Gold cards are given out rather easily in NBA 2K23. After logging in just once, gamers will be virtually drowning in them. Their primary goal will likely be to replace their gold cards with better cards. That's understandable, but hang on to that thought for just a moment.
Not all of the MyTeam cards with a higher tier or OVR in NBA 2K23 are better than all of the gold cards. The cards on this list are better than most of the cards in the Emerald and Sapphire tiers above them. Hold onto these cards for now to surprise opponents early while saving up for truly elite cards later.
A special thank you to the folks over at 2kdb.net for keeping the database of cards up to date!
10 M.L. Carr
A straight-up defensive small forward, M.L. Carr's badges are all about creating havoc on the exterior. He's got nothing exciting on offense, but he does have some red zones on the inside of the arc, so he'll be secure when taking an open shot.
Perimeter defenders are huge due to the prevalence of guards setting up picks to change up defenders. Usually, the small forward isn't prepared to handle a long-range guard, but Carr answers the challenge.
9 Julius Randle
What makes Nikola Jokic the best player in the league right now? His playmaking from under the rim. The game is starting to realize that passing from inside is just as deadly as when point guards show off their top-notch playmaking moves from the outside.
Julius Randle has two of the best playmaking badges around, allowing him to pass as a power forward (or 6'8" center, if needed). His hot zones exclude midrange, but he finishes strong and shoots threes just as well.
8 Myles Turner
Having a 7'4" wingspan on a 6'11" height puts Myles Turner into the realm of exceptional centers. Aside from Vice Grip, all of Myles Turner's badges are in the defense/rebounding category. And that's exactly what gamers want from their big men.
Use Turner as a stopper against dangerous opponents on the interior. Without any holes in the paint, other gamers will need to find another means of putting up points when Turner is locking things down on the inside.
7 Jonas Valanciunas
Although he might not have any badges in the shooting category, Jonas Valanciunas has some hot spots to take advantage of. As a center, he's not solely a stretch big, but he'll sink open shots on the perimeter when opponents forget about him.
Finishing and defense are strengths of Valanciunas, making him a solid 6'11" center. The added dimension to his game makes him a valuable commodity among gold cards that struggle just to do the bare minimum.
6 Marcus Fizer
Post moves got some big-time upgrades last year and this style of play remains useful. At least one player on the team should excel from shooting in the post just to keep the defense on their toes. Marcus Fizer's got the badges, attributes, and hot spots to fulfill this role.
On defense, Fizer is a solid rebounder, boxing out his competition. Against fellow power forwards, he's going to win the battle with his opponents well over half of the time. Or move the 6'8" man to small forward and really create a bad mismatch.
5 Dorell Wright
If a small forward is going to be a great perimeter shooter, they're going to need some of the best shooting badges and a sweet stroke. Dorell Wright is all about his skills from outside the arc, having five silver badges, all of which are in that category.
Specifically, he's got hot zones in the corners. As a bail-out option for slashers, there is none better. He's 6'9", so he's got a huge height and release advantage when it comes to this area of the court compared to guards making similar shots.
4 Cedric Maxwell
Power forwards at the gold tier are often not much more than helpers for interior defense. Cedric Maxwell laughs at the idea of being useless on offense with a group of badges that turn him into an effective slasher on that end of the court.
He's still got a few badges in each other category, the bulk of which are on the defensive end. At 6'8", Maxwell can also be bumped over to small forward, allowing for three defensive stalwarts on the interior should that become a team identity.
3 Derrick McKey
Shutting down small forwards is a tall order. Small forwards have the greatest variety when it comes to builds. Opponents have no way of knowing if they have to stop a perimeter shooter, post machine, or dunk master.
Derrick McKey can stop any build with a slew of defensive badges, enabling him to competently line up against any kind of scorer. At 6'9", McKey is built almost like a center, creating a mismatch for nearly any other small forward.
2 Rony Seikaly
Centers in the gold tier usually have a major issue. They can be smaller in stature, a letdown on defense, or useless on offense. For beginners, if they lose games, it's likely because their center isn't strong enough. Rony Seikaly fixes all these problems and then some.
With a gold badge in Fearless Finisher and some great finishing badges that let him score from the post, Seikaly is a go-to offensive threat. On the other end, his 6'11" frame and Post Lockdown badge prevent opposing centers from trying the same tactic.
1 Marcus Smart
Shooting guards usually act as the primary offense for a team. Whether by slashing inside, letting it go from deep, or a combination of both tactics, shooting guards are the first position to think of when it comes to playing defense.
Marcus Smart won't let that happen with the best defensive badges in the game, one of which is gold. He's not much of an offensive powerhouse like typical shooting guards, but being able to lock down the other team's biggest scoring threat should not be downplayed.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.