Several ex-Cats on the rise in 'NBA 2K15'

John Wall led the Washington Wizards to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2008. Anthony Davis and Demarcus Cousins were big contributors in the Americans’ dominating run to a 2014 FIBA World Cup gold medal. Eric Bledsoe signed a five-year extension with the Phoenix Suns reportedly worth $70 million. Julius Randle and James Young were drafted by the league’s two most storied franchises in the Lakers and Celtics, respectively. If it wasn’t obvious, the past several months have been generous to former University of Kentucky men's basketball players.

Fans eager to see their favorite players take the court for the 2014-15 NBA season will have to wait until Oct. 28, but they can scratch their basketball itch and get a simulated first-hand look using NBA 2K15. The video game — which was released Tuesday and is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC — features 25 ex-Cats currently on NBA rosters or in the league's free-agent pool.

NBA 2K15 showcases every team in the league, many popular teams from yesteryear and select Euroleague teams. Each year, developer Visual Concepts rates every league player and team using its internal formula, and it will update that rating as warranted based on real-life player and team performance throughout the season.

So how do the former UK stars rank according to the 2K ratings? Here’s a look at each player in descending order of their rating, with their rating from the game’s last iteration in parentheses as well as what this edition considers their three most important attributes as a player (those attributes are judged on a system ranging from one to three stars):

Note: In the NBA 2K series there are both basic and detailed ratings. The former gives letter grades to each player in the categories of inside scoring ability, outside scoring ability, perimeter defense, post defense, ball handling, rebounds, basketball IQ and athleticism. The detailed ratings divide these categories into more specific basketball-relevant stats (mid-range jump shots are rated differently from three-pointers, for example). Those many breakdowns are not detailed in this snapshot. Ratings are based on the first available official 2K Sports roster update.

ANTHONY DAVIS

New Orleans Pelicans

Overall rating: 88 (up from 79)

Key attributes: Rebounding (three stars), Defense (three stars), Inside scoring (two stars).

Analysis: Davis made the second-largest jump in rating of all ex-Cats and for good reason. The second-year forward made a leap in just about every statistical category, averaging 20.8 points (15th-best in the league) and 10 rebounds (10th) while blocking a league-best 2.8 shots a night in his first All-Star season. His player-efficiency rating of 26.5 was fourth-best in the league, behind only Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kevin Love. That was before he became the de facto figurehead for Team USA this summer during its gold-medal campaign at the FIBA World Cup in Spain. The 2012 Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player is well on his way to becoming an NBA superstar. His 88 rating here puts him behind only nine players in the 2K game: James, Durant, Chris Paul, Tim Duncan, Blake Griffin, Paul George, Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony.

RAJON RONDO

Boston Celtics

Overall rating: 87 (down from 90)

Key attributes: Play-making, Defense, Athleticism (all three stars)

Analysis: Rondo’s rating took a slight dive in part due to a revamp of how NBA 2K15 handled ratings as opposed to prior iterations (To provide perspective: There are only four players at the beginning of the season rated 90 or better). The ninth-year point guard played only 30 games for the Celtics last season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and undergoing surgery in February 2013. His numbers also took a small dip, likely attributable to fewer minutes played and a less robust supporting cast. To make matters worse, Rondo broke his hand on Sept. 25 after falling at his home and was told he would miss 8-10 weeks , which would ensure a fifth straight season in which the four-time All-Star doesn’t play 70 or more regular-season games. It’s worth addressing that he’s also a member of the "perpetually-in-trade-rumors-but-never-gets-moved club," but Boston’s present rebuilding efforts and the point guard’s sudden string of injury-plagued seasons will only get that mill moving more.

JOHN WALL

Washington Wizards

Overall rating: 86 (up from 85)

Key attributes: Play-making, Athleticism, Inside scoring (all three stars).

Analysis: Wall played all 82 games for the first time in his career last season and averaged career-highs of 19.3 points, 8.8 assists and 1.8 steals in leading the Wizards to the playoffs for the first time since 2008. He shot a personal best 35.1 percent from behind the three-point line after averaging 7.1 percent from that distance two seasons before. Due in part to another expected year of growth as well as a more well-rounded supporting cast with championship ambitions, I expect Wall to supplant Rondo as the highest-rated ex-Cat point guard in NBA 2K15 by season’s end.

DEMARCUS COUSINS

Sacramento Kings

Overall rating: 86 (up from 80)

Key attributes: Inside scoring (three stars), Rebounding (three stars), Defense (two stars).

