Over the last decade in the NBA, there's been a weird shift where point guards like Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard have existed in this space where they function as a hybrid point/shooting guard. This means that they serve as both the team's primary ball-handler and source of scoring.
That doesn't mean that both the NBA and the video game series NBA 2K don't have traditional point guards who are great passers that set up teammates, though. Like every other year, NBA 2K23 features solid point guard play and rangers from superstars like the previously mentioned Stephen Curry, to emerging stars at the point guard position like the Charlotte Hornets LaMelo Ball.
Updated January 25, 2023 by Jerrad Wyche: The NFL season is coming to an end, meaning the sports world's eyes are turning to the hardwood. Each year plenty of storylines unfold in the world of professional basketball, and just like the play on the court it often revolves around the primary ballhandlers who tend to play the point guard position.
Fans are wondering if Luka Doncic is the next NBA great, or if Trae Young will stay a part of the Atlanta Hawks. The position is only getting better each year and NBA 2K23 tries to do a good job of reflecting that growth.
12 Tyrese Maxey (86)
Every year it feels like a handful of NBA players make a jump out of nowhere and start entering the conversation of emerging stars. NBA 2K23 has rightfully noticed that the Philadelphia 76ers are experiencing this with point guard Tyrese Maxey.
He's made clear imprints for the team during the playoffs, but this season his 21 points per game are showcasing that he is a legitimate third option behind superstars Joel Embiid and James Harden. In the coming years, Maxey could grow into a superstar himself and hopefully help Embiid in the back half of his career bring an NBA championship to the city of Philadelphia.
11 De'Aaron Fox (86)
De'Aaron Fox is a player who hasn't seen a whole lot of team success in the NBA, mostly due to landing on a Sacramento Kings team that has failed to roster a competitive team since George W. Bush was in office as president. This year is different, as they sit in the thick of the Western Conference standings when looking at the possible NBA Playoff scenarios.
Fox's 23 points per game might not sound crazy, but he's leading his team and facilitating a unit that has produced the most optimism for the Kings fan base the league has seen in two decades. Every player should get a chance to taste what it's like to play in the NBA Playoffs and Fox is doing everything in his power, including earning an 86 overall in NBA 2K23, to make that a reality.
10 Darius Garland (86)
After landing his first appearance on an NBA All-Star team in 2021, Darius Garland will look to repeat that success in 2022. The recent acquisition of Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz means that the Cleveland Cavaliers point guard will have some scoring pressure alleviated from his shoulders.
He can enter the season focusing on effectively running the team from the point guard position. It's unclear if Garland will string together All-Star level seasons, but for the time being his 87 overall in NBA 2K23 was more than earned as the Cavs surprised everyone in the league with their growth during last season.
9 Chris Paul (87)
As Chris Paul gets older fans are wondering if the future Hall of Famer will ever get a chance to win a championship. His leadership and toughness have never come into question, but time is cruel to every man, and it's clear he's losing a step with each passing year.
The Phoenix Suns may have Devin Booker representing the team as the face of the franchise, but Paul's addition has helped that group mature into a winning culture that demands excellence. An 87 overall in NBA 2K23 isn't the highest rating Paul has ever held, but it's more than respectable for a guy who will go down as an all-time great at the point guard position.
8 LaMelo Ball (87)
With one brother dealing with injury and the other fighting to make the NBA, LaMelo Ball has emerged as the clear superstar of the bunch. It was unclear how he'd develop for the Charlotte Hornets, but he's managed to be as good as advertised.
The second-year leap is one that NBA talent evaluators talk about being pivotal in a player's growth, and in Ball's second year, he posted 20 points, 7.5 assists, and nearly 7 rebounds per game. His NBA 2K23 overall of 87 might be the start of what could be a stellar career as one of the NBA's most creative and entertaining point guards. It'll be up to the Hornets to build a competitive roster around their star ball distributor.
