Best Animations Archives

Best Dribble Moves

Getting open off the dribble is one of the most valuable skills in NBA 2K23. And while stick skills are still super important to master dribbling, having the right animations is the first thing you need to master.

In this post we break down the best dribble moves in NBA 2K23, with a main focus on primary ball handlers and a slight focus on players with lower ball handling:

Note: Different Dribble Moves are locked behind certain ball handle or speed with ball ratings in 2K23. We will list the required ratings for each dribble move we recommend.

Dribble Style: Michael Jordan (75+ Speed with Ball). The best dribble style that creates great animations.
Signature Size-Up: DeAaron Fox (80+ Ball Handle). A quick move that is a great way to start your dribble chain from a standstill.
Size-Up Escape: Kevin Durant (75+ Ball Handle). Gives you great space on either side when you use it
Moving Crossover: James Harden (80+ Ball Handle). A quick move that can help create some space when you’re moving towards the basket.
Moving Behind the Back: Zach Lavine (75+ Ball Handle). A quick move that can get you some lateral space when moving downhill.
Moving Spin: Basic. The best for many years at this point, although many people do not use this move often.
Moving Hesitation: Normal. Another move infrequently used.
Moving Stepback: Luka Doncic (80+ Ball Handle). The double step to the side animations is a killer move in isolation that can get you space and help you get past defenders with ease.
Triple Threat Style: Normal. There’s no need to fuss about this too much, as the Triple Threat still isn’t a great move to use to get open.
Passing Style: Lebron James (75+ Pass Accuracy). The perfect balance between flash and effectiveness.

The Best Layup Packages

Finishing at the rim is one of the most animation-driven features in 2K, meaning you better hope you get the right animation or you’re missing an open layup.

Therefore, you’re going to need the right Layup package for your player. We’ve compiled the best ones in 2K24, all based on the type of player you have.

Guards

De’Aaron Fox: This package is pretty straightforward, but it is the best for attacking the rim. If you’re looking to beeline it to the hoop and get a layup, this package is best for you.

Requirements: 84+ Driving Layup

Default Swing: If you can’t get the Fox layup package, the Default swing package is effective enough to get the job done. It’s nothing fancy, but it works.

Swing Players

Michael Jordan: This package allows you to start layups further out from the paint. It can be a bit flashy at times, but has plenty of simple animations that help you make layups.

Requirements: Driving Layup 83+

Ben Simmons: An underrated package for years, Simmons’ layup package is very similar to the old Long Athlete. It has some goofy animations, which made people avoid it, but those are easy to avoid.

Requirements: Driving Layup 78+

For Big Men

Giannis Antetokounmpo: The closest package to Long Athlete of yesteryear, this layup package will allow you to start layup further from the basket and finish easily over defenders.

Requirements: Driving Layup 88+

Nikola Jokic: This gives you some slower animations that can be impossible to guard if used correctly. If you learn this package correctly, you can and will dominate in the paint.

Requirements: Driving Layup 78+

The Best Dribble Pull-Up Animations

One of the best shots in the game for guards is the Dribble Pull-Up, whether that means shooting a fade or simply shooting off the dribble. But like Jumpshots, not all Dribble Pull-Up Animations are built the same. Here are the best dribble pullups in the game right now:

Stephen Curry: The quickest and easiest-to-time dribble pull-up animation set. Works for guards, wings, and bigs, and is by far the best for your player.
Pro 2: An athletic package that is a bit slower than the Curry package but gets more space on pull-ups. Good set of animations too, whether closer to the basket or further away.
Normal: Not as good as Normal 4 in past games, but the closest thing to it. Gets you decent enough space and gives you some extra time to green the shot.

The Best Jumpshots for All Positions

Jump to: Guards | Swings | Big Men | Best Jumpshot Settings

One of the toughest things to do in NBA 2K is to find the best jumpshot. You can spend hours looking for the best one and still come up empty, or find one you like and it simply fails to perform.

In this post we break down the best jumpshots we’ve found from many hours of gameplay, broken down into the best jumpshots for guards, swings, and big men:

Jumpshot Ratings

For the first time, each individual jumpshot release and base has their own set of ratings to determine their strengths and weaknesses. They are the following:

Shot Speed – How quick the shot is.
Release Height – How high the arc of the shot is released.
Defensive Immunity – How effective the shot is against defensive contests
Timing Impact – Adjusts shot windows.

Of course, you want a higher letter grade on each. But lower-rated shooters will only get shots with lower Timing Impacts, which is fine considering you only get a small boost from a higher Timing Impact rating.

Best Jumpshots for Guards

Guards under 6’5″ are spoiled when it comes to jumpshots this year, as they have the quickest and smoothest available to them. Here are the best jumpshot bases we’ve found that maximize the four shooting categories:

Guards with a High 3pt Rating (90+)

Base: Steph Curry
Upper Releases: Steph Curry
Note: An insane release for any guards with a higher rating, as it has killer ratings across the board. If you have a super high rating, Steph Curry’s base is going to be even better.

Guards with an Average 3pt Rating (85+)

Base: Trey Burke
Upper Releases: Aaron Holiday
Note: This jumpshot is insane for only needing an 85 3-Ball, giving you A ratings in two categories. Trey Burke’s base has always been easy to time, and it is the same deal this year.

Guards with a Low 3pt Rating (78+)

Base: Jae-Sean Tate
Upper Releases: Shake Milton
Note: This isn’t a great rating for any guard, so you’ll have to sacrifice some things to get a decent release speed (probably the most important attribute). This jumpshot has A+ speed and B+ immunity, which is more than you’ll get from most jumpshots at this rating.

Best Jumpshots for Big Men

Big Men have a tough time picking good jumpers this year, as there are only a bunch of wacky ones with a few good ones mixed in. Here are the best jumpshots we’ve found for big men in NBA 2K24:

For players with a high 3-ball (80+):

Base: Jonathan Isaac
Upper Releases: Jalen Smith (21%), Franz Wagner (79%)
Note: 80 is a decent 3pt rating for big men, and this jumpshot maximizes the key stats you need to shoot well with an A- release height and A+ release speed.

For players with an low 3-Ball (67+)

Base: Andre Drummond
Upper Releases: Tim Duncan (32%), Marquese Chriss (68%)
Note: Beggers can’t be choosers at this rating, but this jumpshot gives you B release height and A release speed.

Best Jumpshot Settings

There are several new settings that affect your jumpshot in NBA 2K23, most of which are focused on giving you a personalized shooting experience. Here are our best recommendations for these settings:

Shot Meter: Off. We haven’t used the shot meter in years, and you shouldn’t either. Online, it’s delayed, and you only need a few hundred shots in the Practice Facility to learn no-meter shooting.
Shot Timing: Shots and layups. If you play online, you’ll at least have to put on shot timing. We like layup timing because it’s actually pretty easy, and you get crazy boosts with it, too.
Shot Timing Release Time: Late. This is personal, but guard would probably do better on early or very early, whereas big men would probably benefit from late. Either way, none actually result in a faster jumpshot, just the amount of time you have to time the shot.
Free Throw Timing: User Timing. Free Throws are pretty easy to shoot this year (given you have a 70+ rating), so learning to time them is easy.