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NBA 2K16 Rates Hassan Whiteside Above Rudy Gobert

By Ryan Aston

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Each year, player ratings for the upcoming NBA 2K video game begin to trickle out in advance of the game’s release. The ratings inevitably prompt debate among hardcore fans about how accurately certain players are judged. This year is no different, as a screen shot of Rudy Gobert‘s rating has drawn the ire of Utah Jazz fans.

After the Stifle Tower inquired about his rating for NBA 2K16, 2K’s social media manager Ronnie Singh responded in kind with a capture of Gobert’s in-game likeness and his accompanying valuation–

On the surface, Gobert’s 79 rating seems like a nod to the vast improvements he made last season and an acknowledgement of his status as one of the league’s budding stars. Jazz Nation would probably like to see a number in the 80s, but nothing seems overly egregious about the game developer’s appraisal.

However, a quick scan of the player ratings for other young centers in the league has left many to wonder if Gobert and the Jazz are once again being overlooked. Case in point–the mark set for Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside—

Full disclosure–I am a Hassan Whiteside fan. Before the 2010 NBA Draft, I found him to be one of the most intriguing upside prospects in a long time. That ridiculous length and his ability to swat just about everything opposing offenses threw toward the basket in his lone season at Marshall were tantalizing attributes.

I’m as happy as anyone about Whiteside’s incredible resurgence. Following nearly two years spent bouncing around the D-League, China and Lebanon, Whiteside is now a difference maker in the NBA. In a vacuum, his rating of 81 makes sense.

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Where I hit the blockade is the assertion that Whiteside is the better player, something Jazz fans are now up in arms about on Twitter.

To understand why many have disputed the notion, we need only look at some of the numbers. When Gobert was on the floor for the Jazz, the team allowed only 98.8 points per 100 possessions. Whiteside’s mark with the Heat checks in at 105.6.

Looking at rim protection, opponents shot under 48 percent within six feet of the basket with Gobert defending. Heat opponents connected on nearly 52 percent with Whiteside in the paint. In terms of differential, i.e. how opposing offenses did compared to their own averages, players were 11.5 percent less effective in that range with Gobert defending and only 6.5 percent worse when guarded by Whiteside.

Gobert also showed court vision and prowess as a passer far beyond Whiteside’s ability. After the All-Star break, Gobert had an assist rate of just under nine percent. This dwarfs Whiteside’s season mark of 0.9 percent. Clearly Gobert exhibits more potential as a distributing big man.

While more basic stats–points, rebounds, blocks, etc.–seem to favor Whiteside, if we isolate Gobert’s production following the Enes Kanter trade and his insertion into the starting lineup, the comparison becomes more favorable.

In those 29 games, Gobert averaged 11.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and one steal per game. His PIE (player impact estimate) score was 17.4 in that span. For the year, Whiteside averaged 11.8 points, 10 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 0.6 steals per game. Whiteside’s PIE stat came in at 17.3.

Whiteside is a quality player and will probably terrorize opponents in the Eastern Conference for years to come. But is he better than the Stifle Tower? Despite the numbers, NBA 2K16 and its developers seem to think so.

I remain unconvinced.

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