NBA 2K24 Gameplay Info / News (All): Offense, Defense, Animations, Shooting, Dribbling, Takeover, More (Updated)

August 15, 2023

We are tracking and accumulating ALL NBA 2K24 Gameplay News, Info, and Impressions that have been made available from multiple NBA 2K sources including NBA 2K Gameplay Director Mike Wang, NBA 2K developer Da Czar, and other 2K sources.

Table of Contents

This page will be updated often, so be sure to check back here for the latest NBA 2K24 gameplay news!

Also See:

NBA 2K24 GAMEPLAY DETAILS

(Updated: 08/23/23)

GENERAL

Lots of new controller settings this year. Separate toggles for Shots, layups, free throws, as well as control type (Pro Stick, Button). You can also re-position and re-size just about every onscreen element (shot meter, player indicator, Fatigue bar, etc.)
Improved ball saves
Making the game more “accessible” to newer players was a point of emphasis for 2K this year

ProPLAY

ProPLAY uses cutting-edge technology to directly translate movements from real NBA games into NBA 2K24 gameplay.
The shots, motion—anytime the player is moving off-ball around the court—dribbling, rebounds, blocks, passes, and free throws feel different in NBA 2K24 New Gen because they’ve been captured in real-time scenarios.
ProPLAY technology generates authentic movements that can only be made by some of your favorite players. For example, students of the game and avid NBA fans will recognize Kevin Durant’s unique jumpshot and free throw form, Steph Curry’s explosive dribble moves and array of off-dribble jumpers, Nikola Jokić’s methodical moves and feathery touch around the rim, and the list goes on and on.
Here are some of the new animations for New Gen: Jumpshots, Dunks, Layups, Dribble Moves, Pass Animations, Signature Movement (Offense & Defense)
ProPLAY has allowed 2K to transition from manufacturing actions to fully immersing you in the entire NBA experience from the jump ball to the final whistle.

SHOOTING

The NBA 2K24 Shooting Attributes are Release Speed, Release Height, Defensive Immunity, and Timing Stability
Variable shot timing has been toned down for 2K24
Changed the Shot Timing Impact shooting attribute to Shot Timing Stability. Higher Stability grades will further dampen the effects of fatigue/defense on your shot speed.
Make sure in 2K24 your jumper has a high “Shot Timing Stability” grade if you want less variation in your jumpshot speed.
The Shot Timing option has changed to Shot Timing Visual Cue. You now pick the point in the animation that you want for the ideal release instead of an arbitrary time: Jump, Set Point, Push, or Release. Now instead of time-based, you can set your desired release point based on certain animation cues, like the jump or set point or shot release. This makes it much easier to play with players and teams you’re not as familiar with.
Your opponents and teammates won’t see your shot meter online in NBA 2K24
Turning off the Shot Meter increases your green window size by 20%
You’ll get your shot celebration animation on every made green outside of 15 feet. There’s a slight delay on the animations as well as the feedback, so the suspense will still be there.
It’s to your benefit to create a jumper with the highest grades you can, but you can still be successful with lower grade shots. Defensive immunity is one I’d particularly recommend paying attention to. It can have a stronger effect than most think.
For what rating you need to be consistent, depends on your skill and shot IQ. Some will be deadly with a 75 3PT, while others will go 1/10. Try out the build tester or 2KU with different NBA players on HOF to get an idea for what you need for your build.
Players who play on Hall of Fame difficulty or in the REC or City, will be playing with Green or Miss shot timing for the ultimate challenge. Whites will not go in on HOF, Rec, or Park
The green window is pure and will be a guaranteed make if you hit it. Heavily contested shots may still look like full white misses but that’s just an artifact of the art. There will always be a (possibly sub-pixel sized) green window on every shot attempt.
Every shot that’s not 100% smothered is green-able. Window size determined by a ton of factors: Defense, ratings, & badges being the primary drivers. But don’t worry, contested shots are VERY hard to knock down on higher difficulties.
Not every make will be a swish (because green or miss would be a swish on every shot.) But there are a lot more swishes in NBA 2K24.
But team-control based modes like Quick Play, MyNBA, or MyTEAM will see more forgiving shot timing, so you won’t have to memorize every single player’s release to the exact frame to be successful.
Fades got a buff in the mid-range and big nerf at the 3
Generally, all advanced shot types (spins, stepbacks) got a buff in the mid-range.
Jumpers look NBA authentic and got animations from ProPLAY that we wouldn’t think to capture in mocap. Are some really unique shots, moves, passes that improve gameplay.
Shooting Badges don’t impact %’s like they used to, now they either modify shooting attributes, shot window sizes, or both.
All of the last year’s shot meters are back and there are 10 new ones to choose from. Lots more customization options to control the placement/size too. Several cool new green effects coming to 2K24 also.
Ratings and defensive coverage are the most important factors when determining your green window size. Badges play a role, but a much smaller role… like icing on the cake.
Shot timing doesn’t change based on court location.

