NBA 2K26 is here—early access dropped August 29, with the full release set for Friday across Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and PC.
The franchise has drawn plenty of criticism in recent years for stale gameplay and heavy monetization, but thanks to a lack of competition, fans keep coming back. Call it loyalty, call it Stockholm syndrome—the cycle continues.
This year, Knicks fans get something to celebrate: their squad is one of the best in the game.
Team Overview
The Knicks check in with an 84 overall team rating, tied for second-best in 2K26 behind the Thunder. The breakdown:
Strengths: Scoring (elite), rebounding (top-10 despite just a 59 rating)
Weaknesses: Playmaking & defense (both bottom-10)
So, the Knicks are built to light up the scoreboard but will leave players sweating on the other end of the floor.
Jalen Brunson: 93 OVR
Brunson ties Carmelo Anthony’s 2K11 peak for the highest-rated Knick in franchise history, sitting at a 93 overall. That puts him level with Kevin Durant, Tyrese Haliburton, and Donovan Mitchell, ranking as the 10th-best player in the game.
Strengths: Scoring, playmaking, strong 73 perimeter defense.
Weaknesses: Mediocre defense overall, undersized in certain matchups.
For Knicks fans, seeing Brunson finally recognized as a legitimate star is validation.
Karl-Anthony Towns: 92 OVR
For the first time, the Knicks boast two players rated 90+. Towns lands at 92, his highest 2K rating since peaking at 91 in 2K19. Only Jokic, Wembanyama, and Anthony Davis are rated higher among bigs.
Strengths: Elite rim finishing, deep shooting, borderline top-10 shooter overall.
Weaknesses: Mid-range (69), defense, and—oddly—offensive rebounding.
It feels like 2K’s graders dinged KAT a little too harshly in some areas, but he’s still a franchise cornerstone in-game.
Wings: OG Anunoby (85) & Mikal Bridges (84)
Anunoby comes in at 85, with a 90 perimeter defense that ranks ninth league-wide. Passing and rebounding are weak, but his shooting plus intangibles make him a glue guy. (And no, nobody’s buying the story that OG personally lobbied 2K for a bump.)
Bridges drops to 84 after being as high as 86 in 2K24. His defense regressed, but his Close and mid-range shooting are elite, and his stamina (92) and hustle (95) remain signature strengths.
For Knicks fans, it stings a little to see Bridges rated so close to Cam Johnson, but he’s still highly playable.
Josh Hart: 81 OVR
Hart dips one point from last year, landing at 81 overall.
Strengths: 91 close shot, reliable 79 three-ball, 99 stamina, 96 hustle.
Weaknesses: Rebounding feels criminally underrated (81 defensive, just 57 offensive).
Anyone who’s watched Hart knows those boards should be higher—this feels like one of 2K’s biggest Knicks snubs.
Final Thoughts
The Knicks’ roster finally looks like a contender in NBA 2K, with Brunson and KAT anchoring the top end and OG/Bridges/Hart filling out a versatile wing corps. The flaws—defense and playmaking—are very real, but this is easily the best Knicks team ever assembled in the franchise’s video game history.
