The 5 Best basketball games online

Basketball fans are a different breed to the rest of the people belonging to the world of sports fanaticism. Not only is basketball one of the most accessible games to play in real life - all it takes for a pickup game to start is a ball - but it's also one of the most popular games to play online.

Big franchise players like NBA Live and NBA 2K have been a staple for basketball enthusiasts and gamers over the years, but with the spread of mobile gaming across the globe, there are more and more games mushrooming online that allow players to experience a game of pickup on their screens instead of having to tough it out.

Here, we wind down a list of Android and PS/PC games that you can play online, ranked in order of user experience:

#5 Freestyle 2: Street Basketball

Developed by Joycity, Freestyle 2: Street Basketball is the most-polished online arcade basketball available on the market. Initially released in 2015, the game features excellent graphics, good sound and responsive controls for engaging gameplay.

One needs to pick a player and a position and improve to move higher in the league. Freestyle 2 focuses on customisation and unique skill moves, ensuring that the gameplay seldom gets repetitive even in the long run. Furthermore, players could team-up with other players online and compete in various tournaments for exciting prizes and rewards.

Freestyle 2: Street Basketball is available for free on Valve's Steam Store.

#4 Basketball Battle

Basketball Battle is a mobile video game that is currently available for iOS and Android devices. This game revolves around the street basketball scene, featuring 1-vs-1 arcade-style basketball games. Simple controls, slick animations and live events make it one of the most polished arcade basketball games available for the mobile platform.

The ability to customise and upgrade players along with the option to play a 2-player split screen game ensures that one has enough variety to keep them occupied for good amounts of time. Though the graphics may look a tad un-2019, you can be sure of a great gamers' experience overall.

#3 Basketball Stars

Developed by Miniclip, Basketball Stars is a 1-vs-1 multiplayer mobile basketball game featuring multiple game modes.

The game boasts of realistic 3D graphics for authentic player movement. There are lots of rewards to play for. There are customisation options allowing you to create different environments for an authentic basketball experience . Regarding the online multiplayer, one could either play the 1-vs-1 matches or the time-based 1-vs-1 shootouts.

Basketball Stars is available for iOS and Android devices. Additionally, one could even play this game on Miniclip.com with a compatible web browser.

#2 NBA Live 19

One of the best online basketball games, NBA Live Mobile Basketball is a high-end mobile game with supreme quality graphics. Developed by EA Sports, the game is available for Android and iOS devices.

This free-to-play game with in-app purchases allows one to build their own team with up-to-date NBA rosters, pretty much in the same fashion as the FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT) franchise that runs alongside EA's FIFA games. The ability to compete in live events comprising of real-life matches only amplifies the authentic experience offered by this game.

The online multiplayer mode is a lot of fun for it allows to compete against each other in Season or Head-to-Head modes. Moreover, some modes allow the players to challenge each other online even when one is not connected to the internet at that exact moment.

#1 NBA 2k19

The NBA 2K series builds upon its strong gameplay, fantastic presentation, and wide array of game modes to deliver a gaming experience unmatched by any other basketball game in the market. While its style is cramped by some persistent issues with AI behavior and obscene microtransactions in the MyPlayer mode, NBA 2K19 is a definite high point for the series.

Some of the big areas of user experience improvement from 2K18 are the difference in how you can exploit mismatches - it's easier to dissect a smaller or a slower opponent now than ever before. The defensive AI is slowly starting to catch up to the offensive engine, and it has made it exponentially tougher to score via dribble-drives in 2K19.