FINISHING / DUNKING / LAYUPS

Layup timing is now on by default and has also been redesigned to be much more forgiving for easy finishes at the rim, while also rewarding players who master it, with the ability to finish tough circus layups in traffic. You’ll also find that advanced layups like floaters, reverses, euros, hop steps, and scoops are much more effective this year and great tools to have as a slasher.
For dunkers on New Gen consoles, you can now force controllable rim hangs from any two-hand dunk by simply keeping the Sprint trigger held when the dunker grabs the rim. Down on the Pro Stick will give you flashy dunks to get the crowd hyped, and Up/Down or Down/Up double throws will let you attempt contact dunks in traffic with the dunk meter. Meter dunks are Green or Miss on higher difficulty levels now so you have to be precise to finish off the play.
You can turn layup timing off if you want but my advice is to play with it on first. If you get good at it, you’ll finish around the rim better with it on.
For both the layup and dunk meters, if you have a pretty open lane, the green window is MUCH bigger in 2K24. But it shrinks fast the heavier the traffic. And again, on HOF and competitive online you have to green dunks to make them.
There’s no difference between up/down contact dunks and down/up contact dunks, just a preference.
You can also meter dunk standing dunks in 2K24. But it’s really hard to pull off at the moment – a work in progress.
All advanced layups (euros, floaters, reverses, hops, spins, quick scoops) got a buff too. Try to mix up your arsenal of scoring moves and you’ll be rewarded.
There was a lot of time spent on drawing fouls and it’s way better. If you fake and get the defender to bite, you can draw a foul and get and-1’s way more reliably. Also if blockers jump wildly for no reason, they’ll land on ball handlers and get called for fouls.
Finishing Alley-oops works almost identically to last year’s game
You can still get contact dunks with the shot button but it’s just a dice roll chance based on ratings. The frequency goes down significantly on HOF and in Rec/Park though.
Acrobatic layups functionally work the same – hit the Shot button or flick the Pro Stick to change shot mid-air. They were slightly nerfed though, especially for lower rated players.

DRIBBLING

ADRENALINE BOOSTS

You still won’t lose adrenaline in the backcourt
Adrenaline boosts are back but have been redesigned to make both offense and defense more engaging at the same time. On offense, boosts are no longer lost when pulling off dribble combos or moving short distances, giving elite ball handlers much more freedom to create off the bounce. But boosts will disappear every time the on-ball defender can bump the ball handler on a drive attempt. The cost of losing adrenaline is different this year as well. Instead of dramatically slowing the ball handler’s movement, losing adrenaline will now heavily impact shooting attributes. So if a good defender can clamp the ball handler down and bump them two or three times in a single possession, they’ll have a really tough time scoring if they can manage to get free.
I really like Steph and Trae’s moves so I usually go to 92 (ball handling). The highest unlock is Steve Francis’ sig size-up at 95 (ball handling).
Adrenaline Boosts are relative to per possession

PRO-STICK, ANIMATIONS, CONTROLS, ETC.

