KD & Sauce sit down to check out the game’s newest gameplay features and settle the score of who is the better gamer, the player ratings, the evolution of NBA 2K, and more.
Every year, hoop fans and gamers everywhere count down the days to the highly anticipated release of the latest game in the NBA 2K franchise. But it’s not just fans who look forward to the annual drop; professional athletes look forward to it, too.
So when NBA 2K25 was released on Sept. 6, Boardroom, in collaboration with 2K Sports, wanted to see what would happen when two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant goes head-to-head with New York Jets rising star Sauce Gardner. Not only that but with this year’s iteration of the game boasting a slew of new features, including one that 2K is calling the biggest change to gameplay in 15 years, who better than Durant and Gardner to reveal all the new bells and whistles?
“It’s crazy when you play the game, become a fan of the game, it becomes [part of] your everyday routine … this is like a dream come true,” said Durant, who’s appeared on multiple NBA 2K covers during his player career. “I’ve been a gamer since PlayStation and Sega. I’ve always enjoyed playing basketball games, so to see the evolution of 2K … every year, I’m locked in. I’m in the Park, I’m doing all of it. Every game mode I’m playing.
“It’s really become a part of my life.”
The new gameplay enhancements to NBA 2K25 include:
- 9,000 New ProPLAY Animations: ProPLAY pulls from NBA footage and seamlessly translates actual NBA moments into authentic gameplay, including 1,000 signature shot animations from the most rostered NBA players from the 2023 through 2024 NBA seasons.
- All-new Dribble Engine: This is the aforementioned “biggest change to gameplay in 15 years,” providing players with a more life-like movement that is one-to-one with how NBA players dribble in real life.
- Brand-new Defensive Movement System: By utilizing the right stick on defense, you can control your player and quickly slide laterally into position to cut off an offensive player’s attack. Successfully reading the ball handler and anticipating their drive with a successful cutoff can stonewall the offense or cause them to fumble the ball. As the old adage goes, defense wins championships, right?
- Customize Your Shot: Features like Pro Stick Rhythm Shooting, Custom Visual Cues, and Shot Timing Profiles give players the ultimate customization over how they shoot the ball as they balance the risk-versus-reward of their choices.
- 2K Beats: NBA 2K25 launched with 61 tracks, with songs from Killer Mike, Key Glock, Schoolboy Q, Benny The Butcher, Lil Tecca, Doechii, DJ Snake & Peso Pluma, Mondo Slade, Yeat, and more. 2K will work with major record labels like Interscope and Capitol Records, as well as other talented producers, to keep the soundtrack updated over time.
These gameplay enhancements are just a few of the improvements you’ll see in this year’s game from last. Durant and Gardner take to the sticks to take in all the new features while also talking about everything from settling the debate of who the better player is — in 2K, basketball, and football — to debating the game’s player ratings to discussing the evolution of the popular game.
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KD vs. Sauce
If there’s one thing we know about both Durant and Gardner, it’s that they are the ultimate competitors in their respective arenas. So, it wasn’t surprising that a little bit of friendly trash talk and banter ensued when the two attempted to settle numerous athletics debates as they took to the sticks.
“I know when we first met, he was thinking he could route me up,” Gardner said, to which Durant quickly replied, “I really think I can.”
Don’t worry, Gardner, who admitted to being a realist and that he wouldn’t be able to beat Durant in a full game of 1-on-1, returned the favor when he said he could still score a point, “easy.”
“Easy is crazy,” Durant said.
Top 10 Ratings
Over the last 25 years, the art of arguing over player ratings has become as much of a tradition as the game itself for its fans. KD and Sauce were quizzed on who they think the top 10 rated players were in this year’s game, some of which came easy, while others were a bit more surprising.
KD’s Starting 5
When putting together your ultimate starting five, one has to think about fit in addition to pure talent. That’s what Durant did when he was asked to build his NBA 2K25 starting lineup.
When asked to compile his 2K squad, KD quickly rattled off Luka Dončić at point guard, himself, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. But his final selection may surprise some.
“Then you gotta go with somebody like [Klay Thompson] — 6-7, shootin’ the thing like that. Yeah, so I’ll go Luka, Klay, Me, Bron, Embiid,” Durant said.
Evolution of 2K
Anyone who has been playing NBA 2K in the last decade or so has likely seen the noticeable upgrades that take place year after year. Looking back on some of the earlier versions of the franchise can warrant some chuckles just to see how far some of the graphics have come over the years.
One aspect of the game that has really taken life over the last half-decade or so is the MyPLAYER and MyCAREER sections. Not only are you able to create a player and work through a professional career, but 2K has added all sorts of new elements to spice up life as one works through their career. From The City to the Park and everything in between, 2K has created a world for gamers to escape to, providing a real-life experience.
Of course, you’ll only get as far as your MyPLAYERwill take you, and creating the best build is the start of every journey.
“The real test is when you get to build your MyPLAYER,” Durant says. “I make 5, 6 of them the whole year. Playmaking shot creator — they got so many different names now — two-way, three-level scorer. I make a big, 7-footer, so you can have every position in the Rec. … I’m usually the point guard, though.”
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