NBA 2K24 badges explained, uses, modes, and more

NBA 2K24 badges are key to your success in MyTeam and MyCareer, enhancing your players to give you a leg-up on the opposition. However, they can be quite a tricky system to get to grips with. Don’t fret though, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about NBA 2K24 badges so you know how they work and can pick the best badges with confidence.

NBA 2K24 is the latest entry in the popular series, though 2K has been tight-lipped about the new and returning features so far, including badges. Nevertheless, badges are returning in a whole new way in NBA 2K24, so it’s a good idea to get up to speed before the NBA 2K24 release date arrives at long last.

NBA 2K24 badges

The NBA 2K24 badges are:

Float Game – A player’s ability to make floaters and runners while attacking the basket is improved with Float Game.
Scooper – Quick scoop layup shot chances are improved with the new Scooper badge.
Bunny – Hop step layups and dunks receive an increased shot chance with Bunny.
Spin Cycle – Drives finished with a spin layup or dunk will receive an increased shot chance ability thanks to Spin Cycle.
Two Step – Cradle and Euro step layups and dunks receive a shot boost with Two Step.
Precision Dunker – Those who utilize the skill dunk mechanic will receive an improved chance of flushing their dunk attempt with Precision Dunker.
Hook Specialist – No love lost for post-play aficionados. Brought back from the dead, Hook Specialist increases a player’s ability to make hook shots out of the post.
Post-Fade Phenom – Similar to Hook Specialist, Post-Fade Phenom will allow a player to make post-fades and hop shots out of the post at a higher clip.
Open Looks – As a way to encourage sudden opportunities, Open Looks will enhance a player’s ability to make wide-open jumpers.
Spot Finder – By utilizing the “Get Open” mechanic (R2 or Right Trigger Tap), Spot Finder allows players to receive a speed boost off-the-ball to get to an open space, with a raised chance of knocking down the shot off the ensuing catch.
Whistle – Creating contact and getting to the free throw line when attacking the rim or shooting a jump shot is improved with the new Whistle badge.
Free Points – In clutch moments, knocking down free throws with the game on the line is improved with Free Points.
Bulldozer – A mix of a scoring and a ball-handling badge, think of this as Bully version 2.0 with elements of the old Clamp Breaker. Bulldozer improves the player’s ability to push through physical body-ups and finish with physicality around the rim.
Relay Passer – A hockey assist badge, Relay Passer provides a boost to shooters in a pass-to-assist situation.
Touch Passer – Players who quickly move the ball upon receiving it will get faster pass animations with Touch Passer.
Big Driver – Face-up bigs driving to the basket from within the mid-range area will receive an initial launch boost with Big Driver.
Blow-By – Quicker ball-handlers receive boosts in body-up interactions with defenders when Blow-By is equipped.
Physical Handles – During physical body-up interactions, players with Physical Handles have a higher chance of winning the outcome following a dribble move.
Speed Booster – A perimeter-only quick first step badge, Speed Booster will allow for quicker launches when coming from a stand-still dribble situation.
Triple Strike – Players excel with triple threat launches and jukes at a higher rate with Triple Strike.
Fast Feet – It wouldn’t be a fair game if only offensive players received speed boosts. Fast Feet can be looked at as a “quick first step” badge for defenders, allowing defensive specialists to stay in front of shifty ball-handlers.
Right Stick Ripper – Those who utilize the right-stick steal mechanic will receive a boost on steal attempts with Right Stick Ripper.
Immovable Enforcer – A direct counter to Bulldozer, Immovable Enforcer allows defenders to win physical matchups when it comes to body-ups and contact layups.
94 Feet – Players with 94 Feet receive fewer body-up stamina hits and improved body-up wins when pressing full court. Don’t worry, those who do not have this badge will regret pressing full court.

Badges are consumables that you can use to boost a player in MyTeam or MyCareer, effectively acting as perks you can select from. These are automatically activated during a match when you perform the appropriate action.

They are split into three categories, as confirmed by the NBA 2K24 blog:

Scoring
Ball-handling/passing
Defence/Rebounding

These will impact your overall playstyle through offering bonus abilities or improved effects in each of these categories. So, think about how you like to play and which ones you’d get the most use out of when you start thinking about the best badges you can use.

To level up badges you will need to perform well in matches as your performance is being tracked. If you perform well, your badge level will trend upwards but if you perform poorly it will drop. Regaining a level once you drop does take time, but it is less than in 2K24.

