This is a message to all the sports fans out there who miss the days of the NBA and NBA 2K22 when players were allowed to make contact without drawing automatic fouls and to analysts who long for a time in basketball when going for a rebound wasn't defined by strict rules that have all but deleted the intensity of the game.
The message is this: Watch the WNBA. Fans expressed shock on social media after physical plays from the Finals were not blown dead and fouls assessed. Frankly, the WNBA lets their players play more than the NBA does right now. And these are the ones who take advantage of being let loose the most, both in the real game and in NBA 2K22.
7 Point Guard - Courtney Vandersloot - 88
It's hard to believe that Courtney Vandersloot is only an 88. She's led the league in assists for the last five consecutive seasons, made three All-Star teams, and, oh yeah, she won the championship this year. Still, at least she's appropriately ranked as the best point guard in the WNBA.
When using her in the game, don't be surprised how much her incredible playmaking badges make the entire team around her better. It's no surprise that she worked personally with John Stockton, who also holds numerous records in the NBA.
6 Shooting Guard - Allie Quigley - 86
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Somebody get the NBA 2K22 ratings people on the phone and demand to know why WNBA guards are so underrated. The best two guards just won the Finals and they're both on the Chicago Sky. That is not a coincidence. Also not a coincidence, the best shooting guard in the game, Allie Quigley, is the wife of Courtney Vandersloot, the best point guard in the game.
Those looking to make the best three-point shooting build would do well to use Quigley as a base model. She's won three Three-Point Shootout contests, including the one this year, and made it to three All-Star games. Anybody looking to play great basketball on the perimeter should absolutely pick the Chicago Sky, thanks to Quigley's presence on the team.
5 Shooting Guard - Arike Ogunbowale - 86
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Fans of Notre Dame don't need any introduction for why Arike Ogunbowale is tied for the best shooting guard in the game. In 2018, she hit the game-winning baskets in both the semifinals and finals. In the WNBA, she proved these were not momentary clutch performances. As a selection to the All-Star game this year, she brought home the MVP honors in the affair.
Her arsenal of sweet shots is part of her success. Those who control her player will love that she can score from all three levels and shows intensity at both ends of the court. It's part of what made her the WNBA scoring champion in 2020. Consider the league on notice, she's still getting even better.
4 Small Forward - Nneka Ogwumike - 88
When comparing MVP seasons, it's hard to argue that anybody's MVP year was better than Nneka Ogwumike's 2016 season. She won the championship and set three ridiculous WNBA records: True shooting percentage (73.7%), consecutive field goals without a miss (23), and most field goal attempts in a game without a miss (12).
Here's the double-take; she's a small forward. Look at her jumpshot and just try to customize a jumper better than hers. It can't be done! In the game, small forwards are expected to do a little bit of everything and Ogwumike fits the bill, able to dribble, pass, and, of course, shoot, with the best of them.
3 Power Forward - Breanna Stewart - 95
Anybody hoping for a list of all of Breanna Stewart's accomplishments is going to be disappointed. It's impossible to list them without having to scroll down for several minutes. The three-time All-Star, two-time WNBA champion, and two-time Finals MVP is not only the highest-rated power forward, she's the top-rated WNBA player in the entire game.
She's a danger to take over the game at any moment and from any piece of the court. Try to go inside? Good luck against her amazing defense/rebounding badges. Try to keep her on the perimeter? She's way too fast for that. And at the rim? She can dunk it and has contest-winning trophies that aren't just for decoration.
2 Center - Brittney Griner - 92
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A 92 might be an honor to some players, but Brittney Griner deserves much higher. The NCAA legend is still the only player with 2,000 points and 500 blocks. And, somehow, the former Final champ is even better at the WNBA level, leading the league in scoring twice and blocking eight times.
Her player in the game does something that is desperately needed; shuts down the interior. So many centers can be exploited with quick drives to the paint, but Griner puts an end to those dreams, forcing opponents to take their shots from mid-range or outside the arc.
1 Center - Tina Charles - 92
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Tina Charles is a player that started out hot and never seemed to cool off. After winning two championships, she entered the league in 2010 and won Rookie of the Year honors. Two years later, she was the entire league's MVP. And after eight All-Star appearances, she just got her second scoring title this last season.
Scoring is always important for players at any position, but Charles combines that with some extremely gifted rebounding, having led the league in that category four times. She's a double-double threat every game under the rim and that's what every gamer could ever hope for.
NBA 2K22 was released on September 9th, 2021, and is available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.