Dominate the Court: Mastering Badges in NBA 2K17 MyCareer

NBA 2K17’s MyCareer mode lets you live out your hoop dreams, taking your created player from rookie to legend. But the road to stardom isn’t paved with easy buckets. To truly dominate the court, you need to master the art of badges.

Badges in NBA 2K17 are like special abilities that enhance your player’s skills in specific areas. From ankle-breaking dribble moves to unstoppable post fades, badges are the key to unlocking your MyPlayer’s full potential and leaving your mark on the league.

Understanding the Badge System

Before diving into specific badge recommendations, it’s crucial to understand how the badge system works in NBA 2K17. Each badge falls into one of four categories:

Playmaking Badges: These enhance your ball-handling, passing, and playmaking abilities.
Inside Scoring Badges: These boost your effectiveness around the rim, improving your post-ups, layups, and dunks.
Outside Scoring Badges: These elevate your shooting skills, improving your mid-range game, three-point shooting, and free throws.
Defensive/Athletic Badges: These bolster your defensive prowess and athleticism, improving your steals, blocks, rebounding, and hustle.

Each badge has multiple tiers – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and sometimes even Hall of Fame. The higher the tier, the more significant the boost. But remember, earning badges takes dedication. You need to consistently perform the specific actions associated with each badge during games.

Essential Badges for Every Playstyle

While the best badges for you will depend on your MyPlayer’s position and preferred playstyle, some badges are universally valuable:

1. Hustle Rebounder: This badge is a game-changer for any player who wants to dominate the boards. It improves your ability to track down rebounds, box out opponents, and secure those crucial possessions.

2. Dimer: Want to be the floor general, dishing out assists like a young Steve Nash? The Dimer badge is your best friend. It increases the accuracy of your passes, making it easier to find open teammates for easy scores.

3. Catch & Shoot: For players who love to light it up from deep, the Catch & Shoot badge is a must-have. It boosts your shooting percentage significantly when you catch the ball and shoot immediately, making you a nightmare for defenses.

4. Defensive Stopper: Lockdown defenders are invaluable in any basketball game, and the Defensive Stopper badge helps you become one. This badge makes it harder for opponents to score against you, improving your on-ball defense and making you a force in the paint.

Tailoring Badges to Your MyPlayer’s Role

Beyond the essentials, you’ll want to select badges that complement your MyPlayer’s strengths:

Point Guard:

Ankle Breaker: Make defenders look silly with devastating crossovers and hesitation moves.
Lob City Passer: Throw perfect alley-oops to your high-flying teammates.
Pick & Roll Maestro: Master the pick-and-roll game, creating scoring opportunities for yourself and your teammates.

Shooting Guard:

Deadeye: Ignore defenders in your face and drain contested jumpers with ease.
Limitless Range: Extend your shooting range beyond the three-point line, becoming a true scoring threat from anywhere on the court.
Microwave: Heat up quickly and get on a scoring streak with just a few made shots.

Small Forward:

Posterizer: Throw down thunderous dunks, humiliating defenders and igniting your team.
Relentless Finisher: Absorb contact and finish strong at the rim, drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line.
One Man Fast Break: Push the pace and finish fast breaks with authority.

Power Forward:

Backdown Punisher: Dominate the low post with powerful backdowns and fadeaway jumpers.
Bruiser: Overpower opponents in the paint, clearing space for rebounds and easy baskets.
Putback King: Own the offensive glass, grabbing offensive rebounds and putting them back for easy scores.

Center:

Rim Protector: Become a defensive wall, intimidating opponents and swatting shots into the stands.
Brick Wall: Set rock-solid screens, freeing up your teammates for open shots.
Post Spin Maestro: Spin past defenders with ease, creating space for layups and hook shots.

Grinding for Badges: Tips and Tricks

Earning badges takes time and effort. Here are a few tips to accelerate your progress:

Focus on badge-specific actions: Don’t just play to win; actively try to perform the actions associated with the badges you want.
Utilize practice mode: Hone your skills and practice badge-earning actions in the safe space of the practice court.
Play on a higher difficulty: The higher the difficulty setting, the faster you’ll earn badge progress.
Be patient and persistent: Don’t get discouraged if you don’t unlock badges immediately. Keep grinding, and you’ll eventually reap the rewards.

Dominate the Game, One Badge at a Time

Mastering badges is an ongoing journey in NBA 2K17’s MyCareer mode. As you unlock higher badge tiers and experiment with different combinations, you’ll find what works best for your playstyle and dominate the competition. So, get out there, put in the work, and become the legend you were born to be.