Generally speaking, the wealthy gamers who buy their way to the best Dark Matter cards in NBA 2K23 don't have an awful lot to worry about. They go into most games assuming they will crush anybody in their way. Diamond cards don't make them blink.
And that's how crafty gamers can beat their rich competition in NBA 2K23. Player skill matters more than card ratings. Those who select the best Diamond players will be able to outsmart their competition who is hoping their wallets will carry them to victory. These players show the competition why this is true.
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10 B.J. Armstrong
Despite only having two Hall of Fame badges compared to the other Diamond players, B.J. Armstrong has the raw statistics to elevate the game of any team he finds himself on. His sweet shooting animations matter as much as any single badge.
Between his playmaking and shooting, Armstrong's lowest statistical score is an 88. That is absurdly high for both categories. At point guard, he'll either drain the ball from deep or find somebody else who can do the same.
9 Rudy Gobert
Between shooting and playmaking, Rudy Gobert only has one silver badge. As a center, that's going to be just fine for many gamers who only expect close-range shooting and big-time defense from their center. Gobert didn't get the nickname "The Stifle Tower" for nothing.
All three of Gobert's Hall of Fame badges on defense, bolstering his 96 defensive rating. On offense, have him post up and use his 88 strength to bully the competition out of the way.
8 Lamar Odom
With everybody having their ideal power forward build shoot from the post, Lamar Odom can be a great relief from the standard. Especially for teams that already use their center to post up, Odom represents a way to shake things up as a power forward who can drive inside.
In athleticism, shooting, and inside scoring, he has an 80 or better in every attribute. On defense, he's no slacker either, with a Hall of Fame badge in Chase Down Artist.
7 Bill Walton
Having Bill Walton on the squad is a huge relief. He's got a Hall of Fame Anchor badge, swatting away balls from opponents that try to score in the paint. Walton won't be bullied around either with a 93 strength rating, handy against opposing centers.
This is more than just a defensive guy. He's got an elusive Hall of Fame Post Playmaker badge, enabling him to pass to the open man when he pushes inside. If nobody is open, and he's in a one-on-one, he'll throw it down on top of their heads.
6 Donovan Mitchell
Jazz fans know exactly what they lost when Donovan Mitchell went to the Cavaliers. Nobody could know exactly how, but Mitchell would be contributing somehow to every team win. His badge selection is so spread out that he has at least half of the badges in every category.
He's listed as a shooting guard or point guard. At 6'1", feel free to flip him over to point guard and allow his playmaking to shine. With a 93 speed, if his teammates struggle to get open, he should think about slashing inside himself.
5 Zach LaVine
Those who have heard of Zach LaVine have likely heard of him because of his extreme dunking style. His build completely backs up this hope with some top-notch finishing badges. But fans know LaVine is about more than just his competitiveness in close.
At range, LaVine has an 88 or better in every shooting category, so he's just as adept at draining threes as he is at jamming it home. His playmaking can be useful if defenders somehow surround him, allowing him to hit the open man for a freebie assist.
4 Mike Bibby
Point guards tend to be very one-dimensional. An ideal point guard build can do it all, but it seems like most of them lack defense, passing, shooting, or slashing to some capacity. Mike Bibby is a breath of fresh air as he has no issue at all doing anything the player requires of him.
He's got at least one gold badge in each category. Perhaps the most significant contribution is his elite playmaking badge, the Hall of Fame Floor General. This improves the stats of everyone he plays with; seeing this badge from a Diamond player is rare and extremely valuable.
3 Joakim Noah
As stretch bigs are becoming more common, it feels like there are fewer players like Joakim Noah who nail the classics. He doesn't have a single shooting badge, but that's just fine for gamers that prefer to use their guards and forwards to fire from the perimeter.
Noah's defense is a blistering 97, dominating shooters who try anything in the paint. Don't sleep on his offense either, as he's also got a classic style of posting up and making weaker centers demand help.
2 Andrei Kirilenko
Gamers that hope the center takes care of all interior defensive needs are going to be in for a rude awakening. They'll need a power forward to bring the heat as well to truly lock down the inside. Andrei Kirilenko's 96 defensive rating is just the ticket.
All three of Kirilenko's Hall of Fame badges are on the defensive side. In addition to the ideal defense/rebounding badges, he's got all but two of the badges in this category ranked at a silver or better. On offense, his passing should not be overlooked if he doesn't have an open shot.
1 Stephen Curry
Good luck finding a Diamond card with a higher offense than Steph Curry's 96. This is further bolstered by the fact that all three of his Hall of Fame badges are in the shooting category. In fact, Curry doesn't have just the best shooting badges in the game, he's got all of them. He has at least a silver badge in each one.
As if that's not already enough, Curry is a gifted passer with a silver or better in all but two playmaking badges. Everyone could use a point guard who can score or help teammates score and that's what makes Curry so special.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.