NBA 2K25 Mike Wang Tweets and Discord Messages
NBA 2K25 Dribbling News
@Beluba on Twitter: Last year's dribble styles might have had 4 or 5 unique animations per style, while 2K25's dribble styles have around 20-40 unique ProPLAY sequences from that player. The new engine is driven by at least 6 times the amount of motion data as previous 2K's. It's crazy.
@Beluba on Twitter: 2nd, dribble movement is very different (launches, turns, stops, etc) And dribble styles can have a big effect on that feel too. So you guys will need to experiment because strats and techniques from past 2K's may not work this year and you'll discover new ways to be effective.
@Beluba on Twitter: Lots of new dribble styles... from 25 last year to 37 in NBA 2K25. More importantly, each dribble style is filled with authentic ProPLAY data. Last year's dribble styles might have had 4 or 5 unique animations per style, while 2K25's dribble styles have around 20-40 unique ProPLAY sequences from that player. The new engine is driven by at least 6 times the amount of motion data as previous 2K's. It's crazy.
@Beluba on Twitter: There are 2 things that dribbleheads are going to need to lab on. Many of the moves/combos that you pulled off last year (like the shammgod) are no longer done by branching from a right stick move to left stick movement. All of those advanced combos have moved to the right stick, along with some new stuff. 2nd, dribble movement is very different (launches, turns, stops, etc) And dribble styles can have a big effect on that feel too. So you guys will need to experiment because strats and techniques from past 2K's may not work this year and you'll discover new ways to be effective.
NBA 2K25 General Gameplay Changes
Q: Is the court/player model ratio different in 2k25?
@Beluba on Discord: We adjusted the player-to-court ratio in NBA 2k25 to give players more room to operate. It's improved the flow of the game and allows for certain cuts that would often get jammed up before. The AI's spacing engine also got a huge upgrade. Compared to just a few static locations last year, there are now over 20 dynamic adjustment locations contantly feeding the AI a stream of spacing information. This helps AI teammates properly space to give you more room to isolate or work the 2-person game. It also help them understand more advanced spacing concepts when deciding to help, double, and rotate on defense.
@Dravved on Twitter: This change feels super nice. More space for plays makes everything feel super smooth. Fantastic change from the gameplay team.
Q: Are there any changes to the passing mechanics of this game?
@Beluba on Discord: There are a number of improvements to passing overall, but the most noticeable is improved lob pass logic. The targeting on lobs is much better in NBA 2k25. and is really great for advanced passes or leading a receiver to the basket over a trailing defender. Control-wise, bounce alley-oops are now triggered contextually and sel-alleys have been moved to Cross+Circle / A+B.
Q: On the Courtside Report it says you added over 9,000 animations. Could you tell us more?
@Beluba on Discord: We've added over 9,000 new ProPLAY animations to NBA 2k25, bringing the total to around 14,600. From the main gameplay categories, there are: 1500 dribble sequences, 1100 shots, 1300 motion sequences, 800 rebounds, 1000 passes, 434 dunks, 550 blocks, 1110 layups, that are new to NBA 2K25. And there are plenty more in other miscellaneous areas.
NBA 2K25 Badge Changes
@Beluba on Twitter: RIP Whistle
Q: Have scoopers been re-tuned?
@Beluba on Discord: Quick Scoop layups got a small nerf to better balance the risk vs rewards of using those types of finishes.
NBA 2K25 Defense Changes
@Beluba on Twitter: Height and Interior/Perimeter Rating are much stronger factors in the contest calculation this year.
@Beluba on Twitter: You can still do RS steals by releasing Intense-D (LT/L2). With the trigger held, you'll get cutoff moves.
Q: Is there any penalty for playing off-ball defense?
There's no explicit penalty for playing off-ball but there are definite advantages to manually controlling the on-ball defender. User-controlled defenders get a slight boost to their contest scores compared to AI-controlled teammates. Also, users can take advantage of the new defensive cutoff mechanic to get more jam ups and fumbles against the ball handler. AI teammates also have perception delays, so based on their ratings, they may not be as reactive and give up driving lanes more often than a solid user-controlled defender would.
Q: What changes have been made to post defense?
@Beluba on Discord: Post fades and hooks now use a different set of contest logic than normal shots. The new logic better simulates how shooting out of the post is in real life and puts more of the make vs miss on the shooters ability to time an inherently more difficult shot. Defenders will still want to get a hand up or jump to contest to make it tougher for the shooter though.
Q: Do the new cutoff moves on defense cost adrenaline?
@Beluba on Twitter: Nope
NBA 2K25 Shooting News
@Beluba on Twitter: The shooting model is very different this year w/ shot ratings playing a much larger role. You can compensate to some degree if you're really good with shot timing or rhythm shooting, but most people are going to need higher ratings this year to shoot at last year's clip.
Q: How does shot feedback work for Rhythm Shooting?
@Beluba on Discord: When using Rhythm Shooting, there are two main factors to consider: Push Timing and Tempo. Push Timing is the point you start to move the Pro Stick, which you'll want to do the moment your player reaches the Set Point of the shot. Tempo is the speed at which you move the Pro Stick to the opposite side of your original stick throw. The goal is finish the stick deflection to the opposite side exactly to match the point the ball releases the players fingertips. Generally, this is going to feel a little slower/rhythmic than other double throw mechanics (like Skill Dunks or cross combos), especially with more deliverate shooters like Jokic or Kyle Anderson. My best advice is to go into Freestyle practice and get up a ton of shots, paying close attention to the shot feedback after each attempt. Trust me, it'll payoff in much higher shooting %'s if you put in the time to master Rhythm Shooting.
