NBA 2K25 ratings say everything about draft class as Bronny James discovers fate
NBA 2K25 offered another critical take on this year's unheralded rookie class, also setting low expectations for Los Angeles Lakers rookie and LeBron James' son Bronny
The iconic basketball video game franchise NBA 2K has released its ratings for the league's draft selections - another damning critique of this year's historically weak rookie class and Bronny James, the son of Lakers star LeBron James.
Bronny is graded as just a 68 rating, tied with numerous rookies as the lowest in the class, while just two players earned better than a 73 overall.
A noted down year for freshman talent in college basketball, the two highest-rated rookie stars in this year's 2K edition are European talents Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, both rated at 75 overall, who were selected first and second to the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards respectively. The developers continued their ranking in the draft order, with No. 3 and No. 4 picks Reed Sheppard and Stephon Castle both handed a 73 overall.
READ MORE: NBA Opening Night games revealed as Boston Celtics face huge openerREAD MORE: Noah Lyles sends message to Anthony Edwards after 'rejecting' Adidas offer
This 73 mark was also reached by fellow UConn star Donovan Clingan, despite being picked a bit lower down at seventh. Other players that 2K rated higher than their NBA Draft stock include Chicago's Matas Buzelis, Phoenix's DaRon Holmes III and Minnesota's Terrence Shannon Jr.
These ratings are also markedly worse than last season's rookie class, which was headlined by 7'5 sensation Victor Wembanyama rated at 83. Beyond the young French phenom, however, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson and Amen Thompson all exceeded Sarr and Risacher.
On the opposite side of the draft class, developers faced criticism for offering James the same rating as many stars of the college game, including 2024 National Champions Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton. "Bronny is rated higher than Cam Spencer??? Did y'all even watch summer league?," one commenter on X wrote. Another added: "How many hours did you and LeBron James spend on the phone negotiating a reasonable rating? I feel like he still won. 65 would have been fair enough."
Conversely, the WNBA rookie class produced historic optimism from the game's developers. Star Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark earned a 90 overall, the highest-ever rating for a first-year WNBA player, which was soon revealed to be matched by Chicago's Angel Reese. The next highest ranked members of this year's transformative draft class, Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Rickea Jackson, were each given 80s.
Runaway WNBA MVP candidate A'ja Wilson was the league's only player to earn a 99 overall, followed closest by Breanna Stewart at a 97. Napheesa Collier (95), Alyssa Thomas (95) and Brittney Griner (94) round out 2K's release of the top 5 WNBA players.
The developers will offer their complete list of NBA players in the coming days but have revealed the top players in several key categories. For example, Jrue Holiday is the top-rated perimeter defender at 95, while Ja Morant earned the best dunking grade at 97.