Creating your own shot off the dribble isn’t the only way to get good shots in the game of basketball. Knowing how to operate away from the ball is just as important. NBA 2K24 features in-depth off-ball offense controls to perform right analog stick jukes and other quick explosive moves to free yourself up for a shot or cut to the basket. Just like the ball handler, off-ball offense also supports speed bursts by tapping the Sprint trigger. These will give players a huge burst of speed to find open spots on the floor for spot up shots or easy rim runs for dunks and layups.
One of Gameplay Director Mike Wang’s favorite elements in NBA 2K24 are the dribble breakdowns. Each player has two versions: Regular breakdowns are done by flicking up on the right analog stick and Aggressive breakdowns are done by flicking up on the right analog stick with Sprint held. This will initiate a sequence of signature size-up moves that you can use to create separation with on their own or branch out of at any time for an explosive drive or other dribble move.
This year’s dribble system features more dribble combos, including signature double crosses and hesitation crosses from a standstill or while moving. With ProPLAY on New Gen, your favorite ball handlers feel more explosive than ever and have unique signature combos and escapes that will put defenders on skates if used properly.
Another major addition to the dribbling arsenal is the blowout dribble. Tapping the Sprint trigger while moving will give you a quick burst of speed where the ball handler pushes the ball ahead to get out quickly in transition. In the front court, the same mechanic can be used for a quick change of pace to quickly blow by unsuspecting defenders.
Try out different breakdown combos (there are 100 to choose from), sig double crosses can be equipped now, standing snatchback has changed and is now tied to the sig stepback package. Definitely learn how to use the blowout properly, branching is generally way more responsive in 2K24.
There are 150 Motion Styles, not dribble animations. There are a lot more dribbles than that. 25 dribble styles, 31 Behind backs, 18 Stepbacks, 45 Crossovers, 27 Hesitations, 26 Escapes, 20 Combo packs, 102 Breakdown combos, 67 size-ups, and 30 spins. These are signature packages, most have multiple animations inside of them.

POST OFFENSE & REBOUNDING

Bigs are going to have a lot of fun dominating in the paint in NBA 2K24. You can now branch out of any offensive rebound to a putback attempt by simply pressing the Shoot button after the catch.
Post fades and hop shots are also really effective shots for post players. Strength and weight can definitely be felt in the paint as high rated glass cleaners easily grab boards over smaller players and finish those easy second-chance points.
Adrenaline bars don’t get eaten up on post backdowns, boxout battles, or post moves. Just faceup drive attempts that get bumped.

DEFENSE

Along with the changes to adrenaline, counter moves are BIG in NBA 2K24. Perimeter and paint defense are both more effective and reward players for anticipating and making good reads.
Defensive movement has improved on many fronts, with better responsiveness and less sliding. This helps defenders get where they need to be, and with the much improved body up system, ball handlers will have a tough time getting free against great defenders. The improved contact can also be felt in the paint. Big defensive anchors will have a much easier time putting a body on shooters at the rim and forcing tough shots.
Directional steals are also back, giving locks more tools to pester ball handlers. You need to reach with the correct hand closest to the ball, and avoid reaching across the body, to maximize success and avoid foul calls. You can also use directional steals to play the passing lanes, by flicking the right stick in the correct direction to get your hand in the way and deflect the pass.
NBA 2K24 features revamped contest logic that puts a greater weight on body positioning compared to previous years. The new system addresses the “ghost contest” issues in past games and makes the coverage scores line up much closer to what gamers will expect. Blocking requires more skill this year also. It’s important to read the offense and wait for the correct time and opportunity to attempt blocks. If you’re behind the shooter, jumping too early, biting on fakes, or out of position attempting a late close-out, you’ll quickly find yourself racking up fouls or giving shooters and-one opportunities. Understanding when to act on your defensive instincts could pay dividends for your team in a pivotal moment of the game.
The contest system changed a lot. The main highlights: greater emphasis on body position instead of just hand location (big reason for the ghost contest complaints last year.) Heavier penalties for being crowded at the start of the shot, less for out of position late closeouts.
Paint defense was a major focus and was reported as the biggest gameplay improvement from external playtest sessions. It has a really good balance right now.
Steal and block attempts will consume adrenaline bars on defense. Currently it’s set to: 1st bar = 7.5%, 2nd bar = 15%, 3rd bar = 50%, although 2K is still debating this.
The post-contact in the paint shots especially–being able to put a body on a shooter in the paint was a big aspect of improving paint defense.
Scoring in the paint feels correct. And scoring in the perimeter feels correct, you get the right results when you take the right shots. Or if you’re getting guarded, and you’re taking bad shots, you get the results you expect.

