The release of NBA 2K25 sees another year of new basketball players joining the game. Fans are used to NBA rookies entering the game world ahead of the new season, but it works a little differently for WNBA stars. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese were frequently marketed by NBA 2K25 for making their 2K debuts during their rookie WNBA season.
The star power of Clark helped raise women’s college basketball to new heights and is already impacting the WNBA landscape. NBA 2K25 fans getting the new WNBA rookies more than halfway into the season due to the release time adds more excitement. Clark is making her first video game impact by boosting NBA 2K25’s momentum.
Multiple modes give WNBA players a chance to shine in NBA2K25 for another year of the league’s inclusion in the game. The Indiana Fever have an exciting team led by rookie sensation Caitlin Clark both in real life and in the video game landscape. Clark became one of the most popular names in all of professional sports after a legendary college basketball career. The decision to enter the WNBA Draft worked out perfectly with Clark putting up historic numbers and leading her team to the postseason.
Caitlin Clark Attributes |
NBA 2K25 Rating |
Outside Scoring |
89 |
Inside Scoring |
53 |
Defending |
69 |
Athleticism |
81 |
Playmaking |
93 |
Rebounding |
48 |
Intangibles |
85 |
Potential |
99 |
Video game users get the chance to play as the Fever against other top WNBA players. Clark’s overall rating of 91 broke the previous records set by Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson as the highest-rated rookie players ever in the game. The WNBA’s season is already nearing the end and gives Clark a body of work to base that rating early into the game’s release thanks to the timing. Indiana will likely be the most popular WNBA team selected in NBA 2K25 thanks to Clark’s video game debut.
The always polarizing shot meter is an important part of NBA 2K and how fans enjoy the game. Early criticism sees flaws in the shot meter and the comfort of making shots harder than in previous games changing. Clark is among the few noteworthy players with a great shot release that feels realistic for her incredible three-point shooting. The outside scoring rating for Clark is rated 89 overall, and that is only going to improve.
NBA 2K25 received criticism in previous years for not giving enough attention to The W mode focusing on playing one’s career throughout the WNBA. Users can expect a deeper story with more details, but the timing of this year’s release sees a player entering the league in the same rookie class as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The goal of finding both individual and team success will see the user attempting to have an all-time great WNBA career. Early seasons will see comparisons made between the user’s player in The W and Clark in the Rookie of the Year race. NBA 2K25 developers intentionally gave more attention knowing the star power of Clark and Reese would boost this mode. The W gives new WNBA fans the chance to immerse in a mode making one equal to Clark as a new player in chapter one of a long career.
Top 2024 WNBA Draft Picks |
WNBA Team |
NBA 2K25 Rating |
Caitlin Clark |
Indiana Fever |
91 |
Cameron Brink |
Los Angeles Sparks |
80 |
Kamilla Cardoso |
Chicago Sky |
82 |
Rickea Jackson |
Los Angeles Sparks |
81 |
Jacy Sheldon |
Dallas Wings |
72 |
Aaliyah Edwards |
Washington Mystics |
79 |
Angel Reese |
Chicago Sky |
90 |
General success will see accolades and rating improvements progressing, but the story allows users to follow Clark’s journey as well. In-season progression allows current younger talents like Clark, Reese, Cameron Brink, and Aliyah Edwards to become great stars to compete with the user’s player each season. WNBA fans will get a more realistic approach thanks to the young class of future stars.
The potential of teaming with Clark to form a superstar duo is another great temptation in The W. Clark is often the best player in the league deeper into the simulation as the current top WNBA stars age and Clark’s prime years are starting. NBA 2K25 gives a glimpse into what many expect to be the future of Clark dominating the league, and each user will have a chance to adjust to that with one’s player competing against her to be the best of all time.
The WNBA improvement in NBA 2K25 will see Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and other rising young stars leading the charge into the future. Some common complaints still exist for 2K25 fans wanting more WNBA representation. NBA 2K25 doesn’t offer online play for the quick game against other users in exhibition games, despite offering that for current, classic, and all-time rosters on the NBA side.
Clark’s star power is already top in the WNBA and rivals a large percentage of superstars in the NBA. The demand for this feature will likely see changes at some point sooner rather than later. MyTeam is among the most popular NBA 2K modes and currently has zero WNBA representation. Past games saw Candace Parker as a coach, but more than enough time has passed to include female players as well.
Current stars like Breanna Stewart or A’ja Wilson and legends like Sue Bird or Parker could be great additions to the game. A video game environment can easily create a balanced dynamic to include both WNBA and NBA players on the same fantasy roster. Another option would be a full-fledged WNBA version of MyTeam with only the women’s league players facing off on these dream rosters. Clark having a card this year would be among the most valuable assets for the MyTeam mode.
All metrics of viewership, attendance, and general interest have shown the WNBA is more popular than ever thanks to the last few years creating momentum and new stars like Clark joining the league. NBA 2K25 must continue to evolve the game on the WNBA side as Clark and others continue to raise their profile. Clark is already helping the game feel less repetitive as a new star and can bridge the gap with the WNBA’s potential in solving or improving some of the other issues.
Baxter Holmes, ESPN Senior WriterNov 13, 2024, 10:39 PM ETCloseBaxter Holmes (@Baxter) is a senior writer for ESPN Digital and Print, focusing on the NBA. He ha
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