7 Trae Young (89)
Every story needs a good villain, and Trae Young is the type of person who loves to be hated. Now that's not to say that the Atlanta Hawks' star point guard is a bad person, but in the NBA's biggest moments, Young doesn't mind being the subject of a fanbase's emotions.
The NBA 2K23 90 overall Oklahoma University alum will finally play alongside a fellow star guard in Dejounte Murray thanks to a trade made between the Hawks and San Antonio Spurs during the offseason. Young will likely never be an elite-level defender, but if he adds that part of the game gradually to his skillset his overall will likely go even higher as he becomes more well-rounded.
6 Kyrie Irving (89)
Kyrie Irving, if nothing else, is the NBA's biggest enigma. A glance at social media will display the fact that he's likely the most hated player in the league. Between the injury issues and leadership concerns that have haunted his career, people have lost sight of just how talented Irving is.
Whether justified or not, his 89 overall feels a bit low for a player many would consider the best ball-handler in the league regardless of position. If the Brooklyn Nets can come together in 2022 and make a real push for an NBA Championship, it's likely that Irving regains the respect on the court that he deserves. That does require him to be on the court, though, which has been the main concern for him as of late.
5 Damian Lillard (91)
If Stephen Curry didn't exist, Damian Lillard would be considered the most dangerous man behind the three-point line in the NBA. Though he'll likely finish his career with an incredible legacy behind him, Lillard's gone a bit overlooked due to unfortunately playing in the same era as the greatest shooter of all time.
In NBA 2K23 Lillard's 89 overall puts him as the fifth best point guard in the league, which may sound a bit high for his haters, and a bit low for his truthers. The Portland Trailblazers will likely never play in an NBA Finals series with Lillard on the roster, which is a bummer considering the talent he's put on display since his rookie campaign.
4 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (91)
He may be one of the lesser-known names on this list, but fans of basketball know just how talented and capable Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the court. Not only is he set to be near the top of the league at over 30 points per game, but he's also managing to get better every season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder is a team full of young and promising talent, so it's nice to see someone like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander get the respect he deserves with a rating of 91 in NBA 2K23. With plenty of season to play, there is no telling the heights he can reach considering the number of expectations he's exceeded during his career in the NBA.
3 Ja Morant (94)
Ja Morant managed to put together a season in 2021 that was so sensational he took home his first All-NBA appearance as well as the NBA Most Improved Player award. Posting 27 points and almost 7 assists per game in addition to his high-flying antics quickly ascended him to superstar status.
His 93 overall in NBA 2K23 comes jam-packed with all of the athletic ability that makes his larger-than-life playstyle jump off the screen. He's dealt with some injury issues in his first three seasons, but if he can stay healthy and develop a consistent three-point shot it's astonishing just how great he can become.
2 Luka Doncic (96)
Over the last three seasons in the NBA, it's hard to deny the emergence of Luka Doncic. Fans have seen him hit incredible buzzer-beater shots to win games, and his play has elevated when he hits the postseason. The big issue with the Dallas Mavericks is their failure to surround him with a competitive roster.
NBA 2K cover athlete feels like a question of 'when' and not 'if' with Doncic, and that means his 95 overall in NBA 2K23 probably won't be the peak of his time in the game as a current player. His mix of scoring and high-level ball distribution makes him dangerous to opposing defenses as he can help his team score in a myriad of ways.
1 Stephen Curry (96)
Entering the 2021 season there were questions as to whether fans had seen the prime of Stephen Curry's career in a Golden State uniform. By year's end, the all-time great shooter reaffirmed his place in the NBA record books. Not only did he bring his city another championship, but he finally grabbed the Finals MVP trophy that eluded him all these years.
One could argue that a 96 overall feels low for Curry, but it still lands him at the top spot among point guards, so in context, it's more than fitting. Also, anyone using him in the game knows that he's a literal cheat code that can bail players out of tough spots with Curry's ridiculous shooting ability.
NBA 2K23 is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and PC.