The new NBA 2K27 video game dropped over the weekend and it handed the Chicago Bulls a harsh reality check. Despite adding big names and high draft picks, the team sits at an 80 overall rating. This score puts them as the 25th-best squad in the entire league.
Yahoo Sports Canada reported that only five teams in the NBA have lower marks than Chicago. The Nets sit at 78, while the Clippers, Grizzlies, Kings, and Bucks all hold a 79 rating. Fans expecting a massive jump after a busy summer are seeing a modest number instead.
The rebuild looks different on the court than it does in the game code. Caleb Wilson, a forward, was taken by the Bulls at the No. 4 overall pick, while Dailyn Swain joined as a wing 11 picks later. Norman Powell, an All-Star guard, was also signed away from the Miami Heat. A three-team deal brought center Nicolas Claxton from the Timberwolves and Nets.
These four new stars are meant to be joined by young prospects including forward Matas Buzelis, aged 21, and point guard Josh Giddey, aged 23. Yet the game sees the roster differently. Powell and Giddey lead the team with 84 overall ratings. Buzelis sits at 81, while Claxton holds an 80 rating. Guard Tre Jones follows with a 79 score.
Wilson appears as the sixth-best player on the roster in the game. At 77 overall, the No. 4 pick lags behind the three players chosen ahead of him. The Wizards’ AJ Dybantsa, the Jazz’s Darryn Peterson, and the Grizzlies’ Cam Boozer all carry 79 ratings. This gap suggests the virtual engine values the draft order heavily.
Behind Wilson, the depth chart shows Jalen Smith at 76. Forward Zach Collins and wing Isaac Okoro both project to serve sizeable roles off the bench with 75 ratings each. The game sees these veterans as key pieces for the rotation despite their lower scores.
Patrick Williams, Leonard Miller, and Rob Dillingham all face a fight for minutes. Williams and Miller hold 74 ratings, while Dillingham sits at 73. The game clearly views the Bulls as a team in transition rather than a contender.
This rating tells a story about patience. The rebuild requires time to gel before the numbers shift. The new additions are there to build a foundation for the future. The 80 rating reflects a squad that is still learning to play together.
Fans will see these players on the court soon enough to judge for themselves. The video game numbers are just a snapshot of the current state. Real basketball is played on hardwood, not on a screen. The team has the pieces to climb the ladder.
The season starts soon and the Bulls need to prove the game wrong. A low rating does not stop a team from winning games. The players on the roster have the talent to rise above the score. Chicago fans will watch closely to see how the new pieces fit.
The gap between the game rating and the real potential is where the excitement lies. If the chemistry clicks, the real world will ignore the virtual score. The Bulls have work to do to change how the league sees them.
