What have Russell Westbrook's NBA 2K ratings been over the years?

NBA 2K23 just came out, and fans are already displeased with some of the latest player ratings. One player that has caused some controversy in recent days is Los Angeles Lakers guard Russell Westbrook.

The nine-time NBA All-Star is normally one of the highest rated players in the video game series, but a disastrous debut season in Los Angeles has led to a sizaeble drop-off in his overall rating in NBA 2K23.

In 2021/22, Westbrook shot just 44.4% from the floor, 29.8% from three-point range and averaged less than 20 points per game (18.5) for the first time since his sophomore season. He was a liability on both ends of the floor and head coach Frank Vogel often benched him in the late stages of close games.

With that in mind, it is not surprising that 2K Sports decided to drop his rating. But how much it dropped was not expected.

He was once rated amongst the best stars in the league, but is now ranked lower than certain bench players.

Russell Westbrook is rated 78 in NBA 2K23, which is a significant drop from 88 just two years ago (2K21). He started NBA 2K22 with an 86 rating but fell down to 78 by the end of the season. It remains that way heading into 2022/23.

His 78 overall rating includes 62-rated inside scoring, 59-rated outside scoring, 90-rated athleticism, 81-rated playmaking, 60-rated rebounding and 60-rated defense. He has just 14 total badges in NBA 2K23, including 2 Silver and 12 Bronze badges with none in the Hall of Fame and Gold categories.

Also Checkout:- Russell Westbrook Net Worth

Tracking Russell Westbrook's NBA 2K rating evolution over the years

Russell Westbrook with the Washington Wizards as seen in NBA 2K21

Russell Westbrook NBA 2K rating wasn't always this low. During is heyday when he was routinely bagging All-Star selections, Westbrook saw his rating reach as high as 94, and was in the 90's for four straight editions of the game, from NBA 2K17 to 2K20.

He started off with a modest 78 rating in his first appearance in NBA 2K9. Rookies in the 2000s editions of the 2K series never got high ratings. In comparison: LeBron James had a 78 rating in 2K4, Kevin Durant was 80 in NBA 2K8, and Steph Curry had a rating of 69 in his rookie season.

NBA 2K9	NBA 2K10	NBA 2K11	NBA 2K12	NBA 2K13	NBA 2K14	NBA 2K15	NBA 2K16	NBA 2K17	NBA 2K18	NBA 2K19	NBA 2K20	NBA 2K21	NBA 2K22	NBA 2K23
78	77	81	88	93	90	88	89	93	94	93	90	88	86	78

Westbrook climbed to 93 in his fourth season (NBA 2K13) and then didn't drop below 80 until this year (2K23). His current rating is his lowest since his sophomore year. He peaked at 94 in NBA 2K18 but will likely never reach that number again.

He once mocked his 90 rating in NBA 2K20 on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon":

Russell Westbrook can certainly crack the 80s again, but it doesn't look like his attribute ratings such as defense and outside shooting are improving anytime soon.

Russell Westbrook's NBA 2K ratings over the years

Russell Westbrook's rating in 2k24

Over the last few seasons, Russell Westbrook’s 2K rating has been on a decline and this is mostly due to his on-court struggles. He had a lot of lowlights in his stint with the Lakers and earned himself a 78 overall in 2k23, but after being traded to the Clippers things have started looking up for the former MVP.

Russell was able to play his style of basketball with the Clippers and with his improved performance, he earned an 81 overall in 2k24.