Tiers have changed though. C-tier badges will be easier to keep this time and as you go up every tier it will get progressively harder to gain and lose.

It’s essential, however, that you pick the best badges in NBA 2K24, as each one is designed for different playstyles and player attributes.

NBA 2K24 badge perks

Badge perks are prizes that provide benefits to the progression of individual badges in NBA 2K24. These consist of “slots” that players can fill, with four slots per perk.

The badge perks in NBA 2K24 are:

Overdrive – Increases badge level progression in games.
Immunity – Slows down badge level regression in games.
Drill Savant – Increases badge level progression in Team Practice Facility.
Scholar – A risk/reward perk that gives a significant increase in badge level progression for PvP games finished with a high Teammate Grade. However, it comes with risk: you will receive no progression for the badge if you do not finish with a high Teammate Grade. This is a rotational season prize.
Winner’s Circle – A risk/reward perk that gives an added boost in badge level progression for PvP games that result in a win for the user. However, you will receive zero progression for the badge if you lose the game. This is a rotational season prize.
High-Risk – A risk/reward perk increases your badge level progression for PvP games with badge usage but accelerated regression with lack of usage. This is a rotational season prize.

NBA 2K24 badge performance multipliers and Floor Setters

Performance Multipliers are prizes that provide benefits to all of your equipped badges at once, so long as challenges from the multipliers are met in their modes, rather than just one badge. Each of the three Performance Multipliers has four versions: NBA, City, The REC, and Pro-Am for a total of 12 multipliers.

Grade A Student – In games finished with a high Teammate Grade, badge level progression is accelerated for all equipped badges.
Winner Takes All – In games finished with a win, badge level progression is accelerated for all equipped badges.
Up for the Challenge – In games played against tough opponents, badge level progression is accelerated for all equipped badges.

Floor setters are prizes that are earned via Season XP, and they’re included with the free Base Pass each Season.

There are 18 Floor Setter slots in total, nine for Silver and nine for Gold. Adding a Floor Setter to a badge will prevent the badge from ever dropping below the listed badge level. If your badge has not progressed to the level of the Floor Setter you want to apply to it, it will auto-progress to that level (of course, you need to have fulfilled the attribute requirements for the level). They are permanent and cannot be changed, effectively acting as a fast track.

NBA 2K24 best badges speculation

The NBA 2K24 best badges will largely depend on your playstyle, with some players preferring different types of badges to others. With the selection of badges in the latest title currently unknown, we’ll have to wait and see which badges make their way to the top of the list.

Nevertheless, to give you an idea of what to expect from the best NBA 2K24 badges, here’s the strongest picks from 2K23. Bear in mind that these badges might not return or could be changed in the upcoming game, but this will give you a starting point.

Best Finishing badges

Fearless Finisher – Strengthens the player’s ability to absorb contact and still finish. This will also reduce the amount of energy lost from contact layups.
Slithery – Increases the player’s ability to slide through traffic, protect the ball, and avoid contact during gathers and finishes at the rim.
Bully – Improves a player’s ability to initiate contact and get to the rim on layup attempts.

Best Shooting badges

Volume Shooter – After a player has taken a small number of shots, a staking boost is given to every subsequent shot.
Agent 3 – Improves the ability to make pull-up or spin shots from the three-point range.
Limitless Range – Extends the range at which a player can shoot three-pointers effectively.

Best Playmaking badges

Dimer – When in the half-court, passes by those with this badge to open shooters have a shot percentage boost.
Floor General – Gives offensive attribute boosts to teammates when in play.
Ankle Breaker – When performing stepbacks and other moves, the defender stumbles and falls more often when biting the wrong way.

Best Defence/Rebounding badges

Clamp – Defenders have access to quicker cut off moves and are more successful when bumping or hip riding the ball handler.
Anchor – Increases the player’s ability to block shots and protect the rim at a high level.
Interceptor – Increases the frequency of successfully tipped or intercepted passes.

Remember, these were just some of the best from 2K23, with plenty more to choose from, which may either not return or could have slightly altered effects.

And that’s everything you need to know about NBA 2K24 badges, from how they work to the potential best badges in the latest entry. With the game’s release now here, you can get ready for the game with our NBA 2K24 guides and learn about NBA 2K24 locker codes. Get those freebies.