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Portland Trail Blazers: A look at the highest (and lowest) rated players in NBA 2K history

Marlow Ferguson Jr.|
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 06: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrate their 125-115 win over the Denver Nuggets at Visa Athletic Center at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 06, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - AUGUST 06: CJ McCollum #3 of the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers celebrate their 125-115 win over the Denver Nuggets at Visa Athletic Center at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 06, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
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Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

In honor of Damian Lillard’s NBA 2K21 cover nod, today, we travel through time to analyze the highest and unfortunately, lowest-rated players in NBA 2K history.

For older generations, it can be sometimes difficult understanding the impact the NBA 2K series has on today’s demographic. Perhaps no one put it better than NBA 2K21 cover athlete Damian Lillard, in his launch interview with Stadium and The Athletic’s Shams Charania:

"“It mean a lot. You know, I think, it’s one of those things like a signature shoe. Everybody just don’t get it. To be able to join the line of players that’s been on the cover of 2K is an honor because, I said earlier, every time I come across a game that is my favorite year of a game, the way that you recognize it is by, you know, (Allen Iverson) was on that cover. Or Kobe (Bryant) was on that cover. So, just to join that group, and have that honor, man, is cool. Real cool.”"

On a national scale, it’s relatively unheard of to see a Portland Trail Blazer player garnering this level of appreciation. In capturing the 2K21 cover, Lillard became the first Blazer in league history to receive the honor.

In spirit of his unheard of accomplishment, today’s “article” takes a deep dive into the history of NBA 2K, as a way to reminisce who was “hot,” and who was “not,” in video game history.

Just a few caveats and notables:

  • This will not take into account the Portland Trail Blazers’ all-time team. But, they do deserve mention: the highest-rated Blazer of all-time distinction belongs to Clyde Drexler, who churns out a 97 overall. Behind him, former 1977-78 Most Valuable Player Bill Walton received a 95 overall.
  • Only the player’s best season will be added, so as to avoid duplicates. How fun is a list where Damian Lillard owns eight of the ten top spots? He’s a team-player, and that’s the lead to follow.
  • A shoutout to this Weebly webpage, our local PlayStation, and a few YouTube videos for providing a helpful resources for each game.

The first-ever NBA 2K released on Nov. 10, 1999. It was highlighted by cover star — Lillard’s favorite athlete — Allen Iverson, who went on to produce an NBA-record five straight covers from NBA 2K to ESPN NBA Basketball (2K4). Looking back to the very beginning, here are the top 10 best (and worst) 2K players in Portland history.