Which player rules the Central Division after LeBron's departure?

Micah Adams

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Which player rules the Central Division after LeBron's departure? image

LeBron James is still the best player in the world.

MORE: Central Division: The biggest move each team made this offseason

But now that he's taken his talents to the west coast, there is a vaccuum in the Eastern Conference and more specifically, the Central Division. So who takes over as the top player?

The last time LeBron left Cleveland in the summer of 2010, the eventual MVP came from the Central. Derrick Rose entered the 2010-11 campaign with a 2K rating of just 85 which ranked behind 16 other players across the league.

Conventional wisdom says the top spot should belong to Giannis Antetokounmpo who is coming off his second straight 2nd-team All-NBA season and finished sixth in MVP voting. While the full NBA2K19 player ratings haven't been released yet, we checked in on some of the division's biggest stars to see how they grade out. 


Entering his first full season with the Pistons, Blake Griffin will start as an 86. He's the second-highest rated played on Detroit as Andre Drummond was handed an 87.


One player to watch whose rating has not yet been released is Victor Oladipo, a breakout star from last season. Oladipo's rating rose nine points over the course of last season, finishing the season as an 88 overall. Assuming he lands in the high 80s or even low 90s, Oladipo will have a higher 2K rating than Derrick Rose entering his MVP season while playing the role of lead guard on a team expected to finish atop the division.

Here's a look at the top rated 2K player in the division entering each of the last 10 seasons.

Top 2K Player in Central Division
2K19 Giannis Antetokounmpo 94
2K18 LeBron James 97
2K17 LeBron James 96
2K16 LeBron James 94
2K15 LeBron James 98
2K14 Derrick Rose 92
2K13 Derrick Rose 92
2K12 Derrick Rose 92
2K11 Derrick Rose/Carlos Boozer 85
2K10 LeBron James 96

 

Micah Adams

Micah Adams Photo

Micah Adams is a Managing Editor and Head of Affiliate and Commercial Content at Sporting News. Prior to joining SN in 2021, Adams spent over a decade producing and leading content teams at ESPN, DAZN and The Social Institute. Adams graduated from Duke University in 2009 and remains a Cameron Crazie at heart well into his 30s. When not losing sleep or hair over the Blue Devils, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bulls, and USMNT, Adams enjoys chasing his two small children around along with his wife, losing golf balls, spending time outdoors and binging terrible movies.