVR	3PT	Mid-Range
1		A'ja Wilson	Las Vegas Aces	PF/C	98	92	95
2		Breanna Stewart	New York Liberty	PF/SF	96	67	84
3		Caitlin Clark	Indiana Fever	PG/SG	96	96	80
4		Napheesa Collier	Minnesota Lynx	SF/PF	95	84	94
5		Paige Bueckers	Dallas Wings	PG/SG	95	92	98

Wilson is my obvious starting point for learning the WNBA roster because she has the best all-around rating. Clark gives me the strongest long-range shooting among the elite names, while Bueckers immediately catches my attention with her 98 Mid-Range Shot. I expect her to be especially dangerous whenever defenders chase her off the three-point line.

How NBA 2K27 Ratings Work

OVR is not the only number I care about. Coming back after such a long break means I cannot rely on old 2K habits, especially when badges, animations, and positionless lineups have become so important. These are the criteria I use alongside the overall rating:

1. I judge the role before the OVR. I may get more spacing from a 75 OVR shooter with a 93 Three-Point Shot than from an 85 OVR slasher.
2. I compare badges as well as attributes. I expect two players with similar ratings to finish, defend, or shoot differently when their badge packages are not the same.
3. I account for height, wingspan, and animations. Wembanyama's 97 OVR looks especially powerful to me because his size affects contests, rebounds, and finishing windows.
4. I prioritize lineup fit. I know Giannis will be devastating near the rim, but I would avoid pairing him with a non-shooting center if it makes the paint too crowded.
5. I check primary and secondary positions. I may use a player somewhere different from the position under which he appears in a ratings list.
6. I keep current rosters and MyTEAM separate. Unless I state otherwise, I am referring to current base-roster ratings rather than separate MyTEAM cards.
7. I expect ratings to move. I will recheck the latest roster update before relying on any ranking for too long.

This is still my take, not an unquestionable verdict. I have followed the NBA far more closely than most of my football-loving friends, but I have also spent more than a decade away from NBA 2K. I am sure I will discover players, badges, and animations that make me reconsider a few placements once I actually get my hands on NBA 2K27. Honestly, that is one of the reasons I am so excited to play it.

F.A.Q.