Analysis: Looking back, you’d have a terrific case if you’re arguing that "Boogie" got snubbed for his first All-Star team selection. If it’s any consolation, NBA 2K15 took notice and rates the fifth-year ex-Cat as its fourth-best center, behind Dwight Howard, Al Jefferson and Joakim Noah. Cousins’ 22.7 points and 11.7 rebounds averaged last season were good for ninth- and fifth-best in the league, respectively. He boasted a player efficiency rating of 26.1 – fifth-best in the league behind Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kevin Love and fellow ex-Cat Anthony Davis. He finished 19th in the league in both steals (1.5) and blocks (1.3) per game. Cousins will look to build on a solid experience in winning gold with Team USA in Spain while the Kings attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

ERIC BLEDSOE

Phoenix Suns

Overall rating: 82 (up from 81)

Key attributes: Athleticism (three stars), Play-making (two stars), Outside scoring (two stars).

Analysis: After a summer of unrest and rampant trade rumors, Bledsoe agreed to a five-year, $70 million deal with Phoenix. The fifth-year guard is rated two points below backcourt running mate Goran Dragic. Given his injury status for a good part of last season, it’s kind of shocking to see his rating go up a point (especially since it was already pretty high for a guy who at that point hadn’t been featured as a full-time starter).

BRANDON KNIGHT

Milwaukee Bucks

Overall rating: 79 (up from 73)

Key attributes: Play-making (three stars), Outside scoring (two stars), Athleticism (two stars).

Analysis: Before current Cat Aaron Harrison was hitting big shots in the NCAA Tournament, Knight had his fair share en route to the 2011 Final Four. Knight is tied with Larry Sanders for the distinction of being the highest-rated Bucks player in NBA 2K15. He averaged 17.9 points, 4.9 assists and one steal – all career bests – while playing 33.3 minutes a night for Milwaukee during last season. The Bucks’ acquisition of head coach Jason Kidd ought to be a positive for the fourth-year point guard. Worth keeping an eye on is whether or not Knight agrees to a contract extension before Oct. 31, which if not agreed upon will allow the guard to become a restricted free agent next summer.

MICHAEL KIDD-GILCHRIST

Charlotte Bobcats

Overall rating: 77 (down from 78)

Key attributes: Rebounding (three stars), Defense (two stars), Athleticism (two stars).

Analysis: MKG dropped slightly after his per-game numbers fell across the board during the regular season. Want optimism? His 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 51.9 shooting percentage in the playoffs were significant marks above his regular-season production. Also, the third-year forward’s poor shooting form has undergone significant improvement in the offseason, potentially paving the way for Kidd-Gilchrist to become the perimeter threat he needs to be in order to elevate himself to the next level, both on-the-court and in the digital landscape.

TERRENCE JONES

Houston Rockets

Overall rating: 77 (up from 65)

Key attributes: Inside scoring, Rebounding, Defense (all two stars).

Analysis: “What's more indicting — Jones' low rating or the fact that he's the highest-rated power forward on Houston's roster?” I wrote that in last year’s edition of this article, and it appears the former was the case. Jones’ rating soared after the second-year forward started 71 games for the Rockets and more than doubled his average in points (12.1) and rebounding (5.5) from year one. It is expected that the Rockets will soon pick up their fourth-year team option on both Jones and Donatas Motiejunas, from whom Jones still faces competition on the roster. Houston is also typically one of the most active teams on the trade market, so that’s something to keep tabs on.

NERLENS NOEL

Philadelphia 76ers

Overall rating: 76 (up from 71)

Key attributes: Rebounding, Defense, Athleticism (all two stars)

Analysis: Who knew Summer League performances could have such a positive impact on a player’s rating? After missing the entirety of the 2013-14 season while recovering from ACL surgery, Noel finally took the court this past summer in both Summer Leagues. He averaged 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, three blocks and 2.3 steals in three Orlando games; in two Las Vegas league games, he averaged 13 points, 5.5 rebounds, two blocks and a steal. In his first "true" NBA action, Noel had four points, six rebounds and a block before fouling out in the 76ers’ 98-78 preseason loss Monday. In that game Noel was aggressive around the basket but shot 2-for-9. Still, there’s a lot of time ahead for Noel – a dark-horse candidate for Rookie of the Year – to shine with the lottery-minded 76ers.

JULIUS RANDLE

Los Angeles Lakers

Overall rating: 76

Key attributes: Inside scoring (two stars), Rebounding (two stars), Athleticism (two stars).

Analysis: To provide some perspective, Randle rates behind only Jabari Parker (78) and Andrew Wiggins (77) among rookie players and is just three points off of Anthony Davis’ rating as a sophomore player. Randle built on a solid Las Vegas Summer League outing in his preseason debut with the Lakers on Monday, going for 10 points, eight rebounds and a blocked shot in 27 minutes off the bench. Depending on how the Lakers’ rotation plays out over the season, Randle could be right there in the Rookie of the Year discussion.

TAYSHAUN PRINCE

Memphis Grizzlies

Overall rating: 75 (up from 74)

Key attributes: Defense, Outside scoring, Inside scoring (all two stars).

