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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.

Shooting Boosts

Shooting Boosts are an in-game purchase with VC that gives a boost to how well you shoot in all games modes. Priced at 200 VC per game or 1500 per 10 games, they are the only true way to better your shooting attributes.

This begs the question: are Shooting Boosts necessary? We wholeheartedly say yes, as they certainly make it a lot easier to green shots in many modes. Our shot percentage increased a decent 20-30% with the boosts equipped.

And with a low 3pt rating shooter (a shooting/defense center), we found a similar increase in shooting percentage. We would say shooting boosts are more necessary for lower-rated shooters than those with a higher 3pt rating.

Recommendation: While the price of buying them may seem frustrating at times, if you really want to shoot at your highest potential, we highly recommend picking up some Shooting Boosts for your shooting build.

Rim Protector Takeover vs Glass Cleaner Takeover for Centers and Big Men

Most big men in NBA 2K20 have two options for their Takeover: Rim Protector or Glass Cleaner. While in some cases they can equip Post Scoring Takeover, the aforementioned two are the main options.

The differences between them are pretty stark, but considering your choice is set once you start your build, it’s important to choose the right one.

Rim Protector Takeover

Rim Protector Takeover gives players strong shot contest boosts and an arsenal of exclusive blocks that allow them to anchor the defense.

This Takeover only requires two blocks or about four good shot contests to activate (it’s pretty quick), and while activated, Rim Protector Takeover effectively shuts down the paint for opposing offenses.

Glass Cleaner Takeover

Glass Cleaner Takeover gives players the ability to read missed shots, win more box out battlers, secure more boards, and finish putbacks more consistently.

This Takeover requires five-plus boards to activate and generally takes longer than Rim Protector to activate. However, once activated, you get to see where to rebound missed shots, but the other supposed boosts are comparatively pretty weak.

Which One is Better for Your Big Man?

After testing both on similar builds, we recommend Rim Protector Takeover on your big man. It not only activates quicker, but the boosts are far and beyond more effective in every game mode.

And with Takeover having a large effect on the 95-99 grind and also Park Rep, you’re going to want to go with the Takeover you can activate quicker, which so happens to be Rim Protector Takeover.

How to Get the Gym Rat Badge

The Gym Rat badge is an unlockable badge in which you will get +4 to your Speed, Acceleration, Vertical, Strength, and Stamina. It can be unlocked through the following methods:

On Current Gen: You will need to complete the Mamba Mentality quest first, but afterwards you will need to talk to the NPC in front of the Gatorade Facility. He will give you a quest.

The “Addicted to Sweat” quest requires you to complete 50 exercises in the gym. You can also win a championship for your MyCareer team while playing 50+ games and get the Gym Rat Badge.

On Next Gen: You will get a Quest to talk to the Gatorade Rep. This will unlock the mission to get the Gym Rat badge, which includes 25 3-star exercises. This should take at least 5 weeks to unlock.

How to Grind your Badges Quickly and Efficiently

Grinding badges can be one of the most tedious parts of NBA 2K22. But it doesn’t have to take forever. In this article we break down the quickest and most efficient ways to grind the badges on your player.

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 and thus get more badge points.

Pick the right badges to help grind: Once you get some initial badges, you need to get the right badges. It’s a bit tougher this year, but badge like Volume Shooter will help you at the beginning.

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.

Pick 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 put 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.

Legend Rep Rewards

Legend is the highest level in the new Park Rep system in NBA 2K20. And although the grind to this level will be almost as tough as achieving 99 in past years, the rewards to reaching Legend status are quite sweet:

Free Copy of NBA 2K21

It’s unclear how many players who reach Legend will get this reward, but the first unknown amount of players will get next year’s version of the game for free.

Arrive in Style

This one is largely unknown, but it seems like you may get a custom entrance into the Park when’s you reach Legend status. Again, the features for this are unknown.

Be Featured on an Episode of 2KTV

Just like the Wall for 99 overalls in the past few 2K games, this feature seems like a way for 2K to claim they commemorate a player’s grind without actual individual commemoration.

The Ability to Kick Players off the ‘Got Next’ Spot Unlocked

This VIP feature doesn’t get used a ton, but is still a cool reward for reaching Legend status.

Extra Badge Points

Legend status players get 10 extra badge points for each badge category, allowing them to get up to two more Hall of Fame badges in their main categories or three gold badges in their non-main categories.

Legend Player Panels Available

The Player Panels are an aesthetic feature that can be a cool feature with the unique Legend panel to let othe players know about your lengthy grind.

Contact Dunks Requirements

Contact Dunks are some of the most fun animations in the game, largely due to the fact that it is extremely fun to dunk over or through a defender.

