The Best Shooting Badges in 2k23 & 2k Core Badge Loadouts
The next most important thing when it comes to becoming a better shooter is choosing the right shooting badges for your play style. Whether you like to fade or shoot limitless range 3's, 2K has badges designed to help all the different shooting play styles. There are 16 shooting badges total and some badges can even be stacked to provide an even better boost. You can check out our full list of badges and specific badge tests here.
NBA 2K23 has added the new “Core Badge” feature in which you can equip a badge for free for no badge points after completing specific challenges related to the badge. Players who have reached level 40 in season 3 have access to more badge loadouts which include a double shooting core offering 2 free shooting badges at no expense, as long as you have the badge “Cored.”
Best Shooting Badges For:
- Sharp Shooters
- - Best Badge for Spotting Up
- Green Machine - Makes greening jump shots easier after consecutive green releases.
- Claymore - Grants a shot boost for remaining stationary for at least 2 seconds before the catch.
- Limitless Range - One of the best shooting badges but only if you have the rating to supplement it.
- Playmaking Shot Creators
- Agent 3 - Grants a shot boost for stop and pop shots, dribble pull ups and even shooting after dribble moves. One of the best shooting badges.
- Space Creator - Step back shots usually taken with the right stick get a boost.
- Middy Magician - Grants a boost on mid range fades or dribble pull ups.
- Reducing Contests
- Blinders - Reduced effective contest % from peripheral defenders.
- Deadeye - Reduced effective contest % from defenders closing out on an “open” shooter.
- Bronze Badges
- Amped - Increases make % when your MyPlayer is low on stamina.
- Clutch Shooter - Shots taken late in the 4th Quarter or Overtime get a boost. Works better in the Park where it may activate more often.
Unlocking Hot Zones and Avoiding Cold Zones
Hot Zones and Cold zones are pretty straight forward in 2k23. Shooting above a certain percentage in a designated zone will grant you a hot zone, while shooting below a certain percentage will give you a cold zone. The closer to the basket that you are the higher the percentage that you need to shoot is to obtain a hot zone. If You're learning how to shoot you don't need to focus on these in mycareer as they will come easily as you play park, just avoid getting cold zones.
To get Hot Zones around the 3 point line in 2k23 you need to shoot at least 40% for 25 straight games in that zone. There are 5 separate 3 point zones around the perimeter.
Mid Range Hot Zones in 2k23 can be achieved by shooting 50% or higher in a midrange zone. There are 5 mid range zones in 2k23.
The Close Shot Hot Zones are important for Post Scorers. To unlock them you will need to shoot 55% or higher from close shot.
Finally, If youre looking to get more posters having your hot zone under the basket is important. Make 60% of your attempts under the basket to unlock it.
Eliminating Cold Zones
If you have a Cold Zone in 2k23 and you want to remove it you need to increase your shooting percentage in that zone over the last 25 games. If you have a cold zone in an area only take open shots and take less shots in that zone in general and it will go away.
2k23 Best Settings for Shot Meter & Best Shot Timing / Best Shot Release
Under your Controller Settings, there's a few settings that can help you become a better shooter and green more shots. You can fine-tune the aesthetics and release time of your jump shot to find what's most comfortable for you.
Shot Meter
Under controller settings, you can actually opt to turn your Shot Meter Off to gain roughly a 5% boost to your shooting. Some people prefer to have the meter on and it all comes down to preference, but typically players at the higher level will not use the shot meter to get that extra boost.
There is also a Free Throws Only setting which will still grant you the shooting boost, but provides a visible shot meter ONLY during free throws which can help some players.
Another setting is Pro Stick Only which can come in handy for shot creators who like to take step back shots with the right stick. This allows them to still get the shooting boost when taking jump shots with the X or Square button.
Lastly there is a Shot Button Only which is essentially the opposite of Pro Stick Only.
Shot Timing
The most popular option would be Shots Only where your timing will only affect jump shots. We recommend this setting for most players.
Some players may opt for Shots and Layups where you’ll have to be sure to time your layups correctly as well as your jump shot.
An unpopular setting and mostly frowned upon is the Real Player % where the game essentially times the jumpshot for you, and all you have to do is press the shoot button.
Shot Timing Release Time
One of the newest features in NBA 2K23 allows you to choose the preferred release timing of your jumpshot. Not be confused with release speed in the jump shot creator.
The options include Very Early, Early, Late and Very Late.
The jumpshot will visually look and release the same with each setting, but the actual timing of the jumpshot may start earlier or later depending on which setting you have selected.
This is all preference and there is no in-game advantage to the different timings so experiment and find one that works well for you.
