Luka Doncic

Similar to some of the championship-contending super teams of today, NBA 2K22 arrives with plenty of options for players to check out on release day. 

Friday's release of the annual instalment is the second effort from developer Visual Concepts on next-generation consoles, and it sure looks the part. Visually, the game is a stunner, and the gameplay is boosted by the move to better represent individual superstars and remove animations in favor of more player control. 

The list of extensive features starts with an upgraded MyPLAYER experience on next-generation consoles. 

Players once again create an avatar and go about leveling up through on-court means while earning attire. But new this year is an entire city to explore, equipped with malls, courts and matchmaking options. 

A developer diary expanded on the idea: 

"Step into an all-new City teeming with life, activity, and interactivity. NPCs (non-playable characters) populate the fresh City layout, while MyPLAYERs from all over the world compete in the highest level of playground basketball. An all-new Quest system for 2K22 engages MyPLAYERs with creative content while offering new ways to level up and earn rewards in this reenvisioning of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S basketball communities."

This sort of expansion on one of the most popular modes in the series goes hand-in-hand with upgrades to MyPLAYER, which promises the usual cinematic storytelling experiences. The mode also comes with some much-needed innovation, such as an expansion of off-court goals and ventures to help build a player's brand. 

Right alongside those two in the must-see department on release day is, of course, MyTeam. The collect-a-thon mode once again comes equipped with enough in the way of solo and multiplayer challenges that it could easily be its own standalone game. 

Outside of expanding on these features with the card-based mode, one of the highlight items this year is the return of a draft. Players can run through an entire draft, with new cards consistently added to the draft pool, before playing a game. It's a little thing, but there's nothing quite like smartly combining the feel of fantasy drafts with tried-and-true gameplay that lets players earn rewards toward upgrading their permanent team. 

The quickly-evolving WNBA mode is a critical point to check out early thanks to the love it continues to get. The W is one of the newest modes to the series but in MyTeam it's so deep it's almost a game within a game. 

There, players start a WNBA journey and follow similar badge-based goals over the course of a career. That includes chasing goals on and off the court and even training with current pros and legends. The W also goes online for the first time, allowing friends to team up before matchmaking against other teams. 

The effort to deepen the gameplay experience for those seeking it across various modes extends to MyNBA, too. 

There, 2K Sports has revamped how team staffs work, as noted from a developer writeup: "As such, we redesigned how your staff works from the ground up. New attributes, more than double the staff badges, and a slew of new roles. We've completely reimagined this aspect of the mode and are proud to show off the newest addition—MySTAFF."

The idea? Take the deep customization found in creating actual players, including badges and more, and apply it across a large staff that includes not just coaches, but trainers, scouting and a sports medicine department. 

Going deep on the attributes from everything to the head coach, foreign scouts and all the way down to even a sleep doctor sounds like an engrossing time that could see the team reap the benefits on the digital court. And, as always, for those who don't want to take that deep dive, it's optional, but nice to have. 

Keep in mind all of these new features have one overarching new feature adding depth to each—a new Seasons goal set. It's a revamped way to handle player progression and unlocks across different modes that refresh goals and rewards each season. 

Given the above, it's not hard to see why 2K22 might be the most-hyped release in the series to date. Friday's launch and the early returns will start to answer whether it can match. 

With player ratings out and some of the game's biggest upgrades now understood, it's time for players to start thinking about strategy in NBA 2K22.

The latest effort from developer Visual Concepts offers big gameplay upgrades as it releases on next-generation consoles for only the second time. Ditto for feature upgrades across the board in modes such as MyGM, MyLeague, MyTeam and even the WNBA-centric The W thanks to a new Seasons feature that reworks goals and rewards.

So online or off, competitive or casual, which young NBA stars are the best players to build teams around in this year's game? First up, naturally, is the game's cover star.

Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

No great shocker that the cover star appears on such a list, right?

Luka Doncic earned cover honors by blitzing his way into the NBA via the third pick in 2018, averaging better than 21 points per game in all three of his seasons to date and earning Rookie of the Year honors and a pair of First-Team All-Pro nods.

Over 66 games last season, he averaged 27.7 points while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor. He's still only 22 and has a 94 overall rating at game's launch, just two points behind the four players good enough to earn the game's highest rating.

A force on the real court, Doncic's digital representation should be the first that comes to mind when grabbing young guys to build around in any game mode.

Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans 

For those who want to build a potential dynasty from the inside out around a budding star, look no further than Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

The first pick in 2019 only made it into 24 games as a rookie before erupting along expected lines as a sophomore. Over 61 games last year, he averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent from the floor.

To say it feels like Zion is just getting started is a big understatement. The folks behind the 2K ratings seem to agree, as he's the first player on the list just under a 90 at an 89 overall. And for those players who want to run at a championship in style, Zion has the game's highest dunk rating at a 97.

While Zion doesn't align with recent common online metas that spam shots from deep, he's a fun, refreshing foundational piece for a contender on the digital courts.

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Want to center a team around a point with deadly range and the ability to get those around him involved at an elite level? There are a few sound options, but Trae Young's speed and abilities might make him the best bet on the digital courts.

The fifth pick in the 2018 draft has blossomed into one of the game's top outright weapons, as evidenced by the 89 overall rating he shares with Williamson. As a sophomore, he averaged 29.6 points per game, and over three seasons he averages 24.1 points and 8.9 assists while shooting 43.1 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from deep.

Whether solo or online, it's hard to complain about a guy who can do it all as opponents struggle to keep up. Young has got the feel of one of the league's next big things, if he's not there already. And his ability to get shooters open with high-percentage looks makes roster-building easier.

Plus, it doesn't hurt that the near-90 overall rating is bound to keep climbing from here.

It shouldn't come as any surprise to hear that Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is one of the highest-rated players in the upcoming NBA 2K22 game from developer Visual Concepts. 

Doncic is the game's cover star on its base edition when it launches Friday, an honor well earned after an epic start to his career that happens to see him rated among the best of the best on the digital courts. 

As always, player ratings are a massive point of hype during the run up to each annual installment's release. Here's a look at the top-rated players in this year's game: 

• LeBron James: 96
• Kevin Durant: 96
• Stephen Curry: 96
• Giannis Antetokounmpo: 96
• Joel Embiid: 95
• Kawhi Leonard: 95
• Nikola Jokic: 95
• Luka Doncic: 94
• James Harden: 94
• Damian Lillard: 94
• Jayson Tatum: 90

Note that 2K is once again going for a more grounded approach to player ratings. There's no "99 Club" like the one found in Madden, and there certainly isn't a player flirting with triple digits. 

As of now, just four players boast a 96 rating. Doncic checks in just two points lower as one of three names at a 94, and Jayson Tatum's 90 is the last before things drop off into the 80s. 

Granted, ratings will swing dramatically once the season starts. Some will climb, some will fall. For now, we're left debating on whether a reigning MVP like Nikola Jokic—the first center to win the award since Shaquille O'Neal two decades ago—should be the highest-rated player in the game. 

Maybe the biggest other point of contention right now is that four-point gap between Tatum and Damian Lillard.

Even Tatum himself wasn't too thrilled: 

There are layers to any conversation about player ratings, though. It's hard to even sort them by positions anymore. Jokic and Embiid are technically the highest-rated centers of course. But somebody like LeBron James technically has a classification as a point guard and forward. 

They all impact the digital game differently, too. Stephen Curry might be the same 96 overall as Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the way they take over games is totally different. One likes range, the other is a slasher. 

As an aside, 2K Sports also issued the top-rated rookies, which is a more cut-and-dry affair without major surprises: 

The one thing to keep in mind about any ratings conversation these days is that...it's not as important as it used to be. Curry is a 96, sure, but his three-point rating is a 99, with no other player in the league coming within four points. Zion Williamson doesn't appear on the 90-plus overall list, but he's got a league-best 97 dunk rating. 

The game has also made efforts to better individualize each player. Stars have signature moves and overall feels that make them unique when using them on the court. It's aimed at getting even closer to the perfect simulation, but the other side effect is it ends up negating some of the impact of overall ratings. Players won't necessarily care if Zion isn't a 90-plus if he's bullying everyone in the paint unlike anything else in the game. 

This is something heavily reflected in one of this year's noteworthy biggest upgrades to gameplay: The transition of signature dribble moves from pre-canned animations to being controlled directly by the player.

A developer diary explained: 

"KD's big hesi crosses, Harden's around/thru the leg moves, Steph's quick machine gun crosses, and Luka's methodical rock back and forth dribbles are all now under the gamer's direct control rather than a preset movie. The speed stick that we introduced on new gen last year also returns. So flicking the stick quickly results in quicker dribbles while slower flicks give you more rhythmic ones. There are around 50 unique signature size-up packages to choose from, each with its own distinct advantages."

