‘NBA 2K25’ Ratings Unveiled For 2024 Champion Celtics Starting Five

The Boston Celtics expressed the organization's value for its championship-winning roster this offseason, most notably by making star Jayson Tatum the NBA's all-time highest-paid player with a five-year, $315 million contract extension. Yet, there's another, much simpler way to classify value: "NBA 2K" ratings.

Tatum already attained bragging rights by becoming the league's latest cover athlete for the release of "NBA 2K25," but that prompted a few questions leading up to the uncovered ratings that never fail to rule the tail-end of the offseason. Will Tatum's previous-95 overall rating increase or be hindered by the NBA Finals MVP voting results? Did Derrick White earn more respect after logging an impressive debut season as a full-time starting guard? Do players still even care about their virtual ratings comprised of dozens of attributes judged and determined by gaming developers?

Either way, after Boston's front office unloaded its pockets and assembled the NBA's most expensive starting lineup -- set to cost ownership over $930 million -- it was up to the folks over at "NBA 2K" to insert their two cents. The results, exclusively about the five Celtics starters who led a league-best 64-win regular season and 16-3 playoff run, were revealed on Tuesday evening.

Celtics starting lineup ratings for "NBA 2K25":
-- Jayson Tatum (95 overall)
-- Jaylen Brown (92 overall)
-- Jrue Holiday (87 overall)
-- Kristaps Porzingis (87 overall)
-- Derrick White (86 overall)

Tatum was the eighth-highest-rated player and the only member of the Celtics to finish within the top 10, grouped in alongside Nikola Jokić (97), Luka Dončić (97), Giannis Antetokounmpo (97), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (96), Joel Embiid (96), LeBron James (95), Stephen Curry (95), Kevin Durant (94) and Anthony Davis (94). Boston's five-time All-Star averaged 26.9 points with 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 74 games while finishing sixth in regular season MVP voting and ninth in Clutch Player of the Year voting.

Now, with offseason moves (presumably), the NBA draft, Las Vegas Summer League, and "NBA 2K" ratings all in the rearview mirror, the defending-champion Celtics can focus on their long-awaited Banner 18 ceremony on Opening Night against the New York Knicks, scheduled for Oct. 22 to begin the 2024-25 season.