PASSING

There are about twice as many Pass Styles from last year due to ProPLAY tech, from 7 to 14
Pass Accuracy’s impact on the types/speeds of your passes will be very similar to last year’s game.
Different passing styles make a big difference
Tyrese Haliburton’s passing style will be in NBA 2K24

TAKEOVER

This year, you don’t assign a Takeover during the build phase and instead have the ability to choose whatever you want on the fly. So now you have the flexibility to choose which Takeover you want that best suits game situations.
When you fill up the Takeover meter, you can pull up a menu that lets you choose between Finishing, Shooting, Playmaking, Defense/Rebounding, or Physicals. Activating one of those categories will boost all your ratings in that specific category.
If you delay your Takeover activation and fill up the second meter, you can activate Double Takeover which allows you to select two different categories of ratings to boost.
When you unlock Mamba Mentality, activating Double Takeover will boost all of your attribute categories making you a true beast on both ends of the floor.
The rating boosts you get with a Takeover selection just stacks on top of what you already have. If you have poor rebounding ratings, for example, selecting the Def/Reb Take will make you a little less of a bum on the boards, but you’ll still kind of be a bum.
Takeover Perks are still in the game, but some of the OP ones have been toned down.
There’s a Takeover menu in the game that lets you set whether you stay locked to your MyPLAYER or control the whole team when Team Take gets activated (for team-controlled modes).
The Takeover meters have %’s on them now

TEAM CONTROLLED MODES & A.I.

The double action mini-plays in the blog and a fun and effective addition. They are assigned to the quick plays by default. There are five of them this year and are a quick way to crate scoring opportunities. Like the give flare where you run a handoff into a flare screen.
The quick plays (d-pad left) used to be separated between starters and bench. That barrier has been removed and players are given access to all 16 play spots. You can put any play or quick action in those spots.
These plays are fast and effective and can be combined with any of your favorite plays for a myriad of creative options.
For the Comp scene, a manual or auto setting for off-ball cuts was added. When you put it on manual there are no freelance cuts unless you call for it yourself. So you can create your own offense.
With the return of 2K Smart Play, it’s easy to make simplified play calls while running the offense. After any made or missed shots, New Gen players will notice an overlay that appears and tells you the type of play that will be called. To opt into the play, simply tap L1 or the Left Bumper before crossing halfcourt; that action will then automatically be called for the player with the most relevant play type.
Motion freelance has been introduced. This is a freelance that was built to create scoring options for players who may not be masters of the playbooks. The motion freelance automatically runs actions based on the best players on the floor. As a user you don’t have to call anything in motion to see your best players get into the best actions to score.
Unlike past freelances this one has no set form. It can morph from 3 out to 4 out to 5 out. It can also be dynamically updated through 2K’s roster updates, so 2K can continue to add new actions for new scorers all year long.
NBA 2K24 features a brand new lineups and substitution engine. In the past, NBA 2K’s AI would tend to sub all five players out of the game at the same time. This would create an environment that was ripe for scoring droughts from the AI offense. The new system was built around keeping scorers on the floor. The system has data that supports 1 scorer, 2 scorer and 3 scorer lineups. This means the minutes are distributed to keep a scorer on the floor and ensure the starters are in the game at the appropriate times.
The new system also supports 6th man lineups for teams who have a bench player who can carry the load. It also has the ability to replicate situations where teams have a closing lineup that is different from their starting lineup.
Having this system built on the ACE offensive game-plan engine means that the offensive focus can change dynamically with the lineups. This will present a new challenge for users who were able to use the time the AI had non-scoring lineups on the floor to regain or take the lead.
2K is always looking at what is in the NBA. What are the NBA players doing? What are their moves? What are the shots they’d like to take, and then adding those into the game the best 2K can to make them reflect who they are.
It comes down to the way that AI works, the strategies, and just the brains that 2K gives the players and what they like to do with it. Do they like to drive right or left, do they like to pull up off the drive, or do they like to go to the rim and finish strong through traffic, all these different things. It’s the animations they get, whether it’s their layup packages, jump shot packages, or their dribble moves. It really is a little bit of everything.
Making the NBA players play exactly like their real-life counterparts is a never-ending journey for 2K. It’s been taken to the next level on NBA 2K24.
Many signature animations have been improved. From De’Aaron Fox to Steph Curry to Nikola Jokic
Playcalling was simplified a lot this year. New feature called “Favorite Plays”, where if you just press left on the d-pad, you’ll see you can choose from up to 16 of the most common plays in basketball, from give-and-gos to quick ISOs and floppies.
Brought back 2K SmartPlay. If you enable that feature, basically, as you come up the court every single time and every possession, a little overlay is going to pop up to tell you basically who the best player is and what the best action is to run for that player at this point in the game.

