BEdwardsroy19 Breaks it Down!

We've been big fans of BEdwardsRoy for some time now. For those of you who've been living under a rock for the past few versions of NBA 2K, he's the man many consider to be the best PS3 roster guy on the most hardcore SIM site on the web, Operation Sports. For some time he's been one of the unofficial Roster Experts in the 2K Hoops community. When the 2K Insider was first revealed, many considered guys like him and Rashidi to be on the short list for the position given the attention to detail, impartiality, knowledge and the commitment they've always shown to generating rosters. Alas, it was not to be.

We decided to showcase BEdwardsRoy as most of our writers sincerely think he deserves a chance to be given a shot at rating players for 2K Sports. In our interview we put him through the paces to make sure he had what it takes to withstand the scrutiny of 5 million 14-year olds that wanna know why their favorite player isn't rated a 90. We kindly turned the tables on him and poked holes in his ratings the same way he does with 2K Sports. For those with weak stomachs, we got a little rough with him, but what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Use the link below at your own risk.

1. Why do you have such passion for accurately rating NBA players and rosters in general?

To be completely honest how this whole roster editing adventure started was this past spring when I picked up MLB the Show 11 for PS3. I had always been inspired by Knight and his team of diligent roster editors, that would put out a fully completed minor league for the game each season. I was messing around and starting creating faces of people that I knew, and they came out really well. I kept making more and more and after a while, I decided to recreate an entire season of MLB history, the 1998 Season to be more exact. I dug into the statistics and affect that all ratings had on the game and the individual player. After creating all 25 men for all 30 teams, I hadn’t quite had my fix. With the help of a fellow OS’er by the name of pjsnell10, we went on to put out an All-Time Classic roster which featured every franchises best 3 teams at the MLB/AAA/AA level (EX: New York Yankees had the ’27 team at MLB, ’61 team at AAA, and the ’27 team at AA). That is 90 teams of 25 players. We stopped with about ten or so minor league teams left (all MLB were complete), as real life priorities came in the way. 

Then came NBA 2K12. I was not even sure I was going to buy the game, knowing the rookies were not going to be included, but I did the day it was released. I went to the OS forums, as many of us do when we are trying to find a good roster set, to see if anybody had created the rookies for PS3. Nobody had had begun the challenge yet so I figured what a perfect way to give back to the community. I created every rookie that had a chance to be in the NBA this season (all first and second rounders), and gave each of them their accurate contacts. I was then contacted by IrishSalsa (fellow OS’er) about the idea of getting the correct equipment, tendencies, ratings/potential, and signature shots for as many players as possible. I agreed and we began our ultimate roster project. Irish done a TON of work on the equipment, and helped me implement all of our tendency edits. I went on to do my own attribute/potential rerates and signature shot updates (given by 1Rose and other OS’ers) (real life complications for Irish). 

When I first went into the editing of ratings I gave each player the eye test. I looked to see what jumped out, and adjusted it based on that. Potential, is a whole ‘nother chapter I don’t even want to begin to explain, extensive research was done by myself and the OS community on how potential edits should be made.

So with that, we released our 4 rosters.

While I was waiting for the lockout to come to a close, I had begun to read all of the research done by many OS’ers on how and why things happen in the game. I looked at how C’s could keep up with PG’s on the fast break, why so many people had high 3PT ratings, and how those ratings translated into the system, etc… With the help of the brilliant research on OS, I began preparing for my own monster edit in which I would dig deeper into player edits than I ever had done before. This roster has recently been released.

To answer your question much more quickly… I got sucked in. I’m the kind of person that if I’m doing a job I want to do it right. I will never claim to know the most about basketball, or the most about how the game works (its not even close, so many knowledgeable others), but I know that I want to make the experience for others as realistic as possible.

2. We look at ratings from Madden's self-proclaimed "ratings Czar" and frown because they are so bad, inconsistent and seem based around highlights more than anything else, when you look at their ratings what's the first thing that comes to your mind?

