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NBA 2K25's player ratings were recently released. The Dallas Mavericks' ratings in the game are fairly accurate for the most part. There are arguments to be made for Kyrie Irving (92 overall) and Luka Doncic (97 overall) having even higher ratings than they were given, but many other players on the team were mostly accurate. However, two specific Mavs players' ratings were 100 percent wrong.
According to 2kratings.com, Dereck Lively II and Klay Thompson are both 81 overall in the game. One may argue that those ratings are not too far off from real life, but I'm going to make an argument from a completely opposite viewpoint.
Mavericks center Dereck Lively II's underrated game
When it comes to arguing against certain ratings that were given, you must take a deep look at the player's attributes. Lively enjoyed a strong rookie campaign. Yet, some may argue he was underrated in real life as well after being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second-Team instead of the First-Team.
Lively's archetype in NBA 2K25 is a “paint beast,” which is certainly accurate. So what exactly is the gripe here?
Lively's defense improved throughout the 2023-24 season. He established himself as a quality rim-protector. Sure, he still has more room for improvement, but his overall 64 defending rating seems far too low.
Lively's athleticism was also only given a 70 overall while his overall dunking ability averages out to an 84 overall. The Mavericks center is one of the most athletic players on the team. He should have a better overall athleticism grade than a 70. As for his dunking, Lively made a living out of the scoring option this past season. Mavericks fans will tell you that Lively should be at least a 90 overall dunker.
If Lively's dunking, defense and athleticism were all increased by only a few points, perhaps his rating would be in the mid-high 80's as opposed to the low 80's.
Klay Thompson is almost under an 80 overall?
Sure, Thompson is not the same caliber of superstar he once was. That is something we are not here to deny. But Thompson still quietly enjoyed a respectable 2023-24 season despite his decline.
Thompson's three-point shot is only at an 89 overall. He still managed to shoot over 37 percent in 2023-24 despite having a down season by his standards. Thompson should be able to increase his three-point shot's rating with the Mavericks.
Thompson has ratings of 70 or below in defending, rebounding and playmaking. His athleticism is now at a 78 overall. Those ratings could arguably be higher, but they aren't completely shocking.
In fact, NBA 2K25 deserves credit for giving Thompson an 80 overall perimeter defense rating. Thompson's defense has been criticized in recent years since he isn't as quick as he once was due to previous injuries. However, Thompson is still a reliable perimeter defender, something that NBA 2K25 noticed.
The primary concern here all boils down to offense. As mentioned, Thompson's three-point shooting could probably be higher. But his overall offensive consistency is only at 65. That seems like an unfair rating for a player who has shot 41.3 percent from deep for his career.
Thompson may not always take the best shots, but his shot IQ of 70 overall should also probably be higher. One can also argue that Thompson's 90 overall mid-range shot rating could be increased.
In the end, Klay Thompson probably deserves to be around an 84-87 overall in NBA 2K25.