However, not every build can get contact dunk animations, as they must have the following attribute requirements to be able to pull of contact dunks:

  • Small Contact Dunks off Two – Driving Dunk 92+, Vertical 85+, and Player must be shorter than 6’5″
  • Small Contact Dunks off One– Driving Dunk 93+, Vertical 85+, and Player must be shorter than 6’5″
  • Pro Contact Dunks off Two– Driving Dunk 87+ and Vertical 75+
  • Pro Contact Dunks off One – Driving Dunk 89+ and Vertical 78+
  • Elite Contact Dunks Off Two – Driving Dunk 94+ and Vertical 82+
  • Elite Contact Dunks off One – Driving Dunk 96+ and Vertical 86+
  • Pro Bigman Contact Dunks – Standing Dunk 80+, Vertical 60+ and Player must be above 6’10”
  • Elite Bigman Contact Dunks – Standing Dunk 90+, Vertical 75+, and Player must be above 6’10”
  • Pro Contact Alley Oops – Driving Dunk 84+ and Vertical 70+
  • Elite Contact Alley Oops – Driving Dunk 92+ and Vertical 80+
  • Small Contact Alley Oops – Driving Dunk 86+, Vertical 85+, and Height under 6’5″
  • Big Contact Alley Oops – Standing Drunk 85+, Driving Dunk 70+, Vertical 60+, and Height at least 6’10”

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 Weekly Workouts

NBA 2K20 introduced a new use of the Gatorade Practice Facility; instead of providing a place for refueling stamina, this year the gym serves as a place to boost several of your physical attributes.

This boost only requires a set of five exercises that can boost your physical attributes up to +4, and the workouts only need to be done once every seven real days.

Here’s the complete guide to the NBA 2K20 Weekly Workouts:

How to Increase Your Player’s Acceleration

There are two exercises that can increase your player’s acceleration for a week: the Agility Ladder or the Agility Hurdles.

Both are about as equally difficult (but neither are actually hard), so we don’t recommend either exercise over the other one.

How to Increase Your Player’s Speed

There are two exercises to increase your player’s speed: Sprints and the Treadmill. The Treadmill is certainly easier than the Sprints, so we recommend getting your speed boost from the Treadmill.

How to Increase Your Player’s Stamina

There are two exercises to increase your player’s stamina: the Medicine Balls and the Battle Ropes. Both are equally difficult, but again not hard, so you can pick either one to get your stamina boost.

How to Increase Your Player’s Strength

There are three exercises to increase your player’s strength for the week: Bench Press, Squats, or the Dumbbells.

This is by far the hardest attribute set to perfect, so we recommend picking one of the drills and sticking to it for the rest of the year.

How to Increase Your Player’s Vertical

There are three drills to increase your player’s vertical: Box Jumps, Clean Press, and the Leg Press. We have no favoritism towards one, so pick one and perfect it for the rest of the year.

Other Notes about the Weekly Workouts

  • You must do all five exercises to get a boost to any of the five physical attributes.
  • If you get at least a +3 on every drill, you’ll get the Weekly Gatorade Turbo Boost added to your stamina bar.
  • You cannot perform any exercises in between workout sessions.

Park Rep Rewards For Each Level

NBA 2K22 introduced a new 40-level rep system to replace the tiered rep system of past years. This year’s system is a bit quirky, but you get some great rewards from playing the online modes. Here they are, with each number on the list representing the level:

  1. Call to Ball Tee
  2. Call to Ball Basketball
  3. New Player Indicator
  4. New Banner Options
  5. MyTeam Intro Pack
  6. New Green Release Animation
  7. Battle Ready Emotes
  8. Skill Boosts (5 Games)
  9. Double XP Coin (30 Minutes)
  10. New Player Indicator Shape
  11. Gatorade Boosts (5 Games)
  12. New Dancing Emotes
  13. New Banner Options
  14. New 2K Breakthrough Gear (+1 Defensive Rebound Arm Sleeve)
  15. MyTeam Team Customization Pack
  16. New Playful Emotes
  17. Double XP Coin (1 Hour)
  18. Gatorade Boosts (10 Games)
  19. New Banner Options
  20. New Crazy Emotes
  21. Call to Ball Jersey
  22. Skill Boosts (10 Games)
  23. New 2K Breakthrough Gear (+1 Block Arm Sleeve)
  24. MyTeam Player Customization Pack
  25. New Party Emotes
  26. Enhanced Daily Rewards
  27. New Banner Options
  28. Double XP Coin (1 Hour)
  29. Call to Ball Backpack
  30. New Inline Skates
  31. New 2K Breakthrough Gear (+1 Mid-Range)
  32. Double XP Coin (2 Hours)
  33. Gatorade Boosts (10 Games)
  34. New Banner Options
  35. MyTeam Promo Bundle
  36. Skill Boosts (10 Games)
  37. Call to Ball Custom Suit
  38. Double XP Coin (2 Hours)
  39. Extra Badge Point
  40. New Go-Kart
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