It’s no secret by now that microtransactions represent a significant portion of the framework for how the MyCareer mode in NBA 2K24 functions. If you want to be able to compete online against others, there’s little doubt that purchasing virtual currency to spend on improving your attributes puts you on the fast track to gaining an edge on your opponents.
It’s not enough now to only shell out the cost of NBA 2K24, you’re all but expected to invest even more of your hard-earned cash if you want to ensure that you’re not completely incompetent when you step onto an online court.
What the folks at 2K would probably rather you not know though is that it’s hardly imperative that you go broke within the mode trying to keep pace with those with deep pockets. The fact of the matter is that, even though microtransactions remain a scourge in MyCareer, there’s still plenty of enjoyment to be found around The City without even needing to pay any more than you spent already on the game. There are a few ways to test your mettle against a CPU opponent while honing your player’s skills and getting their attributes and badges to elite levels. It’s even possible to have some fun in online games, just as long as you’re willing to accept that you might not be as dominant as those who spend all their disposable income on the mode.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of NBA 2K24‘s MyCareer mode that don’t come with the stress of maxing out a credit card.
Play NBA Games
For all of its faults, MyCareer in NBA 2K24 still remains the premier career mode among all of the sports games for creating a player and making your way through a season. Yes, there are cutscenes that can be more annoying than anything else, but taking the court against a CPU opponent is fairly immersive and exciting. Because you’ll want to have your player steadily improving as fast as possible, your best bet is to start out with 6 minute quarters. That way you can collect your game salary in VC without as much of a commitment and start spending that on your attributes (and perhaps the occasional pair of shoes).
It’s crucial to dial in the ideal difficulty setting based on your own abilities due to a rewards multiplier that can get you more VC for higher difficulties — and next to nothing if you want to play on rookie. Start with Pro difficulty and then try working your way up until you find one that still allows you to put up the kind of stats that will earn you more post-game rewards. You’ll eventually sign endorsement deals that can net you even more of that crucial VC.
Explore The City
Despite all of the complaints about The City being too large and that it takes too long to navigate around, there are at least quite a few different activities to keep you busy and pushing towards getting better as a player. In between NBA games, head over to your team’s practice facility where you can work on drills that will have you slowly (and I do mean slowly) progressing specific badges that are a priority to you.
Head down the right alley and you’ll stumble upon games of streetball that will task you with beating a series of challenging opponents (even more challenging early in your career when you’re a low overall player). You’ve got the Brickley’s Gym that pits you against real NBA players in 3-vs-3 games, the Gatorade where you can earn some boosts, and flashback games against NBA legends. Whatever you do, keep checking the quests tab regularly to find more objectives that you can complete to keep the VC train rolling that you need to raise those attributes.
Find A Squad
It should hardly be surprising that one of the biggest hurdles to finding any enjoyment from online games in MyCareer is the fact that random teammates can be absolute jerks. If you’re a low overall, it can be a chore to find others who will want to be part of your team and even harder to find those who will actually pass you the ball from time to time. There’s all manner of toxic behavior that you’re bound to come across on online courts, especially if you’re brave (or stupid) enough to try communicating on mic.
You’ll find a lot people who are quick to tell you how bad you are at the game but not a lot teammates willing to take accountability for their own shortcomings. That’s why it’s always best if you can find a group of friends to form your own squad while hooping in The City. This will reduce, if not entirely eliminate, the instances of someone incoherently yelling at you and can be a fun way to spend a few hours bonding with some buds. (You can always check here on OS to try and figure out Discords to join or find people on the forums who like to ball.)
Know Your Role
If you do insist on hitting up the online courts and teaming up with randoms, you’ll need to come to terms with your own limitations and accept your place within the team hierarchy. The reality is that there are plenty of people who either play enough or are willing to spend enough money to ensure that their player is a 99 OVR. So you can expect that there will be both teammates and opponents whose attributes are head and shoulders above your own. As you begin to progress though, you’ll gradually find that there are certain aspects of the game that you’ll be better suited to excel in than others based on what kind of build you chose.
For instance, as a big man you might not be able to score well when you start your career, but you can still commit yourself to boxing out and grabbing boards. It’s certainly not the sexiest role to set on-ball screens or stand in the corner to create better spacing for the rest of the team to run an offense, but these can sometimes be your ideal role to have you making some kind of contribution.
Avoid Cosmetic Temptations
As you might expect from 2K’s established reputation for trying to bilk as much money as possible from the consumer, The City is littered with stores whose sole goal is to separate you from your VC. Because you’ll want to devote as much of that VC you earn as possible to improving your attributes, you’re going to need to resist the lure of shopping as much as you possibly can. Whenever you’re being tempted to spend VC on something frivolous like a go-kart or some kind of flashy shirt, just remind yourself that these are the sacrifices that are required if you want to be able to get better on the court faster.
That could mean that you have to show up to Park games in the full State Farm attire you earned from completing a quest or that you enter The Rec in a pair of the same generic 2K sneakers everyone starts out wearing. At the end of the day, just ask yourself if you’d rather look good on the courts or play well on them.
