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This is Wayback Wednesday, your midweek blast from the past! In this feature, we dig into the archives, look back at the history of basketball gaming, and indulge in some nostalgia. Check in every Wednesday for retrospectives and other features on older versions of NBA Live, NBA 2K, and old school basketball video games in general. You’ll also find old NLSC editorials re-published with added commentary, and other flashback content. This week, I’m reflecting on playing through a full MyCAREER season in NBA 2K14 for PlayStation 4, during a recent retro kick.
In newer games, I’m more or less done with MyCAREER; at least as my primary mode of play. I’ve made a lot of fond memories with MyCAREER and the connected experiences, but it has become a grind, with elements that have very little to do with basketball. I’ll still dabble with those modes, but a combination of satisfaction and burnout has made it easier to move on. That’s why it may surprise you, much as it did me, that I was drawn into NBA 2K14’s MyCAREER upon revisiting the game. I was so taken that I ended up playing through an entire rookie season!
The fact of the matter is that once I’d played enough games to write my retrospective on the first MyCAREER story, I felt compelled to keep going. I was enjoying it too much to stop, and as I played deeper and deeper into the season, I knew that I’d have to see it through to the end. While there will be some overlap with the aforementioned article, this time I’m focusing on my personal experiences playing through the mode, and comparing it to my other memorable MyCAREER games. Join me as I reflect on a retro gaming experience that went back…way back…
Following the introductory cutscene and now-infamous first on-screen meeting with Jackson Ellis, I turned in a solid performance in the Rookie Showcase with 24 points, four rebounds, four assists, a block, and a steal. I also shot 78% from the field overall, and 100% from downtown. Some might suggest that it was comparable to Ellis’ 15 points on 50% shooting, seven assists, and three rebounds, especially as my Elites picked up the victory. However, the Detroit Pistons took Ellis with the 8th pick, while I fell to the 11th pick and ended up on the Philadelphia 76ers. I may be mistaken, but I’m still under the impression that the story requires you to be drafted after Ellis.
Being drafted by a team that I didn’t necessarily want to go to led me to compare the unpredictability at the beginning of MyCAREER in older games to the larger amount of control we’ve had in recent titles, including the ability to simply pick the team we want to play for. I’ve had great experiences with both approaches, and each has its merits. There’s challenge and realism in having little control over your destiny, apart from the Showcase and pre-Draft interviews. At the same time, choosing where you want to begin your career arguably inspires more enthusiasm out of the gate. As an aside, I like NBA Live’s approach of letting you stay, or engineering a trade.
No matter where you land though, you’re missing those first two games of the season, before an injury to one of your teammates creates an opportunity for you to finally make your NBA debut. In my case, that injury was suffered by fellow rookie Michael Carter-Williams. One wonders why the 76ers drafted two point guards, but then the Minnesota Timberwolves did it in real life in 2009, so trust the process, I guess! I made the most of that opportunity, though even with a few breakout performances, I didn’t get to start while Carter-Williams sat. This was fair enough in some respects, but it’s a scenario that would’ve made much more sense if he wasn’t a rookie as well.
It did drive me to keep putting up numbers, helping the team win, and proving myself worthy of being a starter. In recent games, it’s felt much easier to break out earlier, and become a starter within 10-15 games. I’m not suggesting that’s a bad thing, but it was a refreshing change of pace to work even harder for it, and to remain patient. I shared the frustration my avatar expressed in cutscenes, especially when the 76ers’ GM pulled me aside to inform me that he’d instructed Brett Brown not to start me just yet. I chose to bite my tongue and be professional about it, but I was miffed. It took considerable restraint not to ask for a trade in some of our conversations after that!
My patience paid off however, and after around 30 games, I finally started. MCW was gracious in his demotion, though again, it’s clear that the cutscene was really intended to feature a veteran teammate. It was odd having a fellow rookie talking like a veteran who knew it was time to cede their minutes and starting role to an up and coming young player! Elsewhere, actual veteran Jason Richardson took charge of some rookie hazing, “encouraging” me to wear a clown nose for the rest of the season. I obliged, which the team liked. Mind you, when a PSN error forced me to re-create my player, I thankfully kept my progress, but lost the clown nose (and armband, for that matter).
While there are some contrived moments in that first MyCAREER story, I liked that there were scenarios with consequential choices. When I stood up for a teammate after a hard foul, I was ejected and subsequently suspended for a game. It was a rather weak ejection and a complete overreaction by the referee, but to that point, it wasn’t entirely unlike incidents we’ve seen in the real NBA. I also chose to go out partying with my teammates after a big win, and the night got out of control. It boosted team chemistry and even unlocked a PlayStation Trophy, but the local fans weren’t happy and neither was the GM. I was told I’d be benched, but that didn’t actually happen.
In fact, there were a couple of discrepancies between storyline cutscenes and the gameplay experience in that regard. On top of what turned out to be an idle threat from the GM, after a post-game cutscene revealed I had suffered an ankle injury that would cause me to miss a few games, Brett Brown told me that I’d be a reserve on limited minutes upon returning. Once again I started, and played the usual 41 minutes. On one hand it was slightly immersion-breaking, and it would’ve been a challenge to earn my spot again. On the other hand, I was actually glad that I didn’t have to, and that I wasn’t being punished for something I didn’t realise I was choosing to do.
