"Truly disgusting and vile" - Fans erupt as Cooper Flagg earns higher NBA 2K26 rating than rookie Luka Doncic's rating

Cooper Flagg's rating for NBA 2K26 was revealed on Saturday. Several fans on X have mixed reactions to the Dallas Mavericks rookie being rated 82. In comparison, Luka Doncic had a 79 rating in NBA 2K19 as a rookie for the Mavericks.

The face of NBA 2K, Ronnie Singh, also known as "Ronnie 2K," revealed Flagg's rating in a clip posted on X. Before the reveal, Flagg told Ronnie that he hopes to be in the 70s.

"I'm very happy with that," Flagg said. "Been playing 2K for a while. So, thanks for the very generous rating."

Several fans expressed their disapproval of Flagg's rating on the next iteration of the game. They mentioned Kevin Durant and Victor Wembanyama. Per 2kratings.com, Durant has a 93 rating in NBA 2K26, while Wembanyama is 94. As a rookie in NBA 2K24, Wemby was 84.

🇦🇴 VINICIUS

@vinijuno

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It is truly disgusting and vile that KD who is undeniably still a T10 player has an 87 ovr but a literal unproven rookie gets a 92? Someone needs to lock Ronnie2k in a block of ice forever and throw away the key.

Master of None

@treytrey1011

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Wemby was an 85 before even playing a game so this isn’t terrible. But no rookie should get over 80 until they play their first game.

Several others said rookies should not be rated above 79.

MagicPants

@calexicant

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no rookie should be over a 79 before they’ve stepped on the court

🙏

@_DumbassTC

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No rookie should be higher than 79 overall until they prove s**t when the season starts

Further, others said they are passing on buying the game's next iteration, which is set to be officially released on Sept. 5 with an early access date set on Aug. 29. Pre-orders started on Wednesday.

1600FILMZ

@1600FILMZ

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We not buying 2K no more

zaiire 💫

@_zaiire_

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Still not buying your game

On Tuesday, 2K Games announced that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will grace the cover of the NBA 2K26 Standard Edition. SGA led the OKC Thunder' 2025 championship run and was the league's regular-season MVP and Finals MVP.

Chicago Sky's Angel Reese and NBA legend Carmelo Anthony will be the cover athletes for the WNBA Edition and the Superstar Edition, respectively. All three athletes are on the Leave No Doubt Edition.

Ronnie 2K, a social media personality, has been dubbed the face of the NBA 2K franchise. He is the digital marketing director of 2K Sports and has been a key figure in the game's success.

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Cooper Flagg drops 31 following his much-anticipated Summer League debut

Cooper Flagg's NBA Summer League debut was reportedly the most expensive Summer League game. Ticket prices for the Dallas Mavericks vs. LA Lakers game on Thursday reached $2,500 for courtside seats, while lower bowl tickets sold for $650, according to TickPick.

The 2025 No. 1 pick finished with 10 points, six rebounds and four assists on 5-for-21 (0-for-5 from 3-point range) in the Mavs' 87-85 win. However, he had a much better performance in his second Summer League game on Saturday.

Cooper Flagg had several highlight plays despite the Mavs' 76-69 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, which featured 2025 No. 2 pick Dylan Harper. Flagg scored close to half of Dallas' points and was one of only two Mavericks in double figures. He had 31 points on 10-for-21, including 3-for-9 from the 3-point line.

Cooper Flagg's Mavericks return to action on Monday against the Charlotte Hornets.