Player ratings for NBA 2K23 leak; Devin Booker top-ranked former Wildcat

The popular basketball video game NBA 2K will release its latest edition on Friday. As has been the case for the last decade, a slew of former Kentucky Wildcats will be among the playable characters. When NBA 2K23 drops in two days, over 25 one-time ‘Cats will be featured in the game.

In fact, we already know the player ratings for a handful of them thanks to some official releases from 2K and a few leaks, too. Popular video game streamers have been playing the game for the last couple of days. I turned to 2Kratings.com for the leaked ratings.

Most notably, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (the game’s cover athlete) is among the highest-ranked players in the entire game, earning a rating of 91 overall, or 12th best. That slots him as the top-rated former Kentucky player as well, just barely ahead of Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, who received a 90 overall, good enough for 13th best.

The most surprising rating, in my expert opinion, was the rise of Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey to an 85 overall, higher than the likes of Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley, and Scottie Barnes. Maxey even came in one point ahead of Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, who earned an 84 overall after not playing all of the 2021-22 season due to a knee injury.

One player, in particular, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, took issue not with his overall rating, but his three-point shooting. As part of the game’s promotion, 2K unveiled several different “top fives” for categories such as dunking, shooting, etc. Towns, who won last season’s 3-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend, was not among the top five shooters in this year’s game.

🤨❓ https://t.co/OeNgDloDdv

— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) September 6, 2022

The only prominent Kentucky player I couldn’t find a rating for was Houston Rockets rookie TyTy Washington. But 2K only dropped the top five rated rookies earlier this week with the rest set to be unveiled on release day.

Former Kentucky players in NBA 2K23

Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns) – 91 overall
Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)- 90 overall
Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves) – 89 overall
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) – 88 overall
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) – 87 overall
Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers) – 85 overall
Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets) – 84 overall
De’Aaron Fox (Sacramento Kings) – 84 overall
Tyler Herro (Miami Heat) – 84 overall
Julius Randle (New York Knicks) – 82 overall
Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs) – 80 overall
Hamidou Diallo (Detroit Pistons) – 79 overall
John Wall (LA Clippers) – 78 overall
PJ Washington (Charlotte Hornets – 78 overall
Immanuel Quickley (New York Knicks) – 78 overall
Jarred Vanderbilt (Utah Jazz) – 78 overall
Nerlens Noel (Detroit Pistons) 77 overall
Isaiah Jackson (Indiana Pacers) – 76 overall
Trey Lyles (Sacramento Kings) – 76 overall
Nick Richards (Charlotte Hornets) – 74 overall
Brandon Boston Jr. (LA Clippers) – 72 overall
Kevin Knox (Detroit Pistons) – 71 overall
Wenyen Gabriel (Los Angeles Lakers) – 70 overall
Olivier Sarr (Portland Trail Blazers) – 67 overall

Free Agents

DeMarcus Cousins – 78 overall
Enes Freedom – 77 overall
Eric Bledsoe – 76 overall
Rajon Rondo – 75 overall
Darius Miller – 74 overall
Skal Labissiere – 74 overall