The latest edition of the popular NBA2K video game series, 2K25, is finally available, which means basketball fans across the world can lace up their sneakers and hit the court to play as their favorite NBA stars. However, fans of the New York Knicks may be disappointed with the ratings given to some of their favorite players, especially superstar guard Jalen Brunson. Was Brunson underrated by the game’s developers? What about other Knicks’ stars, such as offseason addition Mikal Bridges? Let’s take a closer look.

Jalen Brunson’s rating (93) is downright disrespectful

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) flexes his left hand during the third quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Jalen Brunson proved himself to be one of the most dynamic players in the NBA last season, and this rating is absolutely insulting. Brunson is somebody who the Knicks rely on to create for himself and others throughout the game, especially when play breaks down.

It doesn’t matter. Forget whatever you might’ve heard about the Knicks being overrated, about Brunson being a second round pick, about guys who stayed in college for longer than one year not being superstars in the NBA. Forget about the Dallas Mavericks letting him leave in free agency. It’s entirely irrelevant.

Brunson transcended all of that. He has arrived at the NBA level, and announced himself as a superstar. He’s not just a great shooter, although he is indeed a great shooter. He’s so much more than that. He’s a guy who can go out on the court, call his own number, and come through for his team with a bucket any time that he wants to.

Sometimes, it seems as if it’s a game to Brunson, being able to toy with defenders and make them feel like they have a chance to get a steal or block his shot, before crossing them up or creating space with a step back and splashing a jumper in their face. He relishes making his defender feel helpless, and knows that there’s nothing they can do to stop him or really even slow him down. Brunson is a ruthless competitor on the court, and it's clear that his rating should be higher.

Mikal Bridges (84) should be a 90 because of his two-way dominance

Bridges is a dominant player at both ends of the court, and his rating is comically low given everything that he contributes to his team. The Knicks will need Bridges to be at his best for the team to be successful this year, and they clearly think very highly of him. There’s a reason the front office was willing to give up a godfather trade package this off-season in order to acquire Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.

Bridges pairs well alongside OG Anunoby to wreak havoc amongst opposing teams. While they have similar playstyles, Bridges is the better of the two, and he has a legitimate case for a rating in the low 90s. Bridges probably isn’t quite deserving of the 93 that Brunson has, but a rating of 90 should be the bare minimum, with a 91 or a 92 doing him justice given all that he brings to the Knicks on the court.

Bridges is a dynamic scoring threat who can create for himself or play off his teammates. He's also an elite spot up shooter who can knock down three pointers consistently. Bridges has a high release point on his jumper and has a beautiful shot that makes it incredibly difficult for the defender to get a hand on the ball and disrupt his looks at the rim.

Bridges came into the league with three-and-D potential, but limited upside in terms of isolation scoring. He has quickly blown those expectations out of the water, though, and has emerged as a legitimate scoring threat and a go-to playmaker for his team. He put up respectable numbers on decent efficiency while leading the Nets offense, and it stands to reason that he can be even more effective in a complementary role with the Knicks. Bridges is an elite scorer and an even better defender, and this rating does not do him justice.

OG Anunoby (84) is underrated

In a lot of ways, Anunoby is very similar to Bridges. He’s slightly more athletic, but the trade-off is that he’s a little less skilled. You can’t go wrong with either player, though, and the Knicks are lucky to have both of them on their team. Bridges probably deserves to be two or three points above Anunoby for his rating, but they both deserve to be significantly higher than they are now. An 88 or 89 rating sounds reasonable, and a 90 could even be justified if you’re really bullish on Anunoby’s performance.

Julius Randle (85) might be a little overrated

If counting stats is what you care about, Julius Randle is your guy and this rating is perfect. You could even make the argument that it’s a little low. However, there’s so much more to the sport of basketball than just counting stats. Randle has a bad habit of playing inefficiently and he can get tunnel vision and try to play a form of hero ball that takes his teammates out of the game. An 83 or 84 sounds about right for Randle, but this rating can be justified.