The Atlanta Hawks enter the 2025-26 NBA season looking like one of the Eastern Conference’s most improved teams. They added size, shooting, and defensive versatility while keeping their franchise cornerstone intact. Yet, NBA 2K26 seems to have gotten its ratings completely wrong. From underestimating key contributors to overvaluing certain role players, the ratings fail to reflect the Hawks’ actual roster strength and potential.
Let’s break down where NBA 2K26 missed the mark, focusing on five players whose ratings simply don’t add up.
Trae Young: Underrated at 90 OVR
Trae Young is the heartbeat of the Hawks’ franchise, and his overall rating of 90 feels like a lowball. This player has consistently been among the league’s top offensive engines, capable of bending defenses with his deep shooting, elite playmaking, and clutch scoring.
His 85 three-point rating doesn’t capture the level of difficulty of the shots he takes. Unlike catch-and-shoot specialists, Young creates his looks off the dribble against heavy defensive coverage. NBA 2K26 undervalues the gravity he generates, and that should be reflected in his rating.
Trae Young is a 90 OVR 👀
Thoughts? https://t.co/TExYtMOIAJ
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) August 19, 2025
Additionally, his badge count, just 16, is a questionable call. Young’s ability to create offense for himself and others is elite, and he should easily sit closer to a 93-94 OVR given his role as a top-five offensive engine in the league.
Kristaps Porziņģis: Overrated at 85 OVR
On the other end of the spectrum is Kristaps Porziņģis, whose 85 OVR seems too generous. While the Latvian big man is still a skilled scorer and shot-blocker, durability remains his biggest issue. Injuries have kept him from stringing together long stretches of dominance, and at this stage, projecting him as a borderline star is wishful thinking.
Representing Team Latvia: Kristaps Porziņģis 🇱🇻🦄 pic.twitter.com/dkduga33sz
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) August 6, 2025
His 86 three-point rating is fair given his floor-spacing ability, but his defensive mobility and ability to stay on the court are questionable. If availability is the best ability, then 2K has inflated his value. An 82-83 OVR would better capture the reality of what he can bring night in and night out.
Jalen Johnson: Underrated at 81 OVR
Perhaps the most glaring miss is Jalen Johnson’s 81 OVR. Johnson broke out last season with his versatility, athleticism, and ability to thrive in multiple roles. He can push the ball in transition, finish above the rim, and defend across multiple positions.
Jalen Johnson is an 81 OVR????? pic.twitter.com/GmT7YWa4pO
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) August 16, 2025
Yet, 2K26 has him rated the same as Zaccharie Risacher, which is disrespectful given Johnson’s actual production at the NBA level. His 96 dunk rating is accurate, but his offensive growth, passing, and defensive versatility suggest a player closer to an 84-85 OVR.
Johnson is the kind of player 2K often undervalues because he doesn’t have a traditional “star” profile, but his impact is far greater than the rating reflects.
Zaccharie Risacher: Overrated at 81 OVR
While Johnson is underrated, Risacher is overrated. Giving him an 81 OVR places him on par with established players who have already proven themselves at this level.
Yes, Risacher has the tools: at 6-foot-10 with a smooth jumper and defensive potential, he projects as a future two-way wing star. But NBA 2K26 is jumping the gun by rating him this high right away.
A more reasonable starting point would be 78 OVR, allowing him to climb as the season progresses.
Luke Kennard: Underrated at 77 OVR
Finally, we get to Luke Kennard, whose 77 OVR criminally underrates his value as one of the best shooters in the league. Kennard shot over 43% from three in recent seasons, and his 87 three-point rating actually might not even be high enough. He’s one of the few role players whose spacing can completely alter the geometry of a lineup, opening lanes for slashers like Jalen Johnson and finishers like Okongwu.
Beyond the shooting, Kennard has developed into a sneaky good secondary playmaker. While his defense limits him, his offensive value as an elite specialist should push him into the 79-80 OVR range.
Other ratings that missed the mark
Beyond the five biggest examples, several other Hawks players also seem misjudged: Onyeka Okongwu (81 OVR) is fair, but his elite defense and rim protection might justify an 82-83. Meanwhile, Nickeil Alexander-Walker (79 OVR) should be higher given his two-way value. 80 OVR fits better. In addition, Vit Krejci (76 OVR), his 86 three-point rating feels inflated for a role player who hasn’t proven consistent production.
These smaller discrepancies add up, creating a picture of a roster that 2K26 simply doesn’t evaluate fairly.
Why 2K26 got the Hawks wrong
Part of the issue is that 2K tends to lag behind narrative momentum. The Hawks are not seen as contenders, so players who overachieved last season didn’t get the recognition they deserved in the ratings. At the same time, big names like Porziņģis and flashy players like Risacher got the benefit of the doubt.
The result? A skewed roster that doesn’t reflect the Hawks’ actual depth, balance, and potential. Atlanta’s mix of shooting, defense, and athleticism makes them much more dangerous than their NBA 2K26 roster suggests. The Atlanta Hawks’ NBA 2K26 ratings are riddled with mistakes. Trae Young is underrated, Porziņģis and Risacher are overrated, and role players like Jalen Johnson and Luke Kennard aren’t given their due credit.
For a team that had one of the most active and successful offseasons in the league, NBA 2K26 is still stuck in last year’s narrative. The Hawks may not be title favorites yet, but their roster deserves far more respect than what these ratings suggest.
If anything, these missteps highlight just how much Atlanta will have to prove on the court this season, not just to opponents, but also to the 2K developers who continue to underestimate them.
