All badges in NBA 2K23 and what they mean

Badges are a core part of the gameplay experience in NBA 2K23. Considering all players strive to increase their player stats and take that next step in the MyPlayer or MyCareer game modes, they’ll need the stat boosts that badges provide.

Badges in NBA 2K23 come in different categories, each providing a different bonus. Your badge choice will depend on your playstyle and finding the best badge for your habits can require a few tries since there are quite a few choices.

Defense and rebounding badges in NBA 2K23

• Anchor — Improves blocking and contesting shots in the painted area.
• Ankle Braces — Makes it more difficult to get crossed over.
• Ball Stripper — Increases players’ change of stealing the ball during layups or near-basket dunks.
• Box — Increases players’ ability to box out opponents during rebounds.
• Boxout Beast — Increases the likelihood of rebounders winning boxout battles during offensive and defensive rebounds.
• Brick Wall — Makes screens more effective and allows players to drain energy from opposing playing upon contact.
• Challenger — Perimeter shot contests become more effective.
• Chase Down Artist — Buff a player’s leaping ability and speed when chasing an offensive player in anticipation of a block attempt.
• Clamps — Increases a player’s ability to stay in front of the ball handler on the perimeter.
• Clutch Defender — Increases a player’s defensive rating during clutch situations.
• Glove — Allows players to strip the ball from their opponents as they get ready for a shot.
• Hustler — Increases a player’s ability to beat their opponents to loose balls.
• Interceptor — Increases a player’s chances of stealing the ball in passing lanes.
• Intimidator — Decreases an offensive player’s chances of shooting if they’re being contested by a player with the Intimidator badge.
• Menace — This badge will reduce an opponent’s attributes when good defense is being played by their contestants.
• Off-Ball Pest — Increases a player’s ability to harass and bump the offense off the ball.
• Pick Dodger — Increases a player’s ability to navigate through screens on defense, making it easier to move through clusters.
• Pick Pocket — Increases a player’s ability to steal the ball from whoever has the ball.
• Pogo Stick — Recover quickly after a jump and go for another after landing.
• Post Lockdown — Increases the defender’s ability to defend backdowns and post moves.
• Rebound Chaser — Players with this badge will be able to track down rebounds from longer than normal distances.
• Rim Protector — Unlocks new block animations and reduces a player’s chances of getting dunked on.
• Tireless Defender — Lose less energy while exerting effort on defense. 
• Work Horse — Increases a player’s ability to hustle down 50/50 balls. It also allows players to play hard-nosed defense without getting tired.
• Worm — Increases a rebounder’s ability to find the best rebound position.

Finishing

• Aerial Wizard — Increases a player’s ability to complete alley-oops and putbacks.
• Acrobat — Makes it easier to pull off harder layups.
• Backdown Punisher — Increases the chances of a player successfully backing down their opponent
• Bully — Allows players to bulldoze through their opponents and land a strong finisher.
• Dream Shake — Increases the chances of a defender falling for fakes in the post.
• Dropstepper — Increases a player’s chances of success while performing post dropsteps and hop steps.
• Fast Twitch — Speeds up getting dunks and standing layups off, making it difficult for defenders to reach.
• Fearless Finisher — Increases a player’s ability to withstand physical contact while reducing the energy lost from contact.
• Giant Slayer — During a mismatch versus a taller defender, Giant Slayer will increase the shot percentage of a player for layup attempts.
• Grace Under Pressure — Increases the success rate of close-basket standing shots 
• Hook Specialist — Increases a player’s hook shot ability
• Limitless Takeover — Allows players to start their dunk or layup gather from a farther than regular distance.
• Lob City Finisher — Increases a player’s chances of completing a successful alley-oop dunk or a layup
• Masher — Increases a player’s finishing ability around the rim.
• Mouse in the House — Increases a player’s chances of successfully scoring a basket while attacking a smaller defender.
• Post Spin Technician — Improves a player’s post spinning and driving abilities while reducing their chances of getting stripped.
• Posterizer — Increases a player’s chances of posterizing their opponents.
• Pro Touch — Grants players an additional shot boost for having a little early, late, and excellent timing on layups.
• Putback Boss — Improves a player’s chances of making a shot while attempting a putback after an offensive rebound.
• Rise Up — Increases a player’s chances of dunking while standing on the painted area.
• Slithery — Improves a player’s ability to move through traffic while reducing the chances of getting stripped off the ball.  
• Tear Dropper — Boosts a player’s ability to avoid contact while attacking the rim.
• Unstrippable — Reduces a player’s chances of getting stripped while attacking the basket.