+++++ That’s what comes to mind. To me when a player performs well, he should. He is a professional athlete. Now when a player performs well over an extend period of time, then he needs to be raised.

It also disgusts me to see how little individual attributes mean to that rating system. Sweet, Drew Brees went up to a 99, how did he go up to a 99? What attributes did you raise?

In my opinion their ratings are cosmetic.

3. Let's get this out of the way so we can expose you for being a fanboy (chuckle) what team are you a fan of?

The Cleveland Cavaliers…. What’s not to like? Just kidding, go ahead laugh it up!

4. Is a confrontational relationship with 2K Sports sometimes necessary? Can a person ever be the 2K Insider if they say mean things? My mother says if you don't have anything nice to say...

I wouldn’t consider my attitude towards 2K Sports confrontational, although I could see how some of my followers might. I am very grateful for the game 2K has provided us. Many people on the OS forums sit there and type their complaints about 2K until their fingers bleed, I’m not one of them. Sure there are flaws in their product, but let’s fix them not complain about them, and that’s what my rosters hope to do.

I do have a problem with 2K, and it has everything to do with the hype of their product. They have brilliant marketing strategies, but at the end of the day the updates don’t match the hype.

Just keep it real, always.

5. With the commitment to excellence regarding gameplay in NBA 2K, do they have to make a similar commitment to accurate ratings?

To me there are two aspects of every roster. Gameplay, and Sim-Stats. A great roster cannot have one without the other.

In my opinion, an accurate rating is one that allows the user to experience realism in both of those aspects. My commitment to each is why I spend so many hours a day trying find both.

More importantly, 2K needs to realize the two go hand and hand, and cannot just update an overall number and have a realistic product.

6. What's a good time period to look at in terms of Improving or Declining the ratings of players? Can a players rating go up after one game/great play?

To answer your second question absolutely not. What many people do not realize, especially with NBA 2K12, is that I (and others) can make a player rated 60 overall average over 15ppg with the right tendency edits and given the right minutes. Every player in the NBA has the potential to drop 20 on a given night, that’s why they are in the NBA. Every player on 2K has the same exact capabilities.

Those game to game changes just don’t make any sense.

What’s a good time period? I don’t have a number, and I don’t think anybody should. I think the best answer is when you know chance is no longer a factor in their success, and that it is actual ability coming out that they do not have in game.

7. Explain to us the significance of accurate ratings.

As I said before throughout, ratings are so much more than a number. Accurate ratings the most important aspect of any videogame experience (If you want realism).

BEST. ANSWER. EVER. Ratings people with little attention to detail please be sure to take notes.

8. We asked you to rate some players not so long ago, you went with a 96 for Lebron, a 94 for DWade and Kobe, 90 for Carmelo, 87 for Dirk, 86 for Blake Griffin and a 70 for Baron Davis. We loved most of those but let's take a look at some stuff the community has debated for awhile and get your explanation/view. Isn't DWade a more complete player than Kobe at this point? Aren't Carmelo and Dirk both great offensive players who rebound with defensive "issues"? So why the gap in ratings? Isn't Dirk an elite player? We love the highlights/potential of Blake(and 22ppg, 12 rpg is outstanding for a rookie) but can one year get you within a point of Dirk?

Let’s tackle these questions one at a time.

First, is DWade a more complete player than Kobe Bryant at this time?

Lets look at their ratings. Kobe has better shooting ability than DWade, not by much but better. DWade has better abilities in traffic and finishing. Their ball security and passing gives the edge to DWade. Defensively, their ratings are very similar, off of each other by a point or two. Kobe has a higher awareness than DWade, both offensively and defensively. DWade has a sizeable advantage over Kobe in athleticisim and speed. At the end of the day, they both came out as a 94. Do I think DWade is a more complete player than Kobe Bryant? I’m not sure, but when I analyze every aspect of them that is what 2K decides their Overall Skill level to be.

