This guide will show you a fast and effective way to reach 99 overall in less than a day without grinding through MyCareer. Instead, you’ll be leveraging streetball courts and a specific strategy to maximize XP. Buy Cheap MT 2K25 at U4GM, use “harry” coupons for an extra 5% off
Step 1: Forget MyCareer – Head to the Streets
In previous NBA 2K games, grinding MyCareer in Hall of Fame difficulty and 12-minute quarters was the go-to method for leveling up. However, in NBA 2K25, 2K changed how attributes count toward your overall rating. Once you hit a certain stat cap in a MyCareer game, like 15 assists, anything beyond that doesn’t count. That’s why this year, MyCareer isn’t the most efficient way to level up.
Instead, head to the streetball courts, more specifically The Temple. This area is ideal for farming XP quickly.
Why The Temple?
The Temple allows for quick matches that are easier to manipulate for XP gains. Plus, if you play the right way, you’ll be getting 10,000–15,000 XP every five minutes. That’s nearly 100,000 XP per hour!
Step 2: Beat and Recruit Velvet
When you first enter The Temple, you’ll see a list of eight bosses. Some might be blacked out if you’ve already beaten them, but one key opponent to target is Velvet. Beating Velvet will allow you to recruit him to your team, which is vital to this strategy.
Why Velvet?
Velvet is strong at catching alley-oop dunks, which makes it easier for you to rack up alley-oop assists—one of the fastest ways to earn XP in this game mode.
Step 3: Choose the Right Opponent
After recruiting Velvet, your next task is to choose an opponent. Look for a boss with a low three-point rating and one who is short. These characteristics will make it easier to manipulate the game.
Once you’ve chosen your opponent, make sure that the low three-point rated boss is the one you guard during the game.
Step 4: Game Strategy – Maximize XP with Alley-Oops and Rebounds
On Offense:
- Call for a screen: Use Velvet to set screens by pressing LB on Xbox or L1 on PlayStation. To get Velvet specifically to set the screen, tap LB/L1 and then hold the corresponding button for Velvet (X or Square, for example).
- Throw alley-oops: After the screen, double-tap Y (Xbox) or Triangle (PlayStation) to throw Velvet an alley-oop. He’ll catch it and score, giving you an alley-oop assist, which racks up massive XP.
On Defense:
- Sit in the paint: You’re not playing intense defense. Instead, let the low three-point rated boss shoot from deep. They’ll miss most of the time, allowing you to grab easy rebounds for extra XP. If they drive inside, contest their shots to earn more shot contest points.
Quick Shutdown Strategy:
If you’re dominating the game, a shutdown will occur, where the game ends early because the CPU can’t keep up. While this might seem like a drawback, it’s actually beneficial because you’ll have already earned enough XP and can start the next game quicker.
Step 5: Rinse and Repeat
Using this strategy, you’ll be racking up 10,000–17,000 XP every 5–6 minutes. Multiply that over the course of an hour, and you’ll be earning 60,000–100,000 XP per hour. This will allow you to climb from 85 overall to 99 overall in under 24 hours.
Here’s a breakdown of XP needed per overall rating jump:
- 85 to 94 overall: 1–2 overall increases every hour
- 94 to 97 overall: Progressively takes longer, but still achievable in a few hours
- 97 to 99 overall: Expect around 4–5 hours per level