Raining down threes put players in a tough crown in NBA 2K23. Long-range shooters have never been hotter in the history of the league, so finding a build that competes with the likes of Steph Curry and James Harden is a tall order. But not an impossible one.
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It must be stated that this is the best three-point shooter in NBA 2K23 and not a useful build for competitive matches. It sacrifices much to make the most three-point shots in the game. There is a guide to crafting the best shooting guard in the game and that build is also great from beyond the arc, but it has demand in multiplayer while this is more of a gimmick for single-player gamers.
Updated on February 27th, 2023 by Hodey Johns: It's halfway through the year in the NBA and, during that time, players have got new content from several seasons. That includes a fresh haul of exciting in-game animations. The concept of shooting remains the same; gamers need a shot that ignores the defense, has a high release, is quick, and is easy to time out. The standard shots don't even come close to being as good as a custom jumper. This guide has been updated to include a section on the best custom jumper, given the animations from the all the new content. Also, the best team to play for has been changed to reflect the current state of the league given all the trades that have happened in the first half of the year.
Body Settings
Height | 6'5" |
Weight | 178 pounds |
Wingspan | 6'5" |
- Play a shooting guard
There are some mathematics that went into this conclusion. Any higher than 6'5" and players cannot achieve that elusive 99 in three-point shooting. Any shorter and the player's wingspan gets to comically minimal lengths, making them easier to block. This is the longest a player's arms can get to stay perfect.
A perfect point guard build can also get these same metrics, but there is an issue with the badge situation. Shooting threes off of the dribble takes more badges to do well than shooting off of the catch. With only so many badge points possible, it's best to take this option instead.
Attribute Potential
Close Shot | 65 |
Driving Layup | 25 |
Driving Dunk | 30 |
Standing Dunk | 25 |
Post Control | 25 |
Mid-Range Shot | 95 |
Three-Point Shot | 99 |
Free Throw | 74 |
Pass Accuracy | 25 |
Ball Handle | 40 |
Speed With Ball | 45 |
Interior Defense | 59 |
Perimeter Defense | 79 |
Steal | 44 |
Block | 25 |
Offensive Rebound | 26 |
Defensive Rebound | 34 |
Speed | 95 |
Acceleration | 95 |
Strength | 34 |
Vertical | 65 |
Stamina | 99 |
The obvious plus here is the 99 in three-point shooting. Although there are other shooting bonuses above the 25 minimum, this is purely for the sake of getting more badges, not to try and turn this shooter into a mid-range or free throw threat. There are some defensive perks here, enough to get a few of the best defense/rebounding badges around.
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The speed, acceleration, and stamina are also as high as they can be. Because this is an off-ball shooter, getting open is going to take some serious speed. Stamina affects shooting when it gets low. This build doesn't eat up much stamina, but a max rating of 99 assures gamers they can play all game long
Badges
Finishing | Fearless Finisher (Bronze), Giant Slayer (Bronze) |
Shooting | Blinders (Hall of Fame), Catch & Shoot (Hall of Fame), Corner Specialist (Hall of Fame), Deadeye (Hall of Fame), Slippery Off-Ball (Hall of Fame), Volume Shooter (Hall of Fame) |
Playmaking | None |
Defense/Rebounding | Pick Dodger (Silver), Challenger (Silver), Clamps (Bronze), Menace (Bronze) |
Although there are some fantastic finishing badges out there, this build only gets badges in this category due to due minimums for shooting. Don't actually try to use these badges. Playmaking is also unutilized as this build doesn't need to pass or dribble. If the shot is truly inadvisable, get to a safe place and hand it back to the point guard at point-blank range.
The defense/rebounding badges are handy for a basic amount of defense so that the build doesn't completely get ruined on the other half of the court.
Some may wonder why Limitless Rage and Guard up aren't selected for the shooting badges. Limitless Range is handy for point guards, but shooting guards can put themselves into position without resistance, so there is no need to choose a spot from far away. Guard Up boosts shots where the defender fails to contest, but these shots are already automatic. It's the other shots, the tougher ones, that deserve more attention.
Takeover
Primary Takeover | Spot Up Shooter |
Secondary Takeover | Shot Creator |
The clear choice here, and the only one of note, is the Spot Up Shooter. It's simply an extra boost in addition to the already perfect scores and Hall of Fame badges and will be enough to score over defenders who have fully invested in defense.
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There is a bit of a conundrum here with the second spot. For those who want to turn this into a build with more utility, the Lockdown Defender takeover will help on that end. But for a pure three-point shooter, go for the Shot Creator to allow for the opportunity of hitting threes off of the dribble.
Custom Jump Shot
Base | Stephen Curry |
Upper Release 1 | Stephen Curry |
Upper Release 2 | Jason Kidd |
Release Speed | 25% |
Animation Blending | 60% - 40% |
Release Height | A- |
Defense Immunity | A+ |
Release Speed | A+ |
Timing Impact | A+ |
Guards are known for their access to the best playmaking badges but with a shot this sweet, it's doubtful that they'll ever want to pass when they design their own perfect shot. With an A+ in defense immunity, gamers can rain threes even with the defense tightened up on them.
This ideal custom jump shot is also quick and easy to time out. The A+ timing impact will essentially take all the control the defense might have at changing a shot and put it entirely in the player's hands. With a good release, it's going in, that's all there is to it.
Best Team To Play For
There are a few teams that need a shooting guard who can land a three-ball. When choosing a team, try to find one where the starting player at the shooting guard position is ranked at a sub-80 while the rest of the team is solid, mostly 80s or 90s.
The best of these teams to join, by far and away, is the Milwaukee Bucks. They have one of the lowest-ranked starting shooting guards in Wesley Matthews. Replacing him is as easy as it gets. The rest of the team is content to pass and stay under the basket, giving the player lots of room beyond the arc to fire away.
As of this writing, the Magic also have a shooting guard at a 76 rating with the rest of the team between 81 and 84. The Bucks are the better team but players who want to be the star right away will find they can have as much of the spotlight as they want in Orlando.
NBA 2K23 is available now for PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
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