Still, overall ratings are the most front-facing representation of how players stack up in the latest release before it actually goes live. It's also fun to debate whether the ratings got it right or made a big omission. 

As always, these are launch ratings—effectively placeholders until the season begins and things start changing. The game is released Friday, when players can get their hands on the freshly-rated players and revamped gameplay tweaks for themselves.   

Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic and 2K Foundations announced a partnership Saturday that included rebuilding basketball courts in the NBA star's hometown of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

"This is a very exciting day for me. I have great memories growing up in Ljubljana. These are my childhood courts where I learned and practiced the game," Doncic said. "It's an honor to be able to give back to my city and to my country that gave me so much and that I love. The opportunity for kids to play on the same courts and pursue the same dreams I had is something I am excited about."

2K Foundations is the philanthropic arm of 2K, the company that develops video games such as NBA 2K22, which counts Doncic among this year's cover athletes.

"Foundations plays a very important role for 2K and our sports titles. We're incredibly proud of the contributions made to communities, from court refurbishments to STEM programming. Since 2018, the foundation has completed over 40 community enrichment projects, reaching communities across the globe," 2K president David Ismailer said. "We're honored to have created a program that plays a part in giving some of the world's biggest athletes and talents, such as Luka, the chance to further connect with the communities that mean so much to them."

Doncic worked with local graphic artist Nejc Prah to create the court's design, which incorporates his initials, Mavs jersey number (77) and the use of negative space to create an 'S' for Slovenia.

The 22-year-old two-time NBA All-Star returned to his hometown to sign the courts as part of a dedication ceremony that featured local kids playing scrimmages and three-on-three games.

Doncic recently represented Slovenia at the Tokyo Olympics and quickly emerged as one of the tournament's best players with a 48-point performance against Argentina in the group stage. The team reached the semifinals but wasn't able to secure a spot on the podium.

"It's definitely not easy. We fought till the end! What a pleasure has been playing for my country in 1st Olympics ever for us! So proud of these guys! And thank you Slovenians for supporting us every game!" Doncic wrote on Instagram after the Summer Games.

He previously helped lead Slovenia to the 2017 EuroBasket gold medal.

Doncic, who's now a perennial MVP candidate in the NBA, will soon return to the Mavericks for the 2021-22 season.

Dallas tips off the campaign Oct. 21 when it visits the Atlanta Hawks.

The slow trickle of information getting out about NBA 2K22 ahead of the game's release Friday only serves to generate more excitement.

That's almost hard to do too. The latest installment from developer Visual Concepts is already hyped almost as much as cover star Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks because it's only the second appearance from the series on next-generation consoles and could boast plenty of upgrades.

As always, would-be players have plenty of options when it comes to pre-order time. Doncic's standard edition boasts some currency bonuses and MyTeam promo packs, plus MyCareer boosts. There's also a cross-gen digital bundle for those who anticipate making the leap to next-generation consoles.

Perhaps most interesting is the 75th-anniversary edition, which boasts Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki on the cover. The ode to the league's history boasts droves of currency and point bonuses, MyTeam cards of the cover stars, amplified skill boosts and extra customization items, to name a few.

Capping it all off is a next-gen exclusive WNBA 25th-anniversary edition with some similar bonuses, plus the inimitable Candace Parker on the cover.

One of the biggest selling points of this year's game is again MyTeam, as the latest trailer for the game itself highlights:

That mode benefits from the overall implementation of a new Seasons feature, which means new season-specific and lifetime goals to chase for major rewards.

Specific to that mode, new solo-player challenges such as daily pick-up games offer big rewards. And for those who love to take things online and get competitive, the ever-popular Triple Threat mode gets a new wrinkle in the form of The 100.

Jonathan Smith, a producer at Visual Concepts, explained:

"At the start of each run in Triple Threat Online: The 100 you will receive 100 points. After every game, win or lose, the amount of points your opponent scores against you will be subtracted from your 100. Once you hit 0, run over, and you are reset back to the bottom tier of prizes. This means at a minimum, every player should now get into the second tier of prizes for this mode’s Ball Drops, even if they lose every game."

Add in creator levels, team customization, shoe crafting and even a card-grading service, and MyTeam has the look of a game mode that could stand alone as its own individual release.

Of course, MyTeam is only as fun as the gameplay itself. The strong foundation seems like it's only going to receive more upgrades this time out:

When it comes to on-court upgrades this year, what sticks out most is the presence of new signature moves and combos, plus a promise that alley-oops and precision shooting will be even more skill-based than in the past.