Second, Carmelo and Dirk, why the gap? This is on 2K in my opinion. 2K’s formula for overall is not very consistent throughout each position. It is much easier to have a higher rating if you are an average small forward (not calling Melo average), than if you are a good PF or C. Dirk has much higher offensive ratings than Melo in my roster, but his defensive is a much bigger hit against his overall because of how they rate PF/C’s.

To answer your continued questions about overall and Dirk, I wish I could determine the formula for Overall. I have not determined one yet, but given the research time I could make one that would be a more accurate representation of players individual attributes.

9. So. you're the 2K Insider, what would be your first order of business. What would be your focuses?

Adjusting the formula that creates overall.

Getting over to OS and learn about all of the tendency/playbook edits that would make my game play better.

Not call myself the “Rating’s God/Czar/Emperor/President/Dictator”

we like this guy already.

10. Give us some badly overrated and underrated players that The 2K Insider overlooked/rated badly.

This is hard to get in to. Like I said, I could make a poorly rated player good with tendency edits. 2K doesn’t have those tendency edits, so its tough, especially because their overall formula is not indicative on individual player ratings. An easy answer would be to say centers such as Tyson Chandler, DeAndre Jordan but their individual ratings are not too far off from where they should be. I’d probably say Ian Mahinmi is the most underrated player.

Overrated, wow, this new update makes it more obvious than ever. Their individual ratings were awful Ricky Rubio was given an 85 rating for 3PT shot and Kyle Lowry was given an 88. I thought nearly every rookie was overrated. Let them play a little before you tell me Kenneth Faried has the same overall as Tyson Chandler.

11. We've always felt there should be a ratings TEAM, that the job of rating every player was too big for one person. What's your opinion?

Absolutely there should be a team. Two-three members assigned to address attributes/tendencies/hotspots. Two-three to make sure every players has the right equipment/shoes in each update.

I do all of this on my own. It is quite the task

12. We look at Madden where the person in charge of ratings interacts with the players too often and seems overly influenced by them as well. Shouldn't a ratings person be less high-profile to ensure he's impartial?

I know that the feedback and connection to the fans is one thing I do enjoy. I don’t think being able to connect to your consumers is a bad thing, I think being influenced by the athletes is something that can happen. You should have enough pride in your ratings to not change them that easily.

13. You're know for making equipment updates to players on your roster as well, why is it important to add small details like those?

Why stop halfway? If you have all of the ratings accurate you are only left with half of an awesome roster.

I can tell you this is the most time consuming part of editing. But how cool is it to see even the worst player on the bench shooting in warm-ups and realize that the editors have their shoes right in the game. That’s the kind of experience I have tried to bring with my roster

14. Rate Josh Smith and Joe Johnson for us and give us a breakdown will you?

Smith- OVR 83. Average offensive ability, average speed, high athleticism, high defensive awareness and defensive ability.

Johnson- OVR 82. Above-Average offensive ability, average speed for his position, average athleticism, average to above average defensive skills, high basketball IQ

The overall’s listed are the overalls the game has given them based on my individual attribute edits

15. Rate/break-down Marc Gasol as well.

Marc Gasol- OVR 76. Good inside game, above-average down on the low post, good shot blocker, good rebounder, strong but poor athleticism/speed.

16. How would you go about rating 1st and 2nd round picks who've never played in the NBA before?

This is one of the toughest aspects of the rating system. You make guesses about players based on playing a level of competition that makes no comparison to the game they are about to enter. This part of editing is nearly completely subjective.

17. On that note, we've always supported a "baseline" rating for rookies (60s for first rounders, 50 for second rounders, 40s for Free Agents) until they actually perform. How can a rookie who's never dribbled a ball in the league (let's use Kyrie Irving as an example) be rated higher than say....Baron Davis? Potential isn't guaranteed in the NBA and so often isn't an indicator of success. We know its early but look at the example of Evan Turner last year, and aren't players like Kwame Brown, Jonathan Bender, Darius Miles, Eddy Curry, Dajuan Wagner, Darko, Marvin Williams, Adam Morrison, Oden and Hasheem Thabeet good examples of why you wait until a player actually performs to give him a rating an NBA starter would have?

