Category: NBA 2K22 Shooting Badges

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

How to Grind your Badges Quickly and Efficiently

Grinding badges can be one of the most tedious parts of NBA 2K24, especially now that badges can be taken away if not used frequently. In this article we break down the quickest and most efficient ways to grind the badges on your player, and how to keep them if you

Shooting

Take tons of shots on low difficulty: The easiest way to get shooting badges is to play on pro difficulty and throw up a ton of 3’s. The low difficulty will make it easier to shoot, unlock the badge quicker, and keep the badge if you’re on the edge of losing it.

Do the Corner 3’s Drill in the Practice Facility: An easy way to get a bunch of badge points while practicing your jumpshot timing. The easiest and most efficient practice method to get shooting badge points.

Playmaking

Abuse the Pick and Roll: The Pick and Roll is one of the only easy ways to score on Next-Gen, but will get you a ton of assists and badge points along the way. Get a good center with brick wall and abuse the Pick and Roll.

The Triangle and Cut Method: This method has you hold triangle to call for your teammates to cut to the basket. This should help your teammates get easy buckets and help you get badge points.

Prioritize throwing lobs: Lobs are the best way to get the max points per possession. However, they can sometimes be hard to successfully completed. Thus, if you see a teammate wide open for a lob, throw it.

Pick the right badges to help grind: Quick First Step is a must-have badge for any other badge types, but Dimer and Special Delivery are the best badges to help you get more playmaking badge points.

Do the Lob drill in the practice facility: The Lob Drill is a quick and easy way to get a ton of Playmaking badge points. Although there are easier drills, none provide the best points for your time as this specific drill.

Finishing

Utilize fast breaks: Cherry picking is an easy way to get easy dunks and layups, which get you more finishing badge points. Use any fast breaks to get easy buckets instead of pulling up for three.

Unlock the right badges to help grind: Quick First Step is a must for getting to the basket, and Fearless Finisher, Posterizer, and Limitless Takeoff are musts. Other badges like Slithery Finisher can also help.

Abuse the Pick and Roll: It can be tough to get finishing badges on Next-Gen, but the best way seems to be to call for a pick and roll and drive to the hoop. While being the roller is also a way to get points, we haven’t had the same success.

Do the Putback drill in the practice facility: This drill has you finish Putbacks. It can get you a serious amount of badge points in not much time, and it is a rather easy drill. You don’t even need a high dunk rating to do it, either.

Defense

Bump Steals: Bump steals are a great way to rack up easy defensive badge points. The only problem is they can be a bit tough at times. But timing and positioning correctly can be an easily repeatable way to get defensive badges.

Rebounds: Big men get a ton of defensive badge points for rebounds. You will need the Rebound Chaser badge as high as you can get it, but it is the easiest way for big men to get easy defensive badge points.

Pick the right badges to help grind: We already mentioned Rebound Chaser, but other badges like Anchor are musts for grinding any player.

Do the Rim Protector drill in the practice facility: This drill is easy and gets you a ton of points quickly. You only need to prevent a basket, with blocks providing you more stars on the drill.

The Best Shooting Badges in NBA 2K23 for Every Position

Jump to: Guards | Swings | Big Men

Shooting looks like it is going to be dominant in NBA 2K23, and your performance will again be highly dependent on badges. As you begin playing 2K23, you’re going to want to equip the following shooting badges.

Guards

Guards are mostly going to be focused on shooting off-the-dribble with a bit of spot-up work. Here the best shooting badges for guards:

Tier 3

  1. Limitless Range: Shooting from deep is still one of the most valuable skills in NBA 2K23, and this badge is going to help you launch from deep.
  2. Deadeye: With badges like Challenger, contests on shots are stronger than ever. This increases the importance of Deadeye, which diminishes contests from the front.
  3. Blinders: Another badge that diminishes contests, this time from the side. Not necessary in many situations, but helpful if you have the badge points.

Tier 2

  1. Amped: With dribbling revamped this year, fatigue plays a bigger role in shooting. Amped is going to help you shoot when tired, and most dribbling builds are going to need it.
  2. Catch and Shoot: Off-ball shooters are going to need this badge, and it’s pretty cheap compared to its effectiveness. Other players could benefit from it on lower levels.

