Another year, another NBA MyCareer grind. Along the way, you’ll be working your way towards a bunch of different badges across four different categories, which in turn help you upgrade your player. Here’s how to get badges in NBA 2K21.
How to Get Badges in NBA 2K21
While in NBA games of old there were specific requirements to unlocking badges, that changed last year with NBA 2K20. Just as in last year’s game, consistently making plays associated with a skill category builds experience in that area which can then be used to unlock badges.
For example, pulling off moves like the Reverse Layup (move & hold the Right Stick towards the baseline, while driving along baseline) and Euro Step Layup (double tap X / Square while driving to the hoop) builds your Finishing XP meter. Once you’ve increased your XP enough, you’ll then be able to choose a badge for your player, such as, say, Acrobat.
Once you have a badge activated for your player, every time you then use a move like the ones mentioned above, a little indicator will pop reminding you that you’ve used a move associated with it.
Each badge typically has four different tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Hall of Fame. You will, however, only be able to upgrade badges to Hall of Fame if they are associated with categories your player specializes in.
When you first create a player, the two categories you put the most “potential points” into will be the ones that can get Hall of Fame badges. There are four to choose from: Finishing, Playmaking, Shooting, and Defense/Rebounding.
To stick with the previous example, to achieve the highest tier of Acrobat, you’d have to fill out the Finishing category meter four times, then choose the Acrobat badge four times to make it a Hall of Fame badge.
Remember that in addition to playing lots of games, you can also go practice drills to grind toward badges. It’s boring, but it works. Also, you’re obviously going to make more progress grinding toward badges by playing lower-ranked teams as opposed to taking on really tough opposition.
