NBA 2K25 gets universally-accepted truth wrong in Sacramento Kings' ratings

On Monday, NBA 2K released their player ratings for the franchise's latest installment, NBA 2K25 (which comes out on September 6, 2024).

Every year, like clockwork, fans of the game quibble about what their favorite (or least favorite) players are rated at the start of the season. And honestly, a lot of times, they have a pretty good case. It seems like the creators of 2K need to watch a little more film!

As it pertains to our Sacramento Kings, this year's biggest blunder comes at the top of the food chain, where the people in charge of assigning ratings miscalculated who the Kings' top dog is.

Before we get further into it, here are the ratings for all non-rookie Kings players (rookie ratings aren't out yet) to start the season:

The margin between them is small (only a single point), but in many people's opinions, 2K messed up by giving Domantas Sabonis the highest rating of any player on the team. That's because the designation should belong to De'Aaron Fox.

It's Close, But the Edge Should Go To Fox

I don't think that Fox is in a completely different category of player than Sabonis is. However, when you look at the data, it is fair to say that Fox's two-way contributions as a guard are more valuable than Sabonis' elite offense and limited defense at a position where defense means the most.

Along with the data, the general population seems to back this hypothesis. Last week, I posted a poll on Twitter (I refuse to call it "X") asking who the Kings' best player heading into the 2024-25 season is. Of the 153 people who voted, nearly 70% (107 people) said that the player was Fox (only 39 voted for Sabonis).

Normally, one point isn't worth complaining about. But when it is what decides who the best player on the team is, it needs to be mentioned.

Other Problems With Their Ratings

Outside of the top spot, my biggest problem with how 2K did the Kings' ratings this year is they made it seem like DeMar DeRozan, who is only one point behind Fox and two behind Sabonis, is in the same tier as the two-man tandem. Personally, I think that at this point in DeRozan's career (he'll be 35 at the start of the season), he is closer to the same player range as Keegan Murray (a player who I think can blossom into one of the best role players in the league) and Malik Monk than he is Fox and Sabonis.

I also think that 2K is too low on Kevin Huerter. As we've mentioned many times on the website, it is normal for great shooters like Huerter to have down shooting years like the one he experienced in 2023-24. I'm willing to wager that he will get back on track in 2024-25 and look more like the player he was in 2022-23 (which is a lot better than the 76 rating they gave him).