Players who want to build a shooting guard know the expectations. They're supposed to be the primary scoring engine for the team while also stopping the other team's primary scorer. Yet there is no consensus on how to do this; Michael Jordan and Klay Thompson both do this very well and their styles are nothing alike.
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This build is excellent, but preference and team composition must also be considered. No player is going to have success with a build that doesn't feel right in NBA 2K23. Feel free to take this guide and adjust it based on these factors or throw it out entirely if wanting to go at a different angle.
Body Settings
Height | 6'3" |
Weight | 199 pounds |
Wingspan | 6'4" |
It's time to use the classic "Three And D" build, which is even stronger in this year's edition of NBA 2K23. In the past, getting to a perfect 99 in three-point shooting meant sacrificing speed, height, and defense, resulting in a goofy player that was tragically one-dimensional.
Now, while this build won't be a threat on the inside or gather any of the best finishing badges, this player will be able to get open on the perimeter with ease. Opponents will also be confounded by how this build stomps slashers or shooters with defense.
Attribute Potential
Close Shot | 66 |
Driving Layup | 31 |
Driving Dunk | 25 |
Standing Dunk | 25 |
Post Control | 25 |
Mid-Range Shot | 96 |
Three-Point Shot | 99 |
Free Throw | 74 |
Pass Accuracy | 26 |
Ball Handle | 51 |
Speed With Ball | 44 |
Interior Defense | 38 |
Perimeter Defense | 97 |
Steal | 62 |
Block | 25 |
Offensive Rebound | 25 |
Defensive Rebound | 52 |
Speed | 94 |
Acceleration | 90 |
Strength | 47 |
Vertical | 65 |
Stamina | 99 |
Some players might take issue with the extremely low passing and dribbling abilities from a guard, but this isn't relevant at all to the build. Sprint to get open off of the ball, receive the ball in the clear, and shoot. Don't take risky passes, if the shot isn't there, make the simple pass to the top of the arc back to the point guard who actually does have all of the best playmaking badges.
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From here, it's all upside. The defense will keep slashers from getting by and shooters won't be able to get open, even with screens. The speed is helpful on both sides of the ball. On offense, getting open is a breeze, then those attributes take over and it becomes difficult to miss from range.
Badges
Finishing | Giant Slayer (Bronze), Fearless Finisher (Bronze) |
Shooting | Catch & Shoot (Hall of Fame), Corner Specialist (Hall of Fame), Blinders (Hall of Fame), Deadeye (Hall of Fame), Volume Shooter (Hall of Fame), Slippery Off-Ball (Hall of Fame) |
Playmaking | None |
Defense/Rebounding | Clamps (Hall of Fame), Pick Dodger (Hall of Fame) |
The highlight of this build is the shooting badges, all of which are of the Hall of Fame variety. Since the shooting guard doesn't need to fret about shooting off of the dribble, that means it all comes down to the badges in use here. Players that get even a small amount of separation when they receive the ball will find they completely eliminate any chance the defense has to catch up thanks to Blinders and Deadeye.
Playing defense isn't flashy, but it is solid. These two badges are among the best defense/rebounding badges available. They will prevent slashing guards from getting by as well as render and attempt at a screen meaningless against this build.
The finishing badges were only granted due to attribute boosts elsewhere, do not try to make use of them in the game.
Takeover
Primary Takeover | Spot Up Shooter |
Secondary Takeover | Lockdown Defender |
The one takeover that goes unused here is Shot Creator, which entirely boosts shooting from off of the dribble. It's completely useless for the build, so there should be no guilt about dropping it for the other two, which better highlight the ideal shooting badges from the previous section.
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Spot Up Shooter is the obvious choice as it benefits all catch-and-shoot situations. Lockdown Defender is an unexpected but necessary perk for this build as shooting guards are tasked with going up against the opponent's best scorer every game. This will help slow them down.
Best Team To Play For
There are a few teams that contend for the title of the best team to play for as a shooting guard. When choosing a team, try to find one where the starting player at the shooting guard position is ranked at a sub-80 while the rest of the team is solid, mostly 80s or 90s.
The Bucks are the clear and easy choice for the build. Wesley Matthews is the worst starter in the game at any position. His 72 will be overtaken almost immediately, clearing the way for the player to start quickly. After that, the rest of this team is completely primed for another championship run.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
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