Not that defense gets left hanging, though. A brand-new shot-contest system should give players more say in the how and why of contesting a shot, which should help to dramatically balance out things, especially online.

Coinciding with that upgrade is a new-look shot meter that will be affected by the nature of the shot contest. The idea is to reward teams that move the ball around and find open looks as opposed to the let-it-fly nature of games in the past, again, especially online in competitive environments. The goal remains to find the right balance between fun and a real-life simulation.

From Mike Wang, NBA 2K gameplay director2K Sports:

"This also paved the way to reward basketball IQ much more in our shooting systems. The shot contest rewrite removed the “ghost contests” that many complained about, and this year being out of position or not getting a hand in the shooter’s face will lead to some easy buckets for the offense. On the other hand, properly crowding shooters with good contests will result in plenty of bricks and airballs, as they should."

As with other entries, 2K22 offers a barrage of modes to fit what pretty much any player could want.

Besides the collect-a-thon in MyTeam, there are comprehensive individual modes like MyCareer and the deep, WNBA-centric The W mode. The new Seasons feature reshapes the feel of those too before even taking online play into consideration.

A robust all-around package, NBA 2K22 looks set to keep the momentum going as it carves out a reputation on next-generation consoles with this upcoming release.

It's hard to escape the hype wave for the upcoming NBA 2K22 release. 

This year's annual sports juggernaut will be developer Visual Concepts' second effort on next-generation consoles when it launches on September 10.

It sure doesn't hurt that this year offers a 75th-anniversary edition, equipped with Kevin Durant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Dirk Nowitzki on that edition's cover. Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is the pick for the standard edition's cover. 

But the most interesting cover of all is also the most historic. For the first time ever, 2K will have a WNBA-themed cover, featuring two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player and six-time All-Star Candace Parker: 

It's only fitting considering the WNBA side of things is where 2K22 presents some of its most noteworthy new features. 

A WNBA-specific mode is still new to the 2K22 franchise (debuted in 2020), but this year sounds like 2K Sports bringing the mode up to par with the rest of the features set. Dubbed "The W," players now manage a badge system similar to that found in other modes and must balance not only action on the court but also practices and off-day activities while pursuing a championship. 

Besides scrimmages, the mode will work in legends like Parker as a way to help players improve their character, as noted in a recent developer diary: 

"NBA 2K22 will feature contact workouts, an exciting way of learning new skills in The W. Progressing through the Season will help you form connections with some of the WNBA's brightest stars, such as Candace Parker, A'ja Wilson, and Nneka Ogwumike. You'll be able to challenge them to 1-on-1, 2-on-2, or even 3-on-3 games of 21. Best of all, you'll be able to join forces with players after you make contact with them. You can choose to play alongside a player or go toe-to-toe against them in future workouts. Each contact specializes in different skills and will help you improve one of your badge categories."

Also of note is continued upgrades to the Seasons feature that debuted last year. The feature is now a staple of MyCareer, MyTeam or The W Online and boasts rewards that refresh after a certain amount of time. Over in MyCareer, the biggest reward known to date adds a new wrinkle to City, with Go-Karts. 

And the addition of Seasons to other modes means bigger challenges for players to take down. Reaching legendary status won't be as easy this year. Via the new format for Seasons, players can't have their characters become legends until they reach level 40 in four different seasons. 

One fun wrinkle to the overall experience too? What 2K dubs "First Fridays" will add a new song to the game's soundtrack each week. 

Best not to forget MyTeam either, where Seasons' reach also creates a new feel to progression. New Season and Lifetime goal groupings mean a longer-term feel to the game mode and simply more rewards worth pursuing for the duration of the game's lifespan. 

MyTeam, besides being the fun collect-a-thon that it is every year, also brings back an oft-requested feature for fans: the draft. 

It sounds simple, but it's just another way to play the game in a fun, fresh manner. Players get to draft their entire team in a draft format before an online game using an ever-updating pool of cards, then use whatever rewards they earn during the game to put toward their long-term collections. 

On a broader front, 2K Sports has confirmed that MyTeam progression and VC Wallet balances will transfer seamlessly between console families should a player make the jump from the last generation of consoles to the new. 

With an emphasis on The W and a Seasons aspect that changes the feel of multiple game modes, NBA 2K22 looks to keep upgrading the series into the next generation in interesting ways while attempting to reel in the status of best sports game on the market.