The buzz around NBA2K27 is picking up ahead of its September 4th global release. In addition to early access, cover art, and first look images, they’ve finally released the top 100 player OVR ratings.
If you’ve played the game, or follow the global conversation, every year there are huge surprises and disappointments. More than ever if you’re a Raptors fan. While they haven’t released the full roster yet and many of the player ratings won’t be available until closer to the early access release date of August 28th, there’s already more than enough to have opinions on just in the top 100.
Some of the ratings were on par as expected. Back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander having the highest OVR of 97 is respectable. Right there with him are the other top finishers in voting, Wemby and Jokic. Jalen Brunson edging Lebron James out of the top 10 also feels warranted with his performance and championship. But the longer you look at the list, the more you start to realize some things that are… not really anything that can be rationalized. While we could take all day and point them out, there’s enough just amongst the Raptors to get worked up about. So let’s break down the three most shocking:
You would have to have seen this coming. A huge leap from his 51st rank to start last year in 2K26, he now sits 23rd. Positionally I’m okay with this. Until you start to compare him to other 88 OVR players. Deni Avdija, whose post season numbers were substantially worse than Scottie, who only played 66 games last year, and whose defense is considerably worse than Scottie sits at the same OVR. The exact same can be said about Austin Reaves who also sits at an 88. To add insult to injury, Anthony Davis who only managed to play 20 games last season is two points higher at 90. The only solace in this situation is finally both Paolo Banchero and Evan Mobley are ranked lower than him.
My hot take: Scottie is an 89, and Jamal Murray and him should both be above Davis.
So last year, RJ started at an 82 OVR. This year, he is starting as an 82 OVR. Already, I have some questions. Statistically, he may not have been as electric, but if you actually watched the games he played better. He had to share the scoring load with more ball-handling players. He had less touches. Still, he was efficient, played better in the clutch, and in some games, felt like the only reliable scoring option. Apparently that means you stay the same OVR. Since there’s so many guys that sit at 82 though, this means he’s actually fallen from 68th to 87th, suggesting he’s gotten worse. Even if that was the case, compare that to players rated more highly: Ajay Mitchell (a talented player, but genuinely, what am I missing here?), Payton Pritchard (absolutely not), and Paul George (????).
My hot take: If they’re all 82s fine, but there’s no way there’s 86 people in the league you’d rather have than RJ Barrett. Especially those three.
It’s no secret that the investigation has complicated things for the Raptors, the trade still isn’t official, and Kawhi is listed in 2K27 as a Clippers player. But it already feels like he’s getting the Raptors treatment. Yes, he moved up and OVR point to 93 and from 15th to 11th, all great. But now, Cade Cunningham is above him, despite averaging 4 fewer points per game, fewer rebounds, a lower FG percentage, and his complete disappearance in game 7 against Cleveland. It feels like while previous years, 2K has valued the “grandfathered in” greats, giving guys like LeBron, Kawhi, KD, and Steph the edge, now they seem to be favouring the “younger talent” and the fresh faces in the League. Wemby being second after three years isn’t undeserved, just surprising. Cunningham being 8th this quickly also caught me by surprise. It seems like things are slowly changing.
My hot take: I’d have Steph 8th, KD 9th, and Kawhi 10th if it’s them over Cunningham (although honestly I think Maxey, Tatum, and Mitchell could all make a case for 10th over Cunningham too).
Let’s see how the rest of the Raptors OVRs stack up as more information is announced.
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