NBA news: NBA 2K released the first batch of player ratings for this year’s version of the game and as expected, it has garnered all sorts of reactions from the fans. For his part, Giannis Antetokounmpo received an overall rating of 96, which is obviously one of the highest marks any player can get in the game.
Well, it’s not the highest. Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic was honored with getting not only the highest rating in NBA 2K24, but the reigning NBA Finals MVP also happens to be the lone player to have received a 98 mark.
NBA News: Fans React to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 96 Rating

96 is not bad for Giannis. After all, this is the second-highest rating in NBA 2K24 and he’s at par with the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Joel Embiid.
Nevertheless, some fans have taken issue with Antetokoumpo being two points behind Jokic:
Giannis is 97 or 98 if jokic is 98.
— Giannis AntetoGOAT (@GAntetoGOAT) August 9, 2023
Making him a 97 would make sense with Jokic being a 98 and everyone else being 96 or lower
— IrrelevantBucksFan (@NoahAnd15635) August 9, 2023
Why is Giannis 2 OVR below a purely offensive player? Joke company
— Obradovic 👑 (@BillyZambidis) August 9, 2023
For the record, there are a lot of people out there who believe that 96 was the right rating for the Bucks talisman. However, more than a few fans just didn’t see the logic behind it:
Should be 97 minimum….
— Ty (@tydebo24) August 9, 2023
it's hard to believe steph and kd AND bron are on the same level as giannis tbh, make him and embiid a 97
— 4𝘵𝘩𝘘𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘋𝘦𝘔𝘢𝘳 (@ExobitVru) August 9, 2023
This man should be a 97 cmon now…
— Certified Poll Man (@yoelitiro34) August 9, 2023
96?!???! pic.twitter.com/zGcIAhxKKE
— Blasian Ricks (@blasian1nvasion) August 9, 2023
NBA News: Giannis Antetokounmpo Gets Rating Downgrade From NBA 2K23

As you may have noticed, the general sentiment is that Giannis should have been given a 97 at the very least, which also happens to be his overall rating from NBA 2K23. You could say that this is just one point, but when you’re talking about the elite superstars in the game today, then that one point means a whole lot.
Perhaps the fact that Giannis dealt with injuries last season — particularly in the playoffs — prevented him from getting an even higher rating. The Bucks getting bounced in the first round of the postseason obviously didn’t help his case either. After all, you can’t say that Jokic leading the Nuggets to a title had nothing to do with his 98 rating.
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