NBA 2K21: 5 MyCareer Tips for Beginners

Those who are new to the NBA 2K series may find the MyCareer game mode to be a bit overwhelming. In many ways, the learning curve is rather steep. 

Despite being one of the most popular modes in NBA 2K21, there are many intricacies to get to grips with, and without the basic knowledge of how some things work, you may end up wasting countless hours without much progress.

So, here we’re looking at five fundamental tips that can help beginners enjoy a smooth start to MyCareer on 2K21. 

1. Make a build that suits your playstyle

Deciding on which build to select is one of the first significant decisions that all 2K players have to make early on in MyCareer. Essentially, the archetype chosen will dictate your entire MyCareer experience.

This is something that is often overlooked, as many players select the wrong builds and find out rather quickly that it does not suit their playstyle.

For example, some may choose to build a Sharpshooting Guard at first but realize later that they actually enjoy dunking a lot more than hitting threes.

As a result, it becomes difficult for them to continue to grind for virtual currency and badges for that build, especially as it usually takes around 160,000 to 180,000 VC to upgrade a player from a 60 overall to 85.

This entails hours of commitment and gameplay: from experience, it is not uncommon for many beginners to ditch their builds after a few weeks because their preferred playstyle doesn’t work with the created player.  

So, when choosing a build, it is essential to be sure that the playstyle and potential of the archetype is something you can see yourself sticking to for the long term. 

2. Know what you want to use your build for

Not all builds are equal. Some shine in park games (2v2 and 3v3), while others are built precisely to compete in Pro-Am and Rec games.

For example, if the main purpose of your build is to have fun with friends in 3v3 games at the park, it might not be smart to build a 7’3” paint beast with minimum speed because most successful bigs in the park need more speed and versatility to keep up with smaller players. 

Equally, the 7’3” paint beast might be the perfect build for a Pro-Am or Rec team looking for a center who can grab rebounds and get easy baskets from up close. 

When creating your build, keep the modes that you want to play in mind; choosing a build that is not in line with your purpose will make the game a lot less enjoyable. 

3. Earn VC to succeed

As mentioned above, the virtual currency (VC) is a vital tool that is required to give players the best chance to succeed in MyCareer.

Without VC, you cannot upgrade your player, and with a low overall rating, you’ll have a tough time finding success in any of the game modes in MyCareer.

Too often, beginners throw their player straight into the fire and wonder why they aren’t winning any Park or Rec games with their 65 overall player.

Successful players in Park and Rec have dedicated hours to earning VC, going on to spend the virtual currency on upgrading their character. 

So, finding ways to earn as much VC as possible, as quickly as possible, is key to developing your MyPlayer build. Luckily, we’ve already found the quickest and easiest methods of earning VC in NBA 2K21.

Essentially, players that utilize their time efficiently to accumulate VC will reap the benefits a lot sooner than those that don’t put in the grind.  

4. Boost your skills with badges

In NBA 2K21, badges and VC go hand-in-hand. Without VC, it will be a lot harder to earn badges. Badges work as special skill boosts that give your player a bump in particular skillsets. 

For example, two players can have a similar rebound attribute rating, but the one equipped with a Hall of Fame “Rebound Chaser” badge will almost always out-rebound the one that lacks rebounding badges.

In many cases, beginners neglect the importance of badges. Some may even buy their way to a respectable overall rating, but then wonder why players with lower overall ratings are outperforming them. 

Due to the way that NBA 2K21 is built, you must dedicate a good amount of time to earn your badges, which is most effectively done by playing MyCareer games. 

Strategy wise, it’s best to plan early on what badges you want to target so that you can spend your VC accordingly.

Should you want to get the “Range Extender” badge as soon as possible, for example, then it’s probably best that you spend most of your VC on shooting attributes. This is because making jump shots earns you attribute points towards unlocking shooting badges. 

As you progress further into MyCareer, you will realize that having more badges makes earning more VC so much easier, and having more VC helps you to get to badges quicker.

5. Focus on getting high teammate grades

In NBA 2K21, two of the best ways to maximize your VC earning potential is to get a good teammate grade and win as many games as possible.  

The game encourages players in MyCareer to be team-oriented, with players getting rewarded for making good plays that help their team win. 

It is easier to obtain a high teammate grade by consistently making good basketball plays, such as by boxing out, getting an assist, or grabbing rebounds, than by focusing on scoring.

At the end of the day, your stats don’t matter as much as your teammate grade!

In addition to that, good basketball plays also accelerate your ability to obtain attribute upgrade points faster. On the other hand, plays like holding onto the ball for too long, taking bad shots, and leaving your defensive assignments can significantly lower your teammate grade.  

If you want to earn VC and upgrade your player as fast as possible, focusing on getting that A + teammate grade and winning games have to be your priority. 

Utilizing these five tips does not guarantee instant success, but doing so goes a long way towards helping you to avoid many common MyCareer growing pains.