MyCAREER & MyPLAYER

Signature Movement Styles will be in NBA 2K24 and ProPLAY – from last year’s game of 37 to about 150 sigs now.
Off player out of bounds has been added to the griefing rules. Players who do it will grade out.
There will still be some Seasonal releases but the vast majority of gameplay animations will be available on day 1. 2K24 also features the largest year-over-year sig animation upgrade 2K has done in recent memory thanks to ProPLAY.
No generic numbered shots. 2K is all in on real NBA player shots generated by ProPLAY. There are a ton of options though. I’m sure you’ll find something you like.
You can equip triple threat and dribble emotes this year and fire them off with DPAD Down for MyPLAYER (new-gen only).
The badge game is very nuanced this year. The way you play on the court is going to reflect how your badges get shaped, and how your player looks at the end of the day.
So when you do something over and over again, let’s say you like to do spin jumpers, you’re going to see your abilities as a spin jumper player improve steadily over time.
You’re going to find that just the way you play the game, what you like to do on the court is going to improve, you’re going to kind of build your player in that aspect.
You can mold your player on the fly as you play games. Going to be really interesting to see how that turns out.
Min heights: PG=5’7″, SG=6’0″, SF=6’3″, PF=6’6″, C=6’7″
Max height for each position: PG=6’8″, SG=6’9″, SF=6’11”, PF=7’0″, C=7’3″
Height thresholds are the same as last year for signature size-ups
24 new Badges were added to NBA 2K24, in honor of Kobe Bryant

NBA 2K24 City / Neighborhood / MyCAREER / THE REC Info

An all-new beachfront City in a stunning tropical backdrop (New-Gen)
New coastal Neighborhood rich with postcard-esque views and blistering competition and cliffside terrain to explore (Last-Gen)
Side quests are now optional
Take on rival players in the ultimate MyCAREER backdrop
Limitless personalized MyPLAYER options in MyCAREER
Seasons are returning
NBA 2K24’s MyCAREER has been streamlined so you can put the focus on your game
MyCAREER Storyline will include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Players who play on Hall of Fame difficulty or in the REC or City, will be playing with Green or Miss shot timing for the ultimate challenge. Whites will not go in on HOF, Rec, or Park
You can equip triple threat and dribble emotes this year and fire them off with DPAD Down for MyPLAYER (new-gen only).
Off player out of bounds has been added to the griefing rules. Players who do it will grade out.
There will still be some Seasonal releases but the vast majority of gameplay animations will be available on day 1. 2K24 also features the largest year-over-year sig animation upgrade 2K has done in recent memory thanks to ProPLAY.
Rep System is Returning
The New NBA 2K24 MyPLAYER Builder is “All About Balance”
NBA 2K24 is Adding Season Pass
The Rec AI / bots will be noticeably better at timing their shots. 2K wants them to be competent, but not OP.