NBA 2K25 continues the franchise’s tradition of delivering a fluid and realistic basketball simulation.
Whether you’re playing casually or competing online, having the NBA 2K25 best settings can greatly enhance your gameplay and provide you with a significant advantage.
In this ONE Esports guide, we walk you through the best settings across different areas of the game.
Dominate on the court with these NBA 2K25 best settings
To access the game settings, select the Features tab from the Main Menu.
Main settings
SETTING | OPTION |
Game Difficulty | Hall of Fame |
Quarter Length | Preference |
Fatigue | On |
Injuries | On |
Game Speed | 50 |
Foul Out | 6 |
On Court Shot Clock | Last 10 seconds |
Camera Shake | On |
Action Replays | Preference (recommended to select “Never”) |
Highlight Play Camera Cuts | Preference (recommended to “Off”) |
After Basket Camera Cuts | Preference (recommended to select “Never”) |
Arena Photo Strobe Flashes | Off |
Pick & Roll Overlay On | On |
2K Smart Play Overlay | Off |
Menu Language | Use system settings |
Commentary Language | Preference |
Units of Measurement | Preference |
Scene Subtitles | Off |
Motion Blur | 0 |
Shot Press-and-Hold | Off |
Audio Presentation | Preference |
Be sure to set the motion blur to zero for a fluid gameplay experience.
Coach settings
SETTING | OPTION |
Adaptive Coaching Engine | Off |
Timeout | Manual |
Player Minutes | Auto |
Substitution | Manual |
Substitution Method | ACE |
Offensive PlayVision | All plays |
PlayVision Display | Full |
Playcalling Messages | Show all |
Offense Playcalling | Manual |
Defense Playcalling | Manual |
Late-game Fouling | Manual |
Team Communication | Defense only or Offense and defense |
Freelance Series Order | Dynamic |
Freelance Series Repeat | Repeat on success |
Teammate Cut to Basket | Manual |
Disabling the Adaptive Coaching Engine (ACE) and setting most coaching options to manual puts you in full control of your team’s strategy and decisions.
This allows you to dictate every play, substitution, and adjustment, giving you greater flexibility to adapt your tactics based on the flow of the game rather than relying on automated suggestions.
Controller settings
SETTING | OPTION |
Vibration | Preference |
Trigger Effect | Preference |
Shot Timing Profile | High Risk-Reward or Normal Risk-Reward |
Layup Timing Profile | High Risk-Reward or Normal Risk-Reward |
Free Throw Timing | User Timing |
Shot Timing Visual Cue | Set Point or Push |
Shot Meter Input Type | All |
Pro Stick Function | Default |
Pro Stick Orientation | Absolute |
Off-Ball Offense Mode | Absolute |
Double Team Reaction | Manual |
Help Defense Button Function | Double Team |
Call for Pick and Roll vs Fade | Manual |
Player Icons | On |
Skip Pass | Enabled |
Icon Lead Passing | On |
Pro Stick Pass Type | Normal |
Icon Passing | Full Receiver Control or Default |
Receiver Control | Handoff/Pitch pass or Receiver get open |
Hold Lob Pass Button | Skip pass |
Passive Dribble Hand Switches | Disabled |
Pro Stick Defense | Camera relative |
Shading Indicator | On |
Who To Guard | Off |
Boxout Assist Strength | Based on your position |
Pass Target Profile | Preference |
When choosing the Shot and Layup Timing Profile, go for the High Risk-Reward option if you’re an experienced NBA 2K player and confident in your timing. This setting gives you greater control over your shots, but requires precision to be effective.
If you’re newer to the game or still honing your skills, stick with the Normal Risk-Reward option, which offers a more balanced and forgiving approach.
For the Shot Timing Visual Cue, it’s best to continue using what you’ve grown accustomed to in previous NBA 2K titles. However, if you’re just starting out, both the Set Point and Push options provide solid visual references to help you get comfortable with shot releases.
Video settings
Your video settings will largely depend on your specific PC hardware and capabilities. However, if you’re looking for a good baseline to start with, you can try the recommended settings below.
SETTING | OPTION |
Display Resolution | Your monitor’s resolution |
Window Mode | Full screen windowed |
Resolution Scaling Method | Based on your GPU |
Resolution Scaling Quality | Performance |
Vertical Sync | Off |
Ray-Traced Reflections | Off |
Texture Detail Level | Medium |
Overall Quality | Custom |
Cache Shaders in Memory | On |
Show Low VRAM Indicator | On |
Advanced Quality Settings
SETTING | OPTION |
Shader Detail Level | High |
Shadow Detail Level | Medium |
Player Detail Level | Medium |
Crowd Detail Level | Low |
NPC Density | Low |
Volumetric Effects | Off |
Reflections | Low or Off |
Era Filters | Off |
Global Illumination | Low |
Ambient Occlusion | Off |
Temporal Anti-Aliasing | Off |
Motion Blur | Off |
Depth of Field | Off |
Bloom | Off |
Max Anisotropy | 16 |
These settings provide a balance between performance and visual quality, allowing you to adjust further based on how your system handles the game. From here, you can fine-tune specific options to match your preferences and optimize your gaming experience.
Customize HUD
With the new Customize HUD feature, it’s important to prioritize the following settings for optimal gameplay:
Shot Meter Shots
SETTING | OPTION |
Visibility for Shots | Off |
Visibility for Layups | On |
Visibility for Free Throws | Off |
Graphic | Arrow |
Color | Preference |
Size | Large |
Placement | Preference |
Turning off the Shot Meter for both shots and free throws is highly recommended to improve your timing and muscle memory, leading to more consistent and precise shooting. By relying on rhythm rather than visual cues, you’ll develop better shot accuracy over time.
However, keep the Shot Meter enabled for layups to maintain better control during those attempts. Set the meter size to “Large” and select the “Arrow” graphic for enhanced visibility, making it easier to perform advanced layup techniques.
Shot Feedback
SETTING | OPTION |
Visibility | All shots |
Distance | On |
Timing | On |
Free Throw Chance | On |
Coverage | On |
Shot feedback plays a crucial role in improving your shooting skills and overall performance. It provides real-time information about your shot distance, timing, and how well your release was executed.
By analyzing this feedback, you can identify areas for improvement, such as refining your timing or adjusting your shooting mechanics based on how tightly you were defended.
Perfect Release Animation & SFX
OPTION | SETTING |
Visibility | All shots |
Graphic | Preference |
Placement | Preference |
Sound Effect | Preference |
Enabling perfect release visibility for all shots is essential, as it gives you immediate insight into whether your opponent is going make or miss their shot. This real-time feedback allows you to make quick decisions—either focusing on boxing out and securing the rebound or preparing for a fast break.
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