The Best Badges You Can Earn in MyCareer
In NBA 2K20 MyCareer mode, you earn badges for your created MyPlayer by excelling in one of four categories: Finishing, Shooting, Playmaking, and Defending / Rebounding.
It used to be that in previous games, you would have to steal the ball to earn a Pickpocket badge. But in NBA 2K20, you can earn the Pickpocket badge by simply exceling in Defending/Rebounding. You then have the freedom to assign your badge to any skill in that category.
This allows you to personalize your created characters more than before. And it also allows you to refine a skill that you might not be naturally good at. Once, it would be near impossible to earn a Pickpocket badge if you began MyCareer with a low Steal rating. Now, you can rebound and block your way to the badge without having to steal once.
Still, each position has several key badges that define its respective role on the floor. Here are the must-have badges for each of the five basketball positions: Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Power Forward, and Center.
Point Guard
Traditionally, the point guard brings the ball up the floor, calls the play, and threatens the perimeter. Your badges should play to those strengths in the Shooting and Playmaking categories.
Slithery Finisher
As a point guard, you’re going to be smaller, with less strength, than most of the players on the floor. Slithery Finisher will allow you to avoid physical contact when driving to the rim.
Ankle Breaker
A key badge, Ankle Breaker will increase your point guard’s chances of losing the defender and creating space for your shot.
Dimer
As a point guard, you’re going to be racking up lots of assists. And the Dimer badge, which increases the shot percentage of whomever you pass to, will make the most of your teammates’ chances.
Pickpocket
Perfect for intimidating the opponent’s point guard as he brings the ball up the floor, Pick Pocket allows you to attempt steals without getting a dreaded reach-in foul.
Unpluckable
Turnovers are a point guard’s worst nightmare. This badge lets you hold onto the ball better, for when you drive into the paint and don’t want to get stripped.
Shooting Guard
As a shooting guard, you’ll be coming off screens to get open looks at the basket. Most shooting guard will have excellent shot percentages from all spots on the floor.
Catch & Shoot
This badge will increase your shot accuracy right after catching a pass. This is perfect for coming off screens and pulling up at the 3-point line.
Space Creator
Perfect for James Harden-esque stepback moves, the Space Creator makes it easier to get an open look when the defender is already on top of you.
Quick Draw
Quick Draw increases the speed at which you can get off your jumpshot. The openings in your opponents’ defense are narrow, and this badge lets you get off a shot before the hand goes up in your face.
Corner Specialist
An essential badge for beyond the arc, Corner Specialist increases the accuracy of your three-pointers along the baseline. Make sure to adjust your team’s playbook accordingly.
Pick Dodger
Pick Dodger is essential for a shooting guard on defense, who needs to weave around screens to guard his opponent. This is your best counter against all variations of the pick and roll.
Small Forward
The small forward is a jack of all trades. He has to be able to do a little bit of everything, but he traditionally specializes at cutting to the rim. Accordingly, a small forward’s best badges accentuate his athleticism, which is applicable to a wide variety of situations.
Quick First Step
A small forward needs to be explosive in his movement. A quick first step will ensure that your player can blow by defenders when headed towards the rim.
Clamps
This badge helps the small forward defend against explosive movement by keeping his body in front of his opponent’s. This is a great badge to have for any position, but it’s essential for a small forward.
Contact Finisher
As a small forward, you’re going to be powering through traffic when you drive towards the rim. Contact Finisher allows you to make a higher percentage of layup and dunks, even when crashing into defenders.
Acrobat
Just because you can push past defenders and get the shot off doesn’t mean the defender won’t swat it out of the sky. In NBA 2K20, blocking is more effective and common than it’s ever been. You have to vary your hop steps and Euro steps to keep your opponent guessing. The Acrobat badge will help your small guard make the more difficult layup shots.
Relentless Finisher
Lastly, Relentless Finisher cuts down on your fatigue when you make contact with an opponent in the paint. Relentless Finisher makes your small forward resilient, so that he doesn’t run out of energy on the fast break with the game on the line.
Power Forward
A good power forward clogs up the paint, grabs offensive and defensive rebounds, and feeds the fast breaks with deep outlet passes. A power forward is historically an inside position, but the stretch 4, who trails his teammates on offense and pulls for a mid-range or three-pointer, is a recent, successful variation.
Intimidator
You’re going to be in the paint a whole lot, creating congestion and headaches for players who like to cut to the rim. Intimidator increases the opponent’s likelihood of missing these shots, even if they manage to power their way inside.
Tireless Defender
A power forward is defensive and reactive, often doing the necessary dirty work so the team’s stars shine. A tireless defender will allow you to guard and defend aggressively without becoming fatigued.
Rebound Chaser
Grabbing rebounds is an essential part of a power forward’s job. The Rebound Chaser badge expands the distance at which the player can track and grab the ball mid-air.
Breakstarter
After you grab a defensive rebound, your teammates will likely make a fast break to the other end of the floor. Use the Breakstarter badge to up the accuracy of your deep outlet passes and score a quick assist.
Worm
The Worm was Dennis Rodman’s nickname, after his ability to weave around boxouts and grab offensive rebounds. This badge will let you do the same, and pairs well with the Putback King badge.
Center
There’s lots of overlap, especially in NBA 2K20, between the power forward and center positions. But whereas the power forward typically has a greater shooting ability and moves somewhat quicker, a center tends to be taller and more effective in the post. A lot of power forward badges are equally applicable to a decent center. But consider these badges as well.
Rim Protector
The Rim Protector badge increases your ability to block your opponents’ shots. Try to block when your opponent drives to the rim or attempts a putback for the best results.
Dream Shake
The center’s classic metagame is in the post, where mobility is key. Named after Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, the Dream Shake badge will improve your big man’s ability to fake out his opponent while backing him down.
Brick Wall
As a center, you’ll often find yourself setting the screen for the pick and roll. The Brick Wall badge will make it harder for your defender to get around you. It will also drain your opponent’s energy, preventing him from catching your teammate who called the pick.
Pick & Roller
After setting the screen, you’ll usually charge the basket and anticipate the pass. This badge will increase your dunk and shot percentages heading into the paint.
Pro Touch
Most of your center’s field goal attempts will be either close shots or layups. The Pro Touch badge will make the required precision more forgiving; even if your layup is a little late or a little early on the release, the shot will still go in.
