Here’s everything you need to know about leadership styles in NBA 2K23.
In team sports, one aspect discussed as truly separating some of the most talented players from others is leadership – or lack thereof. Leadership styles come into play during you MyCareer in NBA 2K23, giving you one of two paths in which to take your budding superstar’s leadership capabilities.
Below, you will find everything you need to know about leadership in MyCareer. This will include the two paths, how to unlock leadership points, a brief overview of leadership skills, and ways to up your leadership outside of games.
How to choose your leadership style
As you begin MyCareer and come face-to-face with your rival, Shep Owens – the player the fans wanted drafted instead of you in the story – you’ll see the above and below screens. There are two leadership styles: The General and The Trailblazer.
The General is your traditional team-first player who shuns the spotlight in favor of team success. The Trailblazer is a flashier player who likes to put over their play and effect on the team’s success. Neither is necessarily better than the other, and it really depends on your style of play or the position of your MyPlayer.
A point guard might be better off with The General as there are more skills tied to team achievements (like assisting different players), whereas scoring forwards and centers may want to go with The Trailblazer because there are more skills that favor making plays (mostly scoring and defense) with your player.
For example, The General’s base Tier 1 skill is Solid Foundation. Solid Foundation rewards you with a small boost to Agility and Playmaking with a greater increase to your teammates and is activated by achieving a B Teammate Grade. The Trailblazer’s base Tier 1 skill is Keep It Simple. Keep It Simple rewards you with a small boost to Inside and Mid-Range Shooting with a greater boost to your teammates and is activated by making five shots. Each of these Tier 1 skills cost one skill point.
Leadership skills
Each skill set has one Tier 1 skills, 14 Tier 2 skills, 21 Tier 3 skills, and 20 Tier 4 skills. Tier 4 skills unlock once you’ve accumulated 40 total skill points. At Tier 2, the level one (bronze) skills cost two skill points and silver cost six skill points. At Tier 3, the level one skills cost nine skill points, level two cost 20, and level three cost 33 skill points. After unlocking Tier 4, level one skills cost 36 skill points, level two cost 76, level three cost 120, and level four cost a whopping 170 each.
Because of the sheer number of skills, here is a selection (level one) from Tiers 2, 3, and 4 in The Trailblazer. Remember that the requirements incrementally become more difficult with each tier and level, but give greater rewards:
- Step on the Gas (Tier 2): This activates when you score ten points in a quarter. It rewards you with a boost to Playmaking, Inside, Mid-Range, and Three-Point Shooting to you and a small boost in the latter three to your teammates.
- Unstoppable Force (Tier 3): This activates when you make four consecutive unassisted field goals. It rewards you with boosts to all three shooting levels and small boosts to Post Defense, Perimeter Defense, and Offensive and Defensive IQ to your teammates.
- Smile for the Camera (Tier 4): This activates after posterizing a player or making two highlight plays. It rewards with you boosts to Strength, Vertical, and Inside Shooting while rewarding your teammates with small boosts to Playmaking, Agility, and Offensive IQ.
Here are some level one skills from The General:
- Old Reliable (Tier 2): This activates after assisting or scoring on two pick-and-rolls or pick-and-pops. It rewards you with a small boost to Playmaking and all three levels of shooting while rewarding your teammates with a larger boost in all four as well.
- Keep It Moving (Tier 3): This activates after recording five assists. It rewards you with a small boost to Playmaking and a moderate boost to all three levels of shooting, rewarding your teammates a larger boost of the latter three.
- You Get One…And You! (Tier 4): This activates after assisting two different teammates. It rewards you with a small boost to Playmaking and Agility while rewarding your teammates with boosts in all three levels of shooting.
As you can see from the brief sampling, The General’s activation and boosts are geared toward bettering your teammates rather than yourself whereas The Trailblazer’s activation and boosts are geared toward bettering yourself and secondarily your teammates. Regardless, they’re both great assets to your game
Now, note that you can only have two leadership skills equipped at a time. You can switch between them depending on the matchup or choose your most reliable ones to ensure you always meet the leadership goals. While the higher tiered and leveled skills tend to be more challenging, they also reward you with the most leadership skill points when completed.
The other important note is that you can gain leadership points through your responses in post-game media scrums and pressers. You’ll see either a blue or red icon (though these can also be for branding, so keep a close eye!), and those will be your guide to which is which: blue for The General and red for The Trailblazer. Once you pick a path, stick with it as you’ll probably gain enough points to unlock all of the skills for blue or red well before your first season is complete, probably even before the All-Star break.
Now you know everything you need to know about leadership for MyCareer in NBA 2K23. Which path will you choose?
