NBA 2K27 celebrated its Season 2 drop with the arrival of‘GOAT builds and a particular Toronto Raptors superstar is at the centre of it.
The game’s latest update (Oct. 16) added 18 unique player builds for use in the MyCareer game mode. Kawhi Leonard – in a Raptors jersey – is one of the archetypes gamers can choose from. Here’s the full list of Hall of Famers and all-time greats that he’s grouped up with in 2K27:
Point Guards
- Magic Johnson
- Derrick Rose
- Gilbert Arenas
- Penny Hardaway
Shooting Guard
- Michael Jordan
- Kobe Bryant
- Ray Allen
- Anthony Edwards
- Klay Thompson
Small Forward
- Kawhi Leonard
- LeBron James
- Carmelo Anthony
- Andrei Kirilenko
Power Forward
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Anthony Davis
Centre
- Wilt Chamberlain
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Dwight Howard
Leonard’s build is described
as an “Elite two-way titan. Pairs lockdown wing defence with unstoppable three-level scoring.” Under the hood, this build has everything for both casuals and competitive players. It starts with the one-of-a-kind combination of ratings Leonard provides.
Ratings
The traits that immediately pop are his measurables. Leonard’s GOAT build is 6’7 with a seven-foot-three wingspan. For those who spend countless hours experimenting with 2K’s MyPlayer builder at the beginning of every game’s cycle, they’ll know why this is special.
In NBA 2K27, it’s impossible to make a small forward with that exact combination. The longest wing span available in the game for players listed at 6’7 is seven-foot-one. That extra length makes it easier to hawk passing lanes and force contests (especially in a game that doesn’t have the best contest system).
For fans who favour a defensive build to use in The Rec or The Park, or competitive players who like to build a lockdown every year, it often means sacrificing offensive attributes.
With the Leonard GOAT build, players unlock access to 91 mid-range and 83 three-point ratings. Under normal circumstances, a 6’7 archetype with maximum wing span can only reach 87 mid-range and 81 three-point ratings. Leonard can also reach an unbelievable 95 agility. For regular builds, players max out at 86 agility.
Despite its greatness, there are notable weak points. The most glaring ones are the low block rating (50) and the speed (77). Defenders need a higher block rating this year since it affects how much of a contest a player gets when defending on the perimeter. A 77 speed is also too slow to consistently keep up with shifty guards.
Fortunately, players can add cap breakers they can unlock throughout the year to bump those ratings up.
Unless it gets patched, increasing Leonard’s dunk from 80 (to anything higher) will help in a meta that currently rewards 99 dunk.
Badges
The badges are interesting because they feel like a mixed bag on the surface, at least before gamers grind their Leonard build. The finishing badges are better on a traditional lockdown build, but the Leonard GOAT build has the Limitless Range badge. When the badge works properly, it helps quite a bit.
Leonard has superior rebounding badges, which will significantly help in 3v3 park games. The elite passing badges are useful when playing with friends. It’ll be fascinating to see how the heightened Strong Handles badge helps sweaty lockdown players out of the corner during ranked or private match games.
By the time the game reaches its final seasons, when the most cap breakers are available, this Leonard GOAT build should have everything a 2K fan wants and more.