Analysis: This one’s a bit of a head-scratcher. While Prince posted career lows in just about every statistical category in the regular season and saw those numbers descend further in the playoffs, his NBA 2K rating actually improved by a point. Prince is entering his 12th season and is in the final year of a $28 million contract. For that reason, it’s likely his name will be floating around in trade rumors whether his production takes a positive turn or not.

PATRICK PATTERSON

Toronto Raptors

Overall rating: 75 (up from 73)

Key attributes: Outside scoring (three stars), Athleticism (two stars), Inside scoring (one star).

Analysis: The fifth-year forward was shipped midseason from Sacramento to Toronto, where his minutes took an ever-so-small dip (from 24.4 to 23.3) while his production increased. He averaged 9.1 points for the Raptors compared to 6.9 for the Kings. Even more notably, his three-point percentage increased from .231 in Sacramento to .411 in Toronto. Patterson also averaged 10.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in the playoffs while shooting 54.2 percent. He agreed to a three-year, $18.1 million deal with the Raptors in the offseason and figures to be a big part of their rotation for the foreseeable future.

ENES KANTER

Utah Jazz

Overall rating: 75 (up from 68)

Key attributes: Inside scoring (two stars), Rebounding (two stars), Outside scoring (two stars).

Analysis: Given his subdued playing style and the fact that the Jazz are seldom on national TV, the fourth-year center is one of the toughest ex-Cats on which to keep up-to-date. His rating jump was anticipated given the strides he made in stat production (12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds) and minutes played (26.7), but seven points is pretty generous. Of note is that he appeared in all but two of Utah’s games, starting 37. Extension talks between Kanter – who says he’s been working to add three-point range to his game in the offseason – and Utah are reportedly ongoing.

JODIE MEEKS

Detroit Pistons

Overall rating: 75 (up from 69)

Key attributes: Outside scoring (two stars), Athleticism (two stars), Defense (one star).

Analysis: Meeks turned a career year with a depleted Lakers squad into a three-year, $19.5 million contract with the Detroit Pistons in the offseason. His rating bump doesn’t surprise. New Pistons head man Stan Van Gundy’s offense typically makes thorough use of the three-point line, an area in which Meeks has always excelled but did so especially last year (his 40.1-percent clip was good for 19th in the league). The sixth-year veteran will probably be competing with second-year first-rounder and former University of Georgia standout Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for the starting two-guard spot.

KELENNA AZUBUIKE

Free agent

Overall rating: 71

Key attributes: Outside scoring (two stars), Defense (one star), Athleticism (one star).

Analysis: Azubuike hasn’t played in an NBA game since the 2011-12 season in a brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks. The former Wildcat's days in the league are probably done, but he rates as an above-average free agent in NBA 2K15 for those wanting to spark a comeback in the virtual world.

CHUCK HAYES

Toronto Raptors

Overall rating: 69

Key attributes: Defense (two stars), Athleticism (two stars), Inside scoring (one star).

Analysis: In a testament to what hard work and dedication to one’s craft can yield, Hayes has turned a 10-day contract with the Rockets in 2006 into nine seasons of NBA contribution. The 31-year-old was part of the same midseason deal that sent Patterson to Toronto and is entering the final year of a four-year, $22.4 million deal. Hayes posted career lows in several categories last season, but played key minutes for the Raptors in their first-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets. Defense has been his calling card in the league and continues to buoy his NBA 2K ratings. Bonus: First reader to replicate this shot in-game with Hayes gets a Twitter shoutout.

MARQUIS TEAGUE

Brooklyn Nets

Overall rating: 69 (up from 66)

Key attributes: Athleticism (two stars), Play-making (one star), Outside scoring (one star).

Analysis: NBA 2K15 appears to appreciate Marquis Teague more than do the teams for whom he’s played. The point guard on UK’s 2012 championship team has yet to find real footing in the league. Traded from Chicago last January in a cost-cutting measure by the Chicago Bulls, Teague saw his minutes dip while playing for Brooklyn. On a positive note, the third-year veteran finished second in assists in the 2014 Summer League with 5.8 per game while averaging less than 19 minutes. Whether Teague can find his NBA niche this season will be an under-the-radar story line for UK fans to follow.

ARCHIE GOODWIN

Phoenix Suns

Overall rating: 69 (up from 68)

Key attributes: Athleticism, Play-making, Inside scoring (all two stars).

Analysis: Goodwin averaged 3.7 points across 52 games in his first NBA season. Over five Las Vegas Summer League games he averaged 12.8 points, three rebounds and 1.2 steals, but turned in a distressing 36.4-percent shooting mark. If pressed to pick one ex-Cat who might change teams this season, I’d pick Goodwin. He is one of seven guards on the Suns’ roster, and if the team is serious about making a run at the Western Conference’s upper echelon they’ll likely try to deal for a high-level forward. Goodwin’s got the youth, raw potential and cheap cost that teams looking to trade salivate over.