@Beluba on Twitter: Q: Did you speed up Jamal Murrays jumpshot? A: We got @BeMore27 jumper from ProPLAY. It's WAY better now.
@Beluba on Twitter: Rhythm shooting isn't affected by the user's visual cue setting. The bonus/penalty is always determined by how close you can match the player's shooting motion (Set Point -> Release)
@Beluba on Discord: Free throws have been re-tuned based on feedback from NBA 2k24. They work similarly to last year, but the free throw rating plays a bigger role in the calculation to prevent low-rated free throw players from being overly effective.
Q: Are instant green animations back?
@Beluba on Discord: There's a new Shot Feedback option called 'Simple' in the Customize HUD menu, that is On by default. This will display your timing feedback immediately once you release your shot. If you want full shot feedback, which includes defensive coverage, you'll want to change the visibility setting to All Shots. Full shot feedback is delayed, just like it was in NBA 2k24.
Q: How are Shot Meters changed in 2k25?
@Beluba on Discord: The shot meter works pretty differently in NBA 2k25 compared to previous games. There are 3 options to choose from: Arrow, Ring and Dial. Rather than 'freezing' when you release the shot button, all of the meters animate from beginning to end, in sync with the ideal time to release the button. Think of it more as a timeline of shot animation rather than traditional meter.
The ideal time to release the button is the exact frame the meter disappears from your screen. It'll make more sense when you try it. One of the main benefits of this change is that shot meters are much more accurate online, so you no longer need to compensate for latency when you're shooting shots, layups, or free throws online. The size, color, and placement of the shot meter is fully customizable in the Customize HUD screen. And yes, there is still a small bonus for playing with the meter off.
Q: What is the default Shot Timing Profile?
@Beluba on Discord: Shot Timing Profile defaults to 'Difficulty Based', which automatically maps Rookie through Pro to Low, All-Start and Superstar to Normal and Hall of Fame to High.
Q: What shot timing profile is closest to how shooting works in NBA 2k24?
@Beluba on Discord: The shooting model for NBA 2k24 is pretty different than last year so its really hard to compare. If I had to pick, I'd probably say NBA 2k24 is somewhere between this year's normal and high profiles.
Q: Would love to better understand the shot timing profile. With the low-risk reward, is that confirming whites to go in but only when mistimed and wide open?
@Beluba on Twitter: With Low Risk-Reward, you can still make shots if your timing is slightly off, but the bonus for good timing is much smaller. With High, the green window is larger with a bigger bonus, but there is no margin for error if you miss it.
@Beluba on Twitter: if you're terrible at shot timing, Low will let you be somewhat competent if you take high IQ shots... but will actually handicap you if you're great at shot timing. The better you are at shot timing, the higher risk-reward you want to play on.
Q: Is rhythm shooting with the right stick going to have a bigger green window than just regular button shooting?
@Beluba on Twitter: They can't really be compared 1:1 because they work very differently. Because Rhythm shooting takes more skill to master, there is a much higher upside for making shots. So if you're comp, you should definitely try to master rhythm shooting.
Also, want to mention that rhythm shooting is always on and always optional. You can shoot exactly the same way you did last year, but if the system detects you're re-deflected the ProStick in the opposite direction of the first hold, it will evaluate it as a rhythm shot.
Personally, I(Mike) bounce back and forth between normal and rhythm shooting constantly. Rhythm for standing J's, post shots, some pull-ups. But for a lot of shots, I just release the stick back to center like last year.
NBA 2K25 Dunks / Layups News
Q: Any changes to layup/dunk timing this year?
@Beluba on Discord: Layup timing is optional and disabled by default, but I'd recommend turning it on if you want to gain an advantage as a slasher. Just like shots, there are separate Layup Timing Profile options: Real Player %, Low, Normal, and High. So you can customize the setting to match your ability. Dunk timing is alwaysn on for skill dunks, but you can still dunk without using that particular mechanic. The dunk meter logic has also been improved so instead of the window size being determined just at the start of the dunk, it dynamically adjusts throughout the entire dunk sequence to better reflect defensive impact.
Q: Can you still jab step into standing meter dunk?
@Beluba on Discord: You can no longer perform jab steps when standing under the basket. You'll get pump fakes now instead.
Q: Are there any new post moves?
@Beluba on Discord: There are some new post fades and hooks thanks to ProPLAY.
Q: Will you need Post Control attribute to score post fades?
@Beluba on Discord: You don't need Post Control for post fades, Post Control is more for post moves. Post fade success is driven by your shot ratings (close/mid) and Badges.
@Beluba on Twitter: You can do controllable rim hangs on 1-handed dunks in NBA 2k25 by keeping RT/R2 held after you finish the dunk.
@Beluba on Twitter: Over 500 new ProPLAY dunks were added. Way more than normally added in a year.
Q: Can you go a little deeper on the bounce alley-oops? What does contextually mean?
@Beluba on Discord: Some players were getting bounce alleys by accident, so in NBA 2k25 bounce alleys happen organically when you double tap Y/TRIANGLE and the lane is clearly wide open and the players involved are appropriate. Another reason we made bounce alleys contextual was to free up the CROSS+CIRCLE(A+B) button combo for self-alley-oops, which some people were getting by accident when they were trying to pass to a teammate.
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