You have given a lot of good examples of NBA busts. I personally disagree with you on the baseline ratings idea. Based on 2K’s overall system, which I have said before is flawed, I think the best a rookie should ever be rated coming into the league is an 81-82. The best part about rookie ratings, is if you are committed to accurate ratings, the roster editor can adjust them early on throughout the season. We saw him raise the overall of Ricky Rubio by 11 points to a 78, yet Kemba Walker held on to his 76? You can have Kyrie Irving rated higher than Baron Davis, but if you’re wrong, you better fix it.

No roster editor is perfect and no roster is perfect. You have to be able to see when you have made a mistake and adjust accordingly.

18. Do good numbers mean less when the team doesn't perform? Do you believe in empty stats? Aren't Ron Harper and Charles Smith good examples of great players on bad teams that went to good teams and were revealed as solid players with flaws? There's an old addage that says "its easy to score twenty when you're down twenty."

This is a perfect example of the important of tendencies in the NBA game. You could have players that have poor teammates around that are not necessarily highly rated stars, but average 17-20 a game like Nick Young did last year. Ratings don’t have to reflect those performances, tendencies can.

2K and many fans of the game don’t realize that fully.

19. Omer Asik got shafted on the official ratings as well. What would you rate him?

Asik’s attributes had him at a 64 in my roster.

20. Is the gap between Dwight Howard and the second best center in the league really THAT wide?

To be short, yes. Howard is the ideal player for 2K’s Overall system. Amazing defensively and can rebound.

To be honest, on a more subjective note, I think it is as well. Who is even the second best center in the NBA? Bynum?

21. On that same note, isn't Nowitzki a better player than Zach Randolph? Hasn't he been more consistent in making his team better?

Yes. Randolph is a borderline all star player in his good years. Dirk is a consistent All-Star. I have Randolph at an 84 OVR and Dirk an 87 OVR

22. What about Kris Humphries? Isn't he a one-dimensional player on one of the worst teams in the league

Yes. But his one dimension (rebounding) is one that is very highly valued by 2K, and the problem is, they know that so they tried to mask his overall and actually underrated his other abilities.

23. Hypothetical Question: Player A averages more than 20ppg, and over 10rpg and 4 assists and has a high PER but wins 20 games. Player B averages 15 & 9 but is on a contender and is one of the best defenders in the entire league. He also wins 60 games per year. Both are the best players on their team. Who do you rate higher?

This is a very hard question to answer with absolutely no insight on their actual ability, but my best guess is Player B by 2-3 OVR points

24. Pau and Aldridge seem like two guys who should be among the elite players in the league. Why aren't they? 

They are the 4^th and 5^th best PF’s in the league based on my edits and 2K’s rating for overall. The only one above them that I would say in the same class is Blake Griffin, but again, I don’t formulate the overall rating.

25. We really appreciate the time. We apologize about the rough treatment, but we're HARD on ratings people. As sports games depend on them more than any other genre. No Harm, No Foul. Anything you'd like to share with the 2K Community? The time's yours.

Just wanted to make sure to thank the Operation Sports community and other roster editors on that site (youALREADYknow, vtcrb) to name a few other tendency/attribute guys. The findings of others has made it really easy to see the changes needed to make a great game even better. Shout out to IrishSalsa for his help in getting this train rolling.

I am doing this interview not to promote myself or my roster by any means, but to promote change. Why settle for half of a great product when we could have a whole? I hope 2K can realize what they are missing out on, by not focusing as intensely as they should on the roster editing aspect of their game.

Thank you MagWorldwide and SprtsGamer for your time and questions. I really appreciate the opportunity given to further discuss my outlook on NBA 2K.

If anybody has any questions feel free to tweet them to me @bedwardsroy19. If anybody would like to check out my roster it is for Playstation 3, PSN: Bedwardsroy19. There are weekly updates so look for the most recent upload date.