LeBron, Kawhi lead league in 2K ratings for next season
The individual player ratings for the upcoming release of NBA 2K20 were announced on Twitter on Monday night, and some familiar faces lead the pack.
Long before the teams' first real-life meeting, the battle for Los Angeles has taken center stage in the virtual world. The Lakers' LeBron James and the Clippers' Kawhi Leonard both enter the 2019-20 season with a league-leading 97 rating. James' new running mate - and the game's cover athlete - Anthony Davis ranks seventh with a mark of 94, while the Clippers' Paul George ranks eighth with a 93 overall rating.
Here's how the top 20 shakes out for this year's edition:
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | LeBron James | Lakers | 97 |
| T1 | Kawhi Leonard | Clippers | 97 |
| T3 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Bucks | 96 |
| T3 | Kevin Durant | Nets | 96 |
| T3 | James Harden | Rockets | 96 |
| T3 | Stephen Curry | Warriors | 96 |
| 7 | Anthony Davis | Lakers | 94 |
| 8 | Paul George | Clippers | 93 |
| 9 | Damian Lillard | Trail Blazers | 92 |
| T10 | Joel Embiid | 76ers | 91 |
| T10 | Kyrie Irving | Nets | 91 |
| T12 | Nikola Jokic | Nuggets | 90 |
| T12 | Russell Westbrook | Rockets* | 90 |
| T14 | Klay Thompson | Warriors | 89 |
| T14 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Timberwolves | 89 |
| T16 | Jimmy Butler | Heat | 88 |
| T16 | Kemba Walker | Celtics | 88 |
| T16 | Donovan Mitchell | Jazz | 88 |
| T16 | Rudy Gobert | Jazz | 88 |
| T16 | Blake Griffin | Pistons | 88 |
* Trade still unofficial
Additionally, the New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson, the top pick in this year's draft, leads all rookies with an 81 overall rating. No. 2 pick Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies tip the scales with a 79 overall mark, while No. 3 pick RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks has a 78 overall rating to start his debut campaign.
NBA 2K20 is set for release Sept. 6.