Playmaking

• Ankle Breaker — Increases a player’s chances of dropping or freezing a player while performing dribble moves.
• Bail Out — Increases the success rate of passes from mid-air.
• Break Starter — Increases a player’s ability to make successful outlet passes after securing a rebound.
• Clamp Breaker — Helps ball handlers withstand body bump confrontations and win more one-on-ones.
• Dimer — Increases the shot percentage of open teammates after they catch a pass.
• Floor General — When a player with this badge is in the game, their teammates will receive an offensive stat bonus.
• Handles for Days — Reduces the amount of energy players use while doing dribbling moves.
• Hyperdrive — Allows players to perform faster moving dribbles while attacking down the court.
• Killer Combos — Increases a level of dribbler’s effectiveness while sizing up dribble moves. 
• Mismatch Expert — Increases small guards’ chances of breaking down taller defenders during one-on-one mismatches.
• Needle Threader — Increases a player’s passing ability while passing the ball through tight gaps.
• Post Playmaker — The ball receiver will receive a shot boost when receiving the ball after an out of the post pass or a pass after a rebound.
• Quick Chain — Perform moves while sizing up an opponent.
• Quick First Step — Increases ball handlers’ ability to launch after driving out of triple threats or a size-up.
• Space Creator — Increases a player’s ability to create space from defenders.
• Special Delivery — Increases a receiver’s shot chance after receiving a flashy pass, and alley-oop success rate.
• Triple Threat Juke — Increases the speed of triple threat moves while trying to pass a defender.
• Unpluckable — Decreases a player’s chances of getting stripped by a defender.
• Vice Grip — Increases the ball security after a player secures a rebound, catch, or pick the ball up.

Shooting

• Agent 3 – Increases a player’s chances of hitting three pointers off the dribble.
• Amped – Reduces the shooting attribute penalties that players receive during fatigue or moving before shooting.
• Blinders – Be less affected by peripheral defenders while performing jump shots.
• Catch & Shoot – Increases a player’s chances of hitting three pointers immediately after catching the ball.
• Circus Threes – Increases a player’s ability to perform pull-ups and step-back threes.
• Claymore – Increases a player’s ability to perform perimeter shots while spotting up patiently.
• Clutch Shooter – Increases a player’s ability to score shots during clutch moments like the final moments of the fourth quarter or overtime periods.
• Comeback Kid – Increase a shooter’s three-point and mid-range abilities while they’re trailing in a match.
• Corner Specialist – Boosts shots taken from the corners.
• Deadeye – When taking Jump Shots with defenders closing out, players will receive less penalty from the shot contest.
• Difficult Shots – Increases a player’s ability to score difficult shots off the dribble from mid-range.
• Fade Ace – Increases a player’s ability to shoot post fades.
• Green Machine – Grants players an additional shot boost after performing back-to-back excellent releases during jump shots.
• Hand Down Man Down – Increases an outside shooter’s success rate if an opponent fails to get a hand in the face.
• Limitless Range – Increases shooter effectiveness while shooting the ball from deep three-point range.
• Rhythm Shooter – Increases the success rate of shots out of one-step pull-ups and size-ups.
• Slippery Off-Ball – Increases a player’s ability to get open off the ball.
• Space Creator – Increases a player’s ability to perform stepback jumpers, hop shots, and also cause defenders to stumble more regularly.
• Stop & Pop – Increases a player’s shot rating during stand-still three pointers after dribbling.
• Volume Shooter – Boosta a player’s shooting rate after taking a certain number of shots during a game.