NBA 2K26 comes out at the beginning of next month, so September 5 marks the first time you can play with the newest iteration of the Charlotte Hornets. The team has undergone quite a few changes on the roster, and every year sees newer, more accurate overall ratings for all the players. Here’s where the Hornets might end up.
LaMelo Ball is a tricky rating to pin down. On the one hand, he’s a gifted scorer and shooter with limitless range. His passing is excellent, as is his rebounding for a guard. However, he’s inefficient, struggles with injuries, and turns the ball over a fair amount, preventing him from getting one of the truly elite ratings. 88 feels right, though it will probably rise during the season.
Brandon Miller looked poised to rise into the mid or even high 80s last year before he got hurt. He was on his way to career highs in several offensive categories, and his shooting percentages were ticking back up. Miller is a rising star and should be rated accordingly, but he’s also got a very limited NBA sample size and is coming off a major injury. 83 is safe, but it’s probably about right.
Apr 6, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) drives to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Collin Sexton is a good scorer, which always plays well for 2K. He’s averaged over 15 points per game over the last three seasons, and he arrives in Charlotte with high-level finishing, solid creation, and a decent shot. There’s no reason to expect him to be a low overall given all of that, but he doesn’t do anything at an elite level, either. 82 it is.
Miles Bridges has kind of perpetually hovered in this area in NBA 2K. He’s never really been a high 80s player, but his scoring and athleticism have helped him stay above the 80 OVR threshold plenty. That’s where he’ll be again, though a pretty disappointing and highly inefficient 2024-25 season should have him on the brink of sliding below that mark. 81 is still a solid rating, though.
Unlike the majority of the NBA, Kon Knueppel does have some game tape from “this year” for 2K26 to work with. His Summer League was really outstanding. The rookie was always going to have a decent rating since he was picked fourth overall, but the Summer League outings should help. Incredible shooting attributes should keep Knueppel pretty high, and 80 to start is a good prediction.
Had Tre Mann played the entire season at the level he was at before getting hurt, he would undoubtedly be in the mid-80s in NBA 2K26. He was scoring well, shooting efficiently, and could’ve been a Sixth Man of the Year contender. Alas, the lack of a major sample size, disappointing career numbers, and an injury that sapped 69 possible games from Mann all mean he can’t be that high.
What Moussa Diabate does well, he does really well. You can expect really high rebounding (particularly offensive) and defensive numbers, but the offensive overalls will leave a lot to be desired. He doesn’t score, can’t shoot, and doesn’t pass particularly well. Still, the good parts are so good that he’ll probably have a decent overall. 77 feels appropriate given his limitations as of now.
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