Amid a watershed year for women’s basketball that’s been saddled with perpetual drama and controversy, NBA 2K25 is choosing peace.
The video game series recently revealed its ratings for the top five rookies in the WNBA, and the results should please both sides of the ongoing fan debate between Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese.
Both Clark and Reese received an overall rating of 90, tied for the highest rating among all rookies. Sky center Kamilla Cardoso and Los Angeles Sparks forwards Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink rounded out the list with overall ratings of 80 each.
Making a name for themselves in the W 😤
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 15, 2024
The top-rated WNBA rookies starting out in #NBA2K25! What will their ratings be by the end of the season? 🤔#2KRatings | #BallOverEverything pic.twitter.com/VYLVfhvsDF
NBA 2K25 unveiled first looks at Clark’s and Reese’s avatars in the game on Wednesday.
It’s wholly possible 2K Sports didn’t want to rock the boat by giving one rookie a slightly higher mark than the other, or perhaps the video game series genuinely believes that Clark and Reese deserve the same rating. Either way, Clark’s and Reese’s respective fanbases shouldn’t have much to gripe about.
Clark, the all-time leading scorer in men’s and women’s college basketball history, has averaged 17.1 points and 8.2 assists so far this season. The 22-year-old guard has made a strong case for winning the Rookie of the Year award, especially after the Fever social media team posted a stunning graphic showing Clark’s dominance this year.
Reese, who set the record for the league’s most consecutive double-doubles in July, also remains in contention for the award given her well-rounded game. The Sky star has averaged 13.5 points and 11.9 rebounds on 40.2% shooting.
Clark’s Fever and Reese’s Sky are both vying for playoff contention heading into the second half of the season, ranked seventh and eighth respectively.
As for something everyone can agree on, Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson earned a 99 overall rating in the video game, the first WNBA player to do so in NBA 2K history. The two-time MVP topped the WNBA top-five list followed by New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas and Phoenix Mercury center Brittany Griner.
NBA 2K25 is set to be released during the WNBA season on Sept. 4, and it should be noted that any player’s rating could still change from now until then.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA 2K25 Tries to Appease Both Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Fans in Ratings Reveal.
