NBA 2K26 Ratings Update 5 Shakes Up Player Overalls

NBA 2K26 received Ratings Update 5 on January 8, 2026, moving a slate of player overalls to reflect recent NBA form and evolving roles. Young scorers with increasing roles and usage were the clear winners: Brandon Miller climbed three points to an 84 overall and Keyonte George rose three points to an 86 overall. Several established stars picked up smaller bumps, with players like Donovan Mitchell, Jaylen Brown, and Anthony Edwards seeing modest increases that improve their functional value in multiple game modes.

Not all changes were upward. Veterans including Paul George and Kristaps Porziņģis experienced modest declines, with some of their ratings falling by two points. A variety of role players across rosters also received tweaks intended to mirror minutes, form, and fit. The update influences more than the headline overalls: badge thresholds moved for some players, altering the moment when specific badges activate and changing the practical ceiling of certain builds.

For the community, the update has immediate roster and matchup implications. In MyTeam, players should expect auction values and starting lineups to shift as risers become more desirable and fallen veterans dip in market price. MyNBA managers may need to re-evaluate rotations and minutes if role player ratings better reflect real-life usage, while Play Now users should watch how matchups change when a defender's perimeter defense or a scorer's shot closeout tendencies are nudged by rating changes.

Practical steps to take after the update include checking key attribute thresholds that govern badge activation and animations, testing favored builds in a few scrimmage matches, and adjusting rotations if a previously marginal bench piece now clears a badge or attribute cutpoint. Small changes in mid-80s overalls can decide whether a player reliably hits contested shots, activates elite dribble moves, or remains a defensive liability against elite guards. Rebalancing lineup spacing and pick-and-roll assignments will help teams exploit upgraded scorers while protecting against downgraded interior defenders.

The update has already sparked community discussion about matchup viability and build effectiveness as players test how incremental boosts translate to on-court performance. With full team-by-team lists released alongside the changes, take time to review your rosters, monitor market shifts in MyTeam, and run a few practice games to confirm how the new ratings feel in live play. Adjusting quickly will preserve competitive edges in online play and keep single-player careers aligned with the simulated NBA landscape.