Tier 1

  1. Guard Up: Although the defense’s focus is going to be on making sure you don’t get open shots, this badge is going to help you make more shots when the defense doesn’t put a hand up.
  2. Comeback Kid: You never plan on being down in the score, but it happens. This badge is actually awesome and can really turn the tide of a game when equipped.

Swings

Swing players are mostly focused on off-ball shooting, and these tier-based selections reflect that style of play:

Tier 3

  1. Limitless Range: Shooting from deep is also important for swing players, and this badge is the best chance you have to shoot from deep.
  2. Catch and Shoot: Off-ball shooters are going to need to have this badge, and most swing players fit this category. A highly effective badge that will help you hit more shots.
  3. Deadeye: Negating contests is a big part of shooting off-ball, too. Deadeye helps the best when someone is guarding you 1-on-1.

Tier 2

  1. Guard Up: Whether your defender sags off you or just doesn’t contest your shots, this badge is going to make defenses pay for not guarding you.
  2. Corner Specialist: You’ll probably find yourself in the corner at some point, and this badge is your best chance at increasing your chances to make those shots.

Tier 1

  1. Claymore: If you’re mainly a spot-up shooter, this badge is going to be both a cheap and extremely effective way to make more shots. The more you stand still, the higher chance you have of making a shot.
  2. Comeback Kid: This badge again. It’s cheap, but works really well at helping your team come back in games.

Big Men

Big Men are almost exclusively spot-up shooters or pick-and-pop shooters, and the following badges are going to help you maximize your chances in both situations:

Tier 3

  1. Catch and Shoot: Shooting off the catch becomes so much easier with this badge, and it’s almost necessary for any big man with shooting ability.
  2. Corner Specialist: You’ll most likely mostly be in the corner, and this badge is going to help you make more of those shots.

Tier 2

  1. Claymore: Since you’ll be spotting up most of the time, this badge is going to help you make more spot-up shots. The longer you sit in one position, the more of a bonus you get.
  2. Guard Up: It’s common for defenders to sag off centers, but this badge will make them pay for their actions.

Tier 1

  1. Comeback Kid: Centers typically have lower shooting ratings, but this badge is going to help you boost those ratings when you need it most. When you’re losing, this badge comes to the rescue.
  2. Clutch Shooter: Another badge that gives a boost to your ratings, this time late in games. Teams might focus on your teammates in big situations, so this badge helps make the other team pay.

How to Use Your Badge Points

If you would like tips or tricks on your badge points, please send an email to nba2khq@gmail.com and we will help you pick the best badges for your player(s).

NBA 2K20 Badges – The Complete List

Finishing

Acrobat: Spin, half-spin, hop step, euro-step, cradle, reverse, and change shot layup attempts receive a significant boost.

Backdown Punisher: Allows players to have more success than normal when backing down a defender in the paint.

Consistent Finisher: Penalties for mis-timed layups are reduced, allowing players to make layups more consistently.

Contact Finisher: Slashers who play below the rim finish contact layups more successfully while dunkers are able to pull off more contact dunks.

Cross-Key Scorer: Boosts the ability to make running hooks, layups, or close range pull-ups while driving across the paint.

Deep Hooks: Post hooks taken far from the basket receive less of a distance penalty than normal.

Dropstepper: Allows for more success when attempting post dropsteps and hop steps, in addition to protecting the ball better, while performing these moves in the post.

Fancy Footwork: players get past defenders more efficiently when performing euro, cradle, hop step, spin, and half-spin gathers.

Fastbreak Finisher: Gives an additional boost to a player’s takeover meter when successfully dunking on a fastbreak.

Giant slayer: Boosts the shot percentage for a layup attempt when mismatched against a taller defender and reduces the possibility of getting blocked.

Lob City Finisher: Improves a player’s ability to successfully finish an alley-oop layup or dunk. The shot must be taken before the receiver lands.

Pick & Roller: When rolling off the pick and roll, a shot boost is applied if the layup or dunk attempt comes within a few seconds after catching the pass.

