It's not all that financially feasible to get every Dark Matter card in the game, but if dedicated gamers play for long enough, they can eventually fill out their team with Galaxy Opal cards in NBA 2K23. This may be the smarter move for those who don't want to sell their car since a team of elites is better than any single superstar.
Even if players intend to go the slow and steady route of getting every Galaxy Opal card in NBA 2K23, there is still the matter of which ones to seek first. Ranking cards that are this incredible is tough to do, but looking at the badges and attributes, there are some that stand out above the rest.
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6 Patrick Ewing
Gamers who try and make a perfect center will want to model their build after Ewing to some degree. Ewing has balanced offense and defense capabilities to perfection, threatening regardless of which end of the floor he's on.
Ewing is at his best on offense when he's in the post. After the boosts last year to post scoring and playmaking, this makes him a dominant card. Teams with subpar centers are always prone to a bad game. Ewing won't ever let that happen while he's in the lineup.
5 Jimmy Butler
A perfect 99 rating in defense is huge for gamers online. Gamers are able to take every shot and pass on offense but they can't play for every defender. Jimmy Butler has a 99 in defense, making him a highly-sought card. But his 99 seems more important than most.
As a small forward, Butler has to go against some of the least predictable and most athletic players in the game. They can be shooters, slashers, playmakers, or a combination of all three. Few cards are able to put a stop to any strategy, but Butler can do it.
4 Clyde Drexler
When students of the game think of Clyde Dresler, they can't help but note that he was the best dunker in his generation. True to his reputation, his card has the best finishing cards for jam masters and slashers, able to drive to the hoop from the perimeter as a shooting guard.
If opponents somehow manage to cover him, his passing is up there with the points guards. His 99 offense speaks for itself. But his defense isn't anything to sneer at either with some excellent padges for stopping anybody that tries to score from the interior.
3 Gilbert Arenas
Gilbert Arenas falls firmly into the category of all gas and no brakes. His defense isn't going to wreck the games with just three badges and a 92 rating, but that's not what players who use Arenas are looking for from him. They want points in any number of ways.
He's got the best shooting badges around, half of the total available at a Hall of Fame level. He can also slash inside when defenses clamp down on the outside or pass it around. As a point guard in charge of leading the offense, nobody does it better and he proves it will his 99 rating on that half of the court.
2 Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is a well-rounded card, having two Hall of Fame badges or more in every category. This is capped off by his elite defense/rebounding badges. After seeing these, it's no longer a wonder how he got a maximum 99 on his defense.
At 6'10", he's got a tall frame for a power forward. Use this as leverage against his competition on the offensive end of the court. Post him up or slash inside with his 87 speed rating, preposterously high for somebody as tall as Davis is.
1 Chris Paul
When basketball fans think of Chris Paul, they likely think about his playmaking and shooting. They certainly won't be disappointed in his Galaxy Opal card as he has all but three of the playmaking and shooting badges at a gold level or better.
He's no slouch on defense or slashing either. His 97 speed is absolutely a highlight, preventing any other point guard from trying to get past him. It should be mentioned that his offense is ranked at a perfect 99 overall, so he's at good at scoring as it gets.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.