Isaiah Thomas is the Slowest Player in NBA 2K

According to the player ratings in the latest NBA 2K23, Isaiah Thomas of the Charlotte Hornets has the lowest speed rating out of all current NBA players at just 46. This officially makes him the slowest player you‘ll find in 2K as of the current roster updates.

As a refresher, Isaiah Thomas was at one point arguably a top 5 point guard in the entire NBA during the 2016-2017 season. Thomas was a legitimate MVP candidate, averaging a staggering 28.9 points per game for the Boston Celtics that year. He had a lighting quick first step and could consistently blow by defenders to get easy looks at the rim.

But in March of 2017, Thomas suffered a devastaing hip injury that changed the trajectory of his career. After bouncing around between 4 different teams in the past 3 years, Thomas eventually signed with the Hornets this offseason as he tries to salvage his playing career at 33 years old.

While he can still score the basketball at a high clip, Thomas has clearly lost that trademark burst he once had. The injuries have stripped him of his athleticism, making him a liability on the defensive end while also limiting his versatility on offense.

This is directly reflected in NBA 2K23‘s player ratings where Thomas sits at just a 46 speed rating. To put that into perspective, the average speed rating for a point guard is around 80. And the fastest players in the game like De‘Aaron Fox and Ja Morant are up in the 95-97 range.

So with a speed in the 40s, it‘s no surprise that Isaiah Thomas is the slowest player you‘ll find in 2K23. This creates an interesting dynamic when using him in your MyNBA or MyGM modes. While he can clearly still put the ball in bucket, you‘ll have to tailor your offensive system and personnel to hide Thomas on defense while maximizing his offensive talents.

The 5 Slowest Players in NBA 2K23

While Isaiah Thomas is certainly the slowest, here are the 5 players with the lowest speed ratings in 2K23:

Many of the slowest players in 2K23 are centers. Their height gives them elite finishing ability near the rim but severely hampers their speed in transition.

For guys like Boban Marjanović and Tacko Fall who stand over 7-feet tall, they will likely never have great speed — it‘s just too difficult at that size to move up and down the court swiftly.

But speed is not everything, even in a video game like NBA 2K23. Slower players can utilize other attributes like strength, vertical leap, and post play to impact games. Some additional ways they provide value:

• Ability to set hard, impactful screens
• Boxing out for rebounds on both ends
• Post scoring when matched up against smaller, weaker defenders
• Protecting the paint with height and rim protection

I actually love using some of these massively tall but slower centers in MyTeam and offline MyNBA play. While they can struggle defending the pick and roll, you can hide them in strategic ways while maximizing their elite finishing around the basket.

Pair them with the right lineups and offensive scheme, and some of 2K‘s slowest players can actually dominate. It just takes some careful thought and adjustments compared to those lightning quick guards.

The Value of Speed vs Other Attributes in 2K23

When evaluating NBA 2K23 player ratings to determine the slowest players, it‘s worth discussing the actual importance of speed compared to other attributes that also influence overall player effectiveness.

In my opinion as an experienced 2K gamer, speed and acceleration are clearly two of the most important attributes across all player builds and positions. But they do not universally apply to every play style.

For example, with ball-handling shot creators, the ability to explode in bursts is vital in breaking down the defense. But for spot up shooters, other attributes like 3-point shooting, shot IQ, and defensive consistency matter more than outright speed and quickness.

Big men and centers in particular can get by with subpar speed if they make up for it with elite finishing ability, rebounding, and rim protection. My general rule of thumb: if a player is 6‘8 or taller, I‘m willing to sacrifice some speed if their other attributes are terrific.

But no matter how tall, if a player drops below 60 in speed and acceleration, they are nearly unplayable in a competitive, online environment. Yes even for centers and power forwards. The pick and roll dominance of guards is simply too difficult to keep up with for plodding big men.

Offline against the computer AI though? That‘s where I love to experiment with lumbering tanks who can bully smaller defenders down low while anchoring the defense.

So in summary — speed and acceleration reign supreme as the most important ratings for the majority of play styles and positions. But a speed rating in the 40s and 50s can be offset and hidden for larger players…if they excel enough in other areas of the game. It‘s all about maximizing strengths and minimizing weaknesses.

Closing Thoughts on Speed in NBA 2K23

To wrap up this blog on the slowest NBA players in 2K23, I‘ll leave you with a few closing opinions:

• Isaiah Thomas being the slowest in the game makes complete sense given his knee injuries and current skill set — 2K got this rating right
• Centers are always going to compromise some speed for height, but I wish 2K boosted speed a bit for giants like Boban who move well in real life
• Certain players like Jokic and Luka prove that elite skill overrides speed as an absolute necessity
• Speed can be a bit overpowered online when facing elite guards, but big men need some love too!
• Considering strategic ways to hide slower players and maximize their strengths is an underrated way to dominate 2K23 with non-meta players

Let me know which other slow players you actually have success using in NBA 2K23! Perhaps we need to challenge the notion that speed and acceleration reign so supreme compared to PLAYMAKING and other elite skills and physical tools.

But I can‘t deny…when it comes to the slowest of the slow, Isaiah Thomas takes the crown in 2K23. Use him strategically, and don‘t get exposed!