Pro Touch: Gives an extra shot boost for having slightly early, slightly late, or excellent shot timing on layups.

Putback Boss: Boosts the shot attributes of a player that attempts a putback layup or dunk right after getting an offensive rebound.

Relentless Finisher: Improves a player’s ability to take a lot of contact by reducing the energy lost when attacking the rim for contact shots.

Showtime: Gives an additional boost to a player’s takeover meter and his teammates, when successfully completing an and-1 or flashy dunk.

Slithery Finisher: Increases a player’s ability to slide through traffic and avoid contact during gathers and finishes at the rim.

Tear dropper: Improves a player’s ability to known down floaters and runners.

Shooting

Catch & Shoot: For a short time after receiving a pass, the receiver’s outside shooting attributes get a significant boost.

Clutch Shooter: Shot attempts that occur during the final moments of the 4th quarter, or in any overtime period, receive a large boost.

Corner Specialist: Deep mid-range or 3pt shots taken along the baseline of the court receive a boost, whether it is off the dribble or off the catch.

Deadeye: Jump shots taken with a defender closing out receive less of a penalty from a shot contest. This includes both mid-range and 3pt shots.

Deep fades: Post fadeaways taken far from the basket receive less of a distance penalty than normal.

Difficult Shots: Boosts your player’s ability to make shots off the dribble, in addition to boosting your player’s ability to make moving shots.

Flexible Release: Shot timing penalties for jump shots are reduced, making it easier to knock down attempts even when releasing early or late.

Green Machine: Gives an additional shot boost when consecutively achieving excellent releases on jump shots. 

Hot Start: For every made shot from the beginning of the game, players receives a shot attribute bonus that lasts until the first missed shot attempt

Hot Zone Hunter: Shots that are taken in a player’s hot zone(s) are given a boost

Ice in Veins: Free throws taken in the second half of close games or overtime periods are given a boost. Also, the timing window for free throws becomes larger.

Pick & Popper: Shot attempts that come after setting a screen are given a boost if the shot happens far enough from the rim and within a few seconds after the screen has been set.

Pump Fake Maestro: Shortens the timer that determines how long after a pump fake a player can shoot without incurring a shot percentage penalty.

Quick Draw: The higher the badge level, the faster a player will be able to release all jump shots.

Range Extender: Adds extra distance to a player’s given shot range for both mid-range and 3pt shots.

Slippery Off-Ball: When attempting to get open off screens, the player more effectively navigates through traffic.

Steady Shooter: Shot attempts that are contested receive less of a penalty, however shot attempts that are open do not receive as much of a bonus.

Tireless Scorer: Shot attributes on jump shots suffer a smaller penalty than normal when tired.

Volume Shooter: After a player has taken a small handful of shots, an additional boost to shot attributes is given for ever subsequent shot, whether it’s a make or a miss.

Playmaking

Ankle Breaker: Improves the likelihood of freezing or dropping a defender during dribble moves, especially stepback moves or certain chains of dribble moves.

Bail Out: Increases the chances of a successful and accurate pass out of a jumpshot or layup while mid-air.

Break Starter: Allows rebounders to throw more effective deep outlet passes shortly following a defensive rebound.

Dimer: Gives a shooting boost to receivers in catch-and-shoot oppurtunities.

Downhill: Increases your player’s speed with ball rating on fastbreak opportunities

Dream Shake: Increases the chances that a defender falls for a pump fake in the post. In addition, your player’s shooting attributes increase after post moves or pump fakes.

Flashy Passer: Gives a Takeover boost to the passer and receiver after following a made shot off a flashy pass.

Floor General: Boosts your teammates’ offensive attributes when on the floor.

Handles for Days: Allows playmakers and dribbling builds to lose less stamina when chaining dribble moves.

Lob City Passer: Increases the chances of a successful alley-oop pass and finish. It boosts both your player’s passing attribute and the finishing attributes of your receiver.

Needle Threader: Increases the success of tough passes between defenders. When activated, this badge will boost your passing attributes and help deliver a crisp pass.

Pass Fake Maestro: Increases the effectiveness of fake passes by making them quicker and tighter.

