Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
RJ Barrett Tops Knicks' Opening 2K Ratings
RJ Barrett certainly hopes that the latest edition of the "NBA 2K" video game franchise proves to be one of the most realistic editions yet.
The initial ratings for "NBA 2K23," the hardwood simulator in the long-running series place Barrett atop the New York Knicks' roster with an overall rating of 84. Returning for his fourth season in virtual blue and orange, Barrett beat out metropolitan newcomer Jalen Brunson for the top spot by one point, while Julius Randle (82) rounds out the top three.
While it likely won't be enough to fully vindicate the expensive contract extension Barrett was recently bestowed in lieu of a Donovan Mitchell trade, it more or less partly drives home the idea that the Knicks' future fortunes could be defined by his antics. Barrett, set to enter his fourth NBA season, is fresh off a year where he became the youngest Knick to average at least 20 points in a single season.
Surprisingly, his status as the Knicks' top pixelated representative is one point off from his final tally last season. Ratings in the 2K realm often fluctuate over the course of an NBA season through online updates. Overall, the Knicks as a whole rank (granted an overall rating of 80) in the last of three tiers, though they top one of the individual categories: New York is tied with Oklahoma City for the second-best rating (86) in the "intangibles" category, with Barrett's individual ranking being at 98. Portland paces that list at 89.
A four-way tie at 96 paces the individual rankings, with Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Nikola Jokic topping all digital doppelgangers. The defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics are the highest-ranked team at 84 while Houston and San Antonio round out the 30 at 77 each. If the rankings were meant to represent the NBA standings, the Knicks would be 12th in the East, ahead of only Detroit, Indiana, and Orlando.
"NBA 2K23" will be released on Sept. 9 with Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker gracing the standard cover, which will be released alongside the Michael Jordan Championship cover and the WNBA edition, which will be headlined by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
