NBA 2K18 is due out in just a few weeks, and the team at 2K is doing a great job of releasing information about the game. The thing people might be most hyped about is the improvements to MyCAREER mode, including the change to 189 possible archetypes. They allow you to customize your in-game player a variety of ways, and it’s a big improvement in terms of allowing freedom to create the type of player someone desires. This list can go any number of ways, but we’ve gathered the top ten archetypes to get you ready for the game’s release.
10. PG | Primary: 3-point shooting | Secondary: 3-point shooting
This one is for those that want to have a point guard with the range of Steph Curry. Though you’ll sacrifice the type of ball handling ability Curry has, doubling up on the three-point archetype allows for four Hall of Fame badges: Catch & Shoot, Deep Range Deadeye, Corner Specialist, and Limitless Range. As a point guard that can hit daggers from anywhere, it’ll be frustrating for opponents to defend.
9. PF | Primary: Defending | Secondary: Defending
A stretch four with three-point shooting as both the archetypes is also an excellent option, but a lockdown defender at power forward gets four Hall of Fame badges including Defensive Stopper and Rim Protector. Scoring might become an issue on offense, but there shouldn’t be much issue playing above the rim when getting lobs from your teammates. A defender/defender PF would help when switching on pick-and-rolls on defense.
8. PG | Primary: Defending | Secondary: Defending
Along with power forward, point guard is the only position you can double up on the defending archetype. The potential for a Hall of Fame Pick Pocket badge makes this an enticing option for someone looking to get some steals and start fast breaks. This archetype is an excellent counter to any monster scorer at the point guard position.
7. SG | Primary: Shot Creating | Secondary: Driving and Finishing
Surprisingly, there are only five possible archetypes for the shooting guard position. All the secondary archetypes must be driving and finishing, but shot creating gets the nod for the primary archetype. It’s probably the closest thing you can get to a Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant type of player with your MyPLAYER.
6. C | Primary: Post Scoring | Secondary: Post Scoring
Defense might be an issue with this combination, but pairing a dominant down low scorer with a defense/defense power forward could be a lethal duo. Because there is unlikely to be any centers with defending as their primary archetype (Passing & Ball-handling and Driving & Finishing are the only possibilities for the secondary archetype with defending for centers), scoring centers could be nearly unstoppable.
5. SF | Primary: Passing & Ball-handling | Secondary: Passing and Ball-handling
If you want to go with a scoring point guard (for example, the number ten archetype on the list), this archetype would be a great one to go along with it on a team. Doubling up on the Passing & Ball-handling archetype allows for five Hall of Fame badges. You can even create this archetype with the intention of having this player run the point like a Magic Johnson.
4. SF | Primary: 3-point shooting | Secondary: 3-point shooting
Knock-down shooters from the wing could fill it up quickly, and this archetype is the only way to get full three-point scoring from that position (shooting guards cannot double up on the shooting archetype). By creating a smaller player at this position, he can be more of a pure scoring wing type, though he might need to be covered up on defense.
3. PG | Primary: Passing & Ball-handling | Secondary: Passing and Ball-handling
An offensive floor general should probably go for the overkill as Passing & Ball-handling, as it sets up the possibility for five Hall of Fame badges: Dimer, Ankle Breaker, Pick & Roll Maestro, Lob City Passer, and Flashy Passer. If a team starts clicking with this archetype in the lineup, it’ll be difficult to stop them with a point guard putting passes on the money to his teammates.
2. C | Primary: Post scoring | Secondary: Defending
While the post scoring x2 center could dominate down low on offense, the post scoring and defending center has the potential to dominate on both ends of the court. This archetype might be the closest resemblance to the cover athlete of the Legend Editions of the game, Shaquille O’Neal.
1. SF | Primary: Shot creator | Secondary: 3-point shooting
In the past, shot creators have been among the most difficult players to stop in NBA 2K. Going with this archetype gives an all-around offensive game to a small forward, allowing you to shake your defender for wide open shots, drain threes, and set your teammates up for easy looks when the defense tries to help or double team you. A shot creating shooter will likely be the most frustrating player to play against in NBA 2K18.
And of course, this list could be totally different. There are 179 left off the list, and each of them could be number one to some people. That’s part of why this archetype idea was a great one—it allows players to be divergent from each other.
NBA 2K18 releases on September 19.
#7 no doubt. KOBE!
I could get behind this…..
6’7 playmaking/shot creator