The powers that be at 2K Games recently shared their early evaluation of the Jordi Fernandez-led Nets ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. Brooklyn will likely debut with a 78 overall rating in the latest installment of the beloved video game franchise, the worst among all 30 NBA teams.
Cam Thomas, entering his fourth season in the NBA, and Nic Claxton, who signed a new four-year, $100 million deal in June to remain with the Nets, are the team’s highest-rated players at 81 overall. Cam Johnson is right behind them at 79 overall, but let us focus on the other Cam for a second.
Thomas, 22, is coming off a career-best NBA season in which he averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 44.2% from the field, 36.4% from the 3-point line and 85.6% from the free throw line. He had 15 games with at least 30 points last season and scored at least 40 points four times.
Most young players, despite whatever shortcomings in their game, would be universally praised for that level of offensive production. At the very least their NBA 2K ratings would be nothing to scoff at. Yet Thomas is set to debut at just 81 overall in NBA 2K 25, just three points ahead of Bojan Bogdanovic.
For reference, Josh Hart of the Knicks is currently rated 82 overall. While Hart’s hustle is unrivaled compared to most and he can get hot offensively if left unchecked, he averaged 9.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists across 81 games last season.
No shade toward Bogdanovic or Hart, but it is objectively nasty work.
Video game ratings are likely the furthest thing from Thomas’ mind as the NBA season draws near, but remember, he is young. Young enough to keep tabs on these kinds of things. And even if he is not paying attention, there are likely people around him who are. They probably think he deserves a higher rating. Thomas, in what feels like a never-ending pursuit of respect, would probably agree.
So, add the producers, developers, scouts and rating experts at 2K Games to the long list of Thomas doubters entering next season. Sliding to No. 27 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. Not playing consistently over his first two seasons in the league. The 22-year-old is intimately familiar with disrespect at this point in his career.
But he refuses to let it get under his skin.
“Nobody really believed in my talent and scoring ability — even at Oak Hill, and even in college, and even in the League. So, I’m used to it,” Thomas told SLAM magazine. “Now, it’s really just self-motivation… I have that in my back pocket so I can keep growing and keep improving.
“I’m not focused on trying to prove myself anymore. Everybody knows I’m one of the top young scorers — top young guards — in the League now. So, it’s really just trying to maximize my ability, see where I can take it and become the best player I can be, this year, and for years to come.”
