Playmaking is an art in the NBA. Players have come to realize that the modern game demands passing from everybody and not just the point guard. The teams that give themselves the best shot selections tend to win the games. That was true for the champion Denver Nuggets and it's also true in NBA 2K24.
This is one aspect where the franchise has been ahead of the curve. Even before NBA 2K24 the best players in the game were dribbling and passing nightmares, constantly dominating the court. To be one of the rare players who is tapped into the importance of playmaking, use the best animations for the job.
Best Playmaking Moves
Playmaking moves are sets of packages, so be sure to look at each one fully and not just the initial animation shown. Sometimes the first few passes or dribbles can look amazing but be hampered by other kinds of slow and easy-to-steal animations. The complete package should be tight.
Pass Style
Best Overall | LaMelo Ball | Requirement(s): Pass Accuracy 85+ |
Most Deceptive | Jason Williams | Requirement(s): Pass Accuracy 90+ |
Hardest To Steal | Nikola Jokic | Requirement(s): Pass Accuracy 80+ |
Quickest | De'Aaron Fox | Requirement(s): Pass Accuracy 79+ |
The best point guard build should be able to pass well and these animations will all help. LaMelo has a great blend of arm extension, quickness, and deception but players should also consider their preferences when making a choice. Jason Williams has a ton of behind-the-back passes that can really trip up opponents.
Dribble Styles
Best Overall | Steve Nash | Requirement(s): Speed With Ball 83+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'5" | Steve Nash | Requirement(s): Speed With Ball 83+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Magic Johnson | Requirement(s): Speed With Ball 75+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Pro | Requirement(s): Speed With Ball 70+ |
The biggest thing for a good dribble style is that it must be low and quick. The higher and longer a dribble takes, the larger the window to steal it is for opponents. Also, a quicker dribble allows players to pass and shoot more instantaneously. The best center build might not be as quick on paper as some but its animations can be lightning-fast with the Pro package.
Signature Size Ups
Best Overall | Steve Francis | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 95+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'5" | Steve Francis | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 95+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Cade Cunningham | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 75+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Kevin Durant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 85+ |
As with dribble styles, these should be low and quick to prevent steals. The best styles should also keep the opposing guessing by having each bounce be deceptive. The defender should have no idea whether a drive, pass, shot, or another dribble move is coming. If they guess wrong, nobody is going to stop the best power forward build from driving by and getting a dunk in the paint or a shooter from putting one up before the defense can react.
Regular Breakdown Combo
Best Overall | Isaiah Thomas | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 85+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'5" | Isaiah Thomas | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 85+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Kobe Bryant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 75+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Pro | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+ |
Regular breakdowns are designed to get the defense on their heels. If they fall back, then the character can fire off a quick shot. Or if they lean to one side or the other, it's possible to drive on the opposite side. The best three-point build will love what Isaiah Thomas can bring to the table as opponents will be paranoid about the drive only to see the ball go over their heads.
Aggressive Breakdown Combo
Best Overall | Stephen Curry | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'5" | Stephen Curry | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Kobe Bryant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 88+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Kevin Durant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 85+ |
Aggressive breakdown combos should do exactly what regular breakdowns do. They cost more energy but the tradeoff is that they should be harder to gauge.
Remember that if the moves aren't convincing, it's better to save energy and not do an aggressive breakdown at all. Stephen Curry is well worth it especially for the best shooting guard build as it has an excellent burst forward and then step back for a shot.
Escape Moves
Best Overall | Chris Paul | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Under 6'5" | Damian Lillard | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 90+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Chris Paul | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Zach LaVine | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+ |
It's all about side-to-side action for an escape move. The design is to get open for a drive or a shot to the left or right. They need to be quick, obviously, but this move needs to be deceptive as well. If the player slowly drifts to one side or the other, it's not all that valuable. The best small forward build will love how open they get when using Chris Paul's lightning-quick animations.
Combo Moves
Best Overall | Jayson Tatum | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Under 6'5" | Damian Lillard | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 90+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Jayson Tatum | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | James Harden | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+ |
The advantage of a traditional combo move over some of these others is how seamlessly they transition to a drive or shot. Most animations can be used at a standstill or while diving. If it's tricky, quick, and controlled, opponents can do nothing but watch the ball carrier fly by.
Crossovers
Best Overall | Kobe Bryant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 88+ |
Best Under 6'5" | Stephen Curry | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Mike Conley | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 79+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Kobe Bryant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 88+ |
The concept of the crossover is simple; it's all about how quickly a player can transition from driving and dribbling on one side of the ball to driving and dribbling toward the other. If the move is snappy, then there is no way any human defense can react to the transition. The best dunker build will want to be sure to get this animation package right so they can get past defenders and to the rim in the blink of an eye.
Behind The Backs
Best Overall | Darius Garland | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'5" | Darius Garland | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Trae Young | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Chris Paul | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 85+ |
With a solid behind the back move, opponents should be guessing whether the athlete will drive forward or pull back for a jumper. Each package contains both types of animations
The move needs to be fast, as always, but pay close attention to the footwork and trickery as well. If it's confusing to figure out, then it's useful in the game. Chris Paul is one of the best point guards in the game and somehow his animation is available for big men, so it's quite useful.
Spins
Best Overall | Jamal Murray | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Under 6'5" | Stephen Curry | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Jamal Murray | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Penny Hardaway | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 75+ |
A great spin will always be a little slower than a crossover but the advantage is that it can be more sneaky. If it can lure the defender into reaching for the ball, flip around and instantly be open for a drive or a shot. Jamal Murray loses almost no speed at all on his spin and has a few different drive animations which makes him handy for most builds.
Hesitations
Best Overall | Ja Morant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 75+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Under 6'5" | Kyrie Irving | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 90+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | Ja Morant | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 75+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Larry Bird | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+ |
Hesitations can even fool smart opponents since they feign going in one direction before actually moving that way or not. If the animation appears to make an obvious change in direction before continuing, this can trip up opponents who are trying to anticipate the next move. Kyrie Irving is one of the best shooting guards and he shows it with his playmaking.
Stepbacks
Best Overall | Stephen Curry | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'5" | Stephen Curry | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 92+, Height Under 6'5" |
Best Under 6'10" | John Wall | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 80+, Height Under 6'10" |
Best Big Man | Kawhi Leonard | Requirement(s): Ball Handle 70+ |
Stepbacks are important for most players but three-point shooters especially should make this a key focus. When observing the animations, imagine a three-point line is there. The best animations will appear to step in front and commit to a drive before taking a swift step to behind that line for a three. It should have a great forward-to-back motion. Kawhi Leonard is one of the best small forwards thanks to his smooth moves.
Triple Threat Styles
Best Overall | Zion Williamson | Requirement(s): None |
Most Secure | Pro | Requirement(s): None |
Best At Drawing Fouls | Zach LaVine | Requirement(s): None |
Most Deceptive | Kobe Bryant | Requirement(s): None |
Dribbling isn't the only way to keep the defense guessing. When holding the ball, the character can also use their arms and non-pivot foot to try and foot the opponent. This is one of the best ways to draw a foul in an attempted steal so long as the animation is active and erratic. Zion Williamson is one of the best power forwards with one of the most active triple threat styles in the game.
NBA 2K24 is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.