Post Spin Technician: Boosts a player’s post spin or post drive

Quick First Step: Allows players to get more explosive first steps out of the triple threat or size up.

Space Creator: Boosts your player’s ability to create space from a defender on a step back move or shot.

Stop & Go: Allows ball handlers to quickly stop-and-go while dribbling. You also get unique launch animations on stop-and-gos with this badge.

Tight Handles: Boosts your player’s ball handling in one-on-one situations.

Unpluckable: Makes it more difficult for defenders to steal the ball from your player.

Defending and Rebounding

Box: Strengthens a player’s ability to effectively box out opponents in anticipation of a rebound.

Brick Wall: This badge makes it tougher for a defense to get through or around screens. Players hit by contact from a brick wall lose more energy than normal.

Chase Down Artist: Boosts the speed and leaping ability of a player when he is chasing down an offensive player in anticipation of a block attempt.

Clamps: Defenders have access to quicker cut off moves and are more successful when bumping or hip riding riding the ball handler.

Defensive Leader: Lifts the defensive ability of teammates when on the court. Also, at the Hall of Fame level, can see potential shot percentages of opposing players. 

Heart crusher: After successfully blocking or stealing the ball from an opponent, an additional penalty is given to the opposing player’s takeover meter.

Interceptor: The frequency of successfully tipped or intercepted passes greatly increases.

Intimidator: Offensive players have less success shooting when contested by players with this badge. Also boosts the shot defense rating when tightly guarding an opponent.

Lightning Reflexes: Gives the defender an advantage to read where the ball handler is going in the Read and React System.

Moving Truck: Players are more effective pushing opponents out of the post while playing defense.

Off-Ball Pest: Makes players more difficult to get past when playing off-ball, as they can grab and hold their matchup and don’t get their ankles broken as often.

Pick Dodger: Improves a player’s ability to navigate through and round screens while on defense.

Pick Pocket: Increases the chances of a steal and reduces the chances of a foul when attempting to strip the ball from a ball handler. Also improves the chances of successful layup strips. 

Pogo Stick: Allows players to quickly go back for another block attempt upon landing.

Post Move Lockdown: Increases the chances of a defender preventing an offensive post move from succeeding.

Rebound chaser: Improves a player’s ability to track down rebounds from farther distances than normal.

Rim protector: Improves player’s ability to block shots, unlocks special animations and gives a boost to the Takeover meter for the blocker and blocker’s teammates following a block.

Tireless defender: Allows defenders to play defense more aggressively without losing energy at the same rate as a normal player.

Trapper: When trapping offensive players, defenders are more effective at forcing pickups and turnovers than normal. 

Worm: When boxed out, rebounders have more success swimming around and getting into successful rebound position.

NBA 2K23 Shooting Badges: The Complete Guide

Here is the list of Shooting Badges in NBA 2K23, on both Next Gen and current generation consoles. The tier in which each badge is in is also included under each badge’s description.

BadgeDescription
Agent 3Improves the ability to hit difficult three-pointers off dribble
BlindersLimits the effectiveness of contests from the side.
Deadeye Mitigates the effectiveness of closeouts.
Limitless RangeMakes shooters more effective shooting from a few steps beyond the 3pt line
AmpedReduces the penalties for shooting when fatigued and when moving excessively before shooting
Catch & ShootBoosts the chance of hitting a three-pointer immediately after a catch
Green MachineIncreases the bonus given for consecutive excellent releases
Space CreatorBoosts stepback and hop jumpers
ClaymoreBoosts a player's shooting when they are standing still prior to getting the ball
Clutch ShooterIncreases the ability to knock down shots in clutch moments
Comeback KidImproves a player's ability to shoot perimeter jump shots when trailing in a game.
Corner SpecialistGives a boost to shots taken in the corner.
Guard UpMakes an outside shooter even deadlier if opponent fails to get a hand in the face
Middy MagicianGives you a boost on midrange shots off the bounce or in the post
Slippery Off-BallStrengthens the player's ability to get open off the ball using the Pro Stick
Volume ShooterBoost shot percentages as shot attempts accrue throughout the game.

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