With a limited number of uses, players often undervalue the worth of a Free Agent card in NBA 2K23. It's understandable that their lack of permanence in a roster can be the cause for some concern. But this is a mindset the MyTeam experts don't have.
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Think of the times that NBA 2K23 has players take on a challenge where the stakes have never been higher. Sometimes it's to stave off elimination. Other times, it's a huge prize with one game in the balance. For these moments, have a Free Agent card ready to go.
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10 Trae Young
Quantity is quality when it comes to badges. Take a look at Trae Young's playmaking at shooting. He has every badge except for one ranked at silver or better. Point guards that legitimately have no hole in their game benefit pro players the most.
Young's lowest playmaking score is a sky-high 92. Yikes. Free Agent cards are usually used to pull a team through a tough game. Trae Young's "pull" in this regard is hard to beat.
9 Patrick Ewing
The destruction of Patrick Ewing is hard to overstate. He's got red zones all around the rim and from mid-range as well. His post moves are all effective, getting his shot from wherever he wants with a Hall of Fame Backdown Punisher badge.
But what about other post scorers and slashers? They aren't a threat when Ewing takes the stage. He's got Hall of Fame Anchor and Post Lockdown badges to prevent even the most gifted interior scorers from putting anything on the board.
8 Larry Bird
If there is any weakness in Larry Bird's Free Agent card, it's that he doesn't finish at the rim with gusto. The 6'9" power forward prefers to shoot from the field and that's where he's got the bulk of his attributes and badges. In fact, he's got all but one badge ranked at a silver or higher in the category.
Stretch big is a bit misleading. Bird still does the job of a traditional power forward with some excellent defense/rebounding badges. Add in his incredible passing and there truly is no Free Agent card quite like Bird for gamers who need to change things up.
7 Vince Carter
Don't be fooled by the name, Vince Carter is not just a great dunker. He's a legendary dunker. Note that almost no play fills up the takeover meter the way a highlight reel dunk does, so this style is more than just for fun; it benefits the whole team.
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Beyond the obvious, Carter is a gifted shooter and has top-tier shooting badges in his arsenal. On the other end of the court, one of Carter's six Hall of Fame badges is on the defense/rebounding end, giving him a very complete set of skills.
6 Gilbert Arenas
Gamers that use a Free Agent point guard are going to need somebody who makes passing and shooting feel top tier. Otherwise, what's the point of using them? Gilbert Arenas is a great buy for players who need a captain that makes everyone better.
His unreal playmaking moves are tough to follow for any defender's eyes. If this doesn't result in an ankle breaker and an open look, his passing is a delight, hitting players in stride and getting them ready to score the instant they receive the ball.
5 David Robinson
Perhaps the most glaring hole in most MyTeam lineups is at center. Often undersized, slow, or useless on one end of the floor, opponents prefer to try their luck inside against this weakness before trying more difficult looks. That's why the David Robinson Free Agent Card is so incredible.
He's 7'1" so size isn't an issue. He's got some of the elite finishing badges to score from the post or on a drive. His 84 speed and acceleration are preposterous for his 7'5" wingspan. And, finally, the cherry on top has got to be his perfect 99 rating on defense.
4 Jayson Tatum
Opponents expect the best shooting badges to be equipped on guards. But when a small forward or power forward starts shooting from nearly everywhere on the field and sinking it, gamers can know they've got a serious threat on their hands.
Jayson Tatum is red hot from everywhere except dead center at three-point range. His finishing is likewise brilliant, making it so defenders will have to contain him from both up close and far back. The kind of defense it takes to command him will assuredly leave other teammates open. Otherwise, he's a scoring machine.
3 LeBron James
A 6'9" pure small forward with 94 speed and acceleration? Those may look like typos since gamers can't even create a MyPlayer with stats that unbalanced. But LeBron James has them on the card, ready to ruin anybody's day that expects a fair fight.
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James has seven Hall of Fame badges split among all the offensive categories. Beyond just badges and attributes, James only has three shooting areas that aren't red hot. If he's on the left of the court when he puts one up, it takes a big mistake to miss.
2 Stephen Curry
It will surprise exactly zero fans of the modern NBA that Stephen Curry's Free Agent card has a perfect 99 rating. Any remarkable three-point shooter build should be based on Curry's style as he has transformed the NBA. Pure shooting isn't the only purpose of the card.
In fact, the playmaking of Curry is just as incredible. Between the shooting and playmaking badges, there are only three that this card doesn't have. With seven Hall of Fame badges and a staggering twenty-eight gold badges, Curry is the point guard player's need in a tight spot.
1 Michael Jordan
Perhaps nothing tells the value of Michael Jordan's Free Agent card as well as this: Aside from strength, interior defense, blocks, and rebounding, every one of Jordan's attributes is at least an 80. That is terrifyingly good for a shooting guard across the map.
His badges are pretty evenly split across all four categories. So evenly, that players may want to move him over to small forward at times. At 6'6", he does just fine there. He's got the best-looking dunks and his shooting stroke isn't far behind.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
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