NBA 2K25 was released on September 6, 2024, amidst massive fanfare. As usual, players’ ratings have once again dominated the narrative.
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On that note, here is a look at how LeBron James was rated ahead of his rookie year in the game compared to how his son Bronny James has been rated in the newly released edition.
LeBron James made his NBA debut during the 2003-04 season. NBA 2K4 dropped on October 21, a week before the beginning of his rookie season. LBJ was given a rating of just 78 in the game since he was still unproven at the pro level.
Moreover, James entered the NBA straight out of high school. That could also be a reason for his low rating despite all the hype surrounding him.
On the other hand, Bronny James has been assigned a rating of 68 in NBA 2k25, which is not far behind his superstar dad’s score.
He has been given a rim-attacker build. Bronny’s stamina rating of 90 and a driving dunk rating of 80 stand out.
His speed with the ball has been given an impressive rating of 84 as well. Bronny’s rating of 58 in terms of outside scoring and 51 in terms of inside scoring has held his overall rating back.
Meanwhile, LeBron James has an expected rating of 95 during this year’s NBA 2K edition. He is 80+ in most categories, which is not surprising as he is still one of the best players in the league.
If we look back at his ratings over the years, LBJ saw an incredible uptick in his rating from 2k4 to 2k5 since he proved to be an All-Star level talent in his rookie year.
His rating jumped from 78 to 88 as he put up 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in his first NBA season.
Can we expect a similar jump from Bronny James? A rating of 68 means that there is a lot of room for improvement and even minor upgrades will steadily push him towards 70. However, it is unlikely that he will manage a similar increase as his father.
As the #1 pick in the loaded 2003 draft, LBJ was expected to become a Hall-of-Fame level player. Meanwhile, Bronny James was the #55 pick in the mostly underwhelming 2024 Draft class and is largely a work-in-progress.
If Bronny James sees a 10-point jump in his rating during the next edition, then his rookie year would be considered a huge success.