DARIUS MILLER

New Orleans Pelicans

Overall rating: 69 (up from 64)

Key attributes: Outside scoring (two stars), Athleticism (two stars), Defense (one star).

Analysis: The Pelicans did not extend a qualifying offer to Miller, making him an unrestricted free agent who ended up re-signing with the team for the veteran’s minimum ($915,482). The Maysville native and former Mason County star averaged just 4.4 points and 1.2 rebounds in 45 games last season, but he missed the first 17 games while recovering from offseason surgery on his left foot. In Miller’s favor is that he averaged 9.3 points and hit double-digit scoring in the Pelicans’ final 12 games.

JAMES YOUNG

Boston Celtics

Overall rating: 68

Key attributes: Outside scoring (two stars), Athleticism (two stars), Defense (one star).

Analysis: As kind as the ratings formula was to Julius Randle, it did no favors for Young. He’s ranked behind every Celtics player except Joel Anthony. A concussion prevented Young from playing in the Summer League for Boston, but the rookie came on late to score 10 points in the Celtics’ 98-78 preseason win over the 76ers on Tuesday. Young has dismissed the notion of spending most of the season with the Maine Red Claws, but as one of the league’s youngest players (he turned 19 on Aug. 16) it would be shocking if he didn’t spend at least some time in the Developmental League.

KEITH BOGANS

Free agent

Overall rating: 68

Key attributes: Outside scoring (two stars), defense (two stars), athleticism (one star).

Analysis: Recently inducted into the UK Athletics Hall of Fame, Bogans has spent more time of late as a bargaining chip than an on-the-court asset. His attractive contract saw the ex-Cat shipped from Boston to Cleveland to Philadelphia in a manner of days near the end of September. But the 34-year-old's value, and his luck, apparently ran dry Tuesday when he was waived by the Sixers.

NAZR MOHAMMED

Chicago Bulls

Overall rating: 70 (up from 64).

Key attributes: Rebounding, Defense, Outside scoring (all two stars).

Analysis: Mohammed re-signed with the Bulls on Sept. 22 for what will be his 17th (!) season in the league. As the veteran ages, his real-life value as a locker-room presence and relief center continues to trek forward – and it’s done wonders to his NBA 2K rating. In fact, while his seven minutes a game last year were a career-low, Mohammed played in 80 regular-season games for just the fifth time of his career and the first time since the 2007-08 season (the only season in which he played all 82 games). His per-36 minute numbers also peg him as a guy who could still average 11.2 rebounds and 7.9 points, too.

DORON LAMB

Dallas Mavericks

Overall rating: 62

Key attributes: Outside scoring (two stars), defense (one star), athleticism (one star).

Analysis: Lamb averaged 3.6 points in 13 minutes a game with the Orlando Magic last season. Notably, he shot 40 percent from behind the three-point arc. Like Teague, the third-year shooting guard has yet to really make his mark in the NBA. Dallas signed Lamb to a non-guaranteed contract in September. He is one of only three shooting guards on the Mavericks’ roster headed into training camp. However, a stash of seasoned veterans at point guard (Jameer Nelson, Monta Ellis, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris) who will probably split time at the one and two figure to make Lamb’s chances of making the team more difficult. (Note: the game initially lists Lamb as a free agent.)

JOSH HARRELLSON

Free Agent

Overall rating: 57

Key attributes: Rebounding (two stars), Inside scoring (one star), defense (one star).

Analysis: After riding the pine for part of the season with Detroit, Harrellson last month signed with the Chongquing Flying Dragons. The team with which he won the 2013 Chinese National Basketball League’s Player of the Year award is heading into its first season in the Chinese Basketball Association, the nation's equivalent of the NBA (the NBL is akin to the D-League). With the increase in competition in mind, it’ll be fun to track Harrellson’s overseas performance this season against his POY campaign.

DANIEL ORTON

Washington Wizards

Overall rating: 56

Key attributes: Inside scoring (one star), Rebounding (one star), Defense (one star).

Analysis: A popular adage is if you’re 7 feet tall and can chew gum, teams will keep giving you a shot to prove your worth. Orton has moseyed around the league and is currently on the Wizards’ training camp roster after a stint in the D-League with the Maine Red Claws last season. He averaged a respectable 4.4 points, five rebounds and one steal in 16 minutes per game for Washington during the Las Vegas Summer league. J. Michael of Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic reported Friday that the fifth-year center was “in much better shape” than he was during the summer showcase. If that’s the case, Orton’s latest crack at making a roster might pan out. (Note: the game initially lists Orton as a free agent.)

This story was originally published October 7, 2014 at 6:28 AM with the headline "Several ex-Cats on the rise in 'NBA 2K15'."