Rookies are guaranteed new content for NBA 2K each year. They are also among the most interesting player ratings to try and guess because there’s no previous references.
And now, we don’t need to guess: NBA 2K23 player ratings are out and we know who the best rookies in the game are.
During the NBA draft back in June, the Orlando Magic had the first overall pick and used it to select Paolo Banchero from Duke University. Does NBA 2K23 agree with that selection? Player ratings tell the whole story.
Who is the best rookie in NBA 2K23?
2K Games is on the same page as the Magic. Paolo Banchero is the highest rated rookie in NBA 2K23. The number one pick in the 2022 NBA draft has a 78 OVR rating. But, he is not alone.
In the boldest rookie rating in NBA 2K23, 2K Games has given the third pick, Jabari Smith, the same OVR as Banchero. This means not only that Smith is level with the first pick, but that he’s leapfrogged the number two pick.
Highest rated rookies in NBA 2K23
The player demoted thanks to Jabari Smith’s high rating is Chet Holmgren. The seven-foot tall Holmgren was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the second pick in the NBA draft. Holmgren is given a 77 OVR and the worst part is he won’t have the chance to convince the developers they were wrong. The lanky center suffered an injury in pre-season and is expected to miss the whole year. Chet taking L’s left and right.
Keegan Murray and Jaden Ivey, the fourth and fifth overall picks, are rated the same. Both get a 76 rating to start NBA 2K23. Unlike Holmgren, they will have an opportunity to improve on that as the season progresses.
Top rookies in NBA 2K23
- Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic) – 78 OVR
- Jabari Smith (Houston Rockets) – 78 OVR
- Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder) – 77 OVR
- Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings) – 76 OVR
- Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons) – 76 OVR
These players may be rookies now, but they could be superstars a few years down the road. If you want to see how current superstars were ranked by 2K Games, we have a list of the highest rated players in NBA 2K23.