Speaking of not playing every game in the season, it’s a notion that feels outdated and needlessly harsh now that we have a longer grind, and it’s crucial that we seize every opportunity to earn VC and Badge Points. I actually ended up enjoying it in NBA 2K14’s MyCAREER as it made for a more interesting story, even if some of those moments were on rails. There was still a measure of control, though as was the case with certain dialogue options, the choices could be misleading. This was apparent when I tried to address rumours that I was isolating myself from the team, and made the situation worse by coming across as way more defensive than I’d anticipated.
These subplots and cutscenes kept things interesting through the year, and I did enjoy the role-playing aspect of them. When I chose to stick with my friend as my agent, the big shot agent who’d been wooing me showed his true colours very quickly, making me feel like I’d made the right choice for my character. The GM meetings did become repetitive though, as there are only a couple of small talk cutscenes that alternate each time you express satisfaction with how things are going. The first time your player breaks the fourth wall and talks about feeling like they’re in a video game, it’s mildly amusing. By the third or fourth time that unskippable cutscene plays, it’s irritating.
Other than that though, they were welcome additions on top of the usual twists and turns of the season. It was fun being challenged by players on social media, and I enjoyed getting the best of Jackson Ellis in our rivalry, both on and off the court. Beyond that, changes elsewhere in the league also wove a narrative as they always do. Andrei Kirilenko ended up in Atlanta after being traded for Elton Brand, while Aaron Gray ended up wearing #34 in Boston, less than a year after Paul Pierce’s departure; rather cold I have to say, considering they traded him to start their rebuild! Naturally, cover player LeBron James had some cutscenes, where he passed along some advice.
One of the benefits of finally playing through NBA 2K14’s MyCAREER all these years later is that spending so much time with the mode in recent games has allowed me to develop strategies to maximise my abilities while I’m still levelling up, and put up some big numbers. It is slightly harder in NBA 2K14, especially combining big scoring and assist nights. In NBA 2K19, I found a way to average over 60 points and 20 assists per game on twelve minute quarters. In NBA 2K14, I paired some 50-point games with double digit assists, but it took more effort. The pace and teammate AI in recent games definitely lends itself to some outrageous stat padding in MyCAREER.
I still came close to averaging a triple-double by the end of the regular season though, with 29.1 points, 10.9 assists, and 9.1 rebounds per game. In the Playoffs, I was able to average a triple double with over 40 points, 13 assists, and 11 rebounds per contest. I’m not saying this to brag; once you know the tricks and you’ve suitably upgraded your player, it’s a very attainable goal, especially on twelve minute quarters. I still enjoyed the self-imposed challenge though, and as you might expect, it led to an All-Star appearance, Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, All-NBA honours, and eventually, Finals MVP along with a championship. It was a very successful season!
At the same time, it was a challenging year. Even though the team went 67-15, had long winning streaks, enjoyed some blowout victories where I padded my stats, and ultimately hoisted the Larry O’Brien trophy, several games were quite difficult. There were some extremely satisfying comeback victories, as well as some heartbreaking losses where furious runs fell short. Some of this was due to lapses in teammate AI, but other times, I made too many errors, played too much for stats, or the opponent was just too strong. Although it’s never fun to lose, blowing out the CPU game after game does get boring in career and franchise modes, so I didn’t mind the setbacks.
A first round matchup with the Pistons meant that I faced Jackson Ellis. The pre-game cutscenes didn’t really acknowledge that we were in the postseason, and did become repetitive. They still worked for the overall story though, and when the Pistons won a game on their home floor to avoid a sweep, it was a wakeup call. The Brooklyn Nets also put up a respectable fight in the second round despite being swept, but then came the defending champion Miami Heat. Even though I ended up sweeping them, it was an absolute war for a majority of those four games. It encouraged LeBron James to recruit me, though he actually ended up signing with the Lakers to play with Kobe!
The NBA Finals against the underdog Portland Trail Blazers – it was a very weird postseason – also proved to be more of a battle than I expected. They too won a game at home to avoid being swept, and even though I clinched the championship in Game 5, it took a fourth quarter reminiscent of Game 6 of the 1992 NBA Finals to overcome a deficit and finally secure a comfortable victory. I swept an entire season in Year 2 of my NBA 2K19 MyCAREER, and while that was a satisfying feat to achieve, losing a couple of games on route to the title in NBA 2K14 arguably made it far more fun and interesting. The rooftop 1-on-1 game with Ellis was a fitting postscript to Year 1.
My teammates suffering a rash of injuries also contributed to the challenge. Jason Richardson missed the entire Eastern Conference Finals, so I didn’t have him to help carry the scoring load against the powerful Heat. Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner, and Tony Wroten also missed games, leaving the team shorthanded. It seemed as though no sooner had someone returned to the lineup, someone else was on the shelf. This is of course a realistic scenario, as players obviously do suffer injuries at inopportune times during the NBA season. Other teams I faced were missing key players as well, which fortuitously evened things up. Overall, I enjoyed the challenge of the injuries.
As is always the case, my rookie season in NBA 2K14’s MyCAREER turned into something of a speedrun. I ticked off a majority of the single game milestones, and ended up being followed by all of the Legends on the in-game social media. I set a new record with 31 assists in a game, and had a 70-point game in the regular season and Playoffs, setting a new record with the latter. As I mentioned, I collected several awards, appeared in the All-Star Game as a reserve, and racked up numbers once I’d worked my way up to 41 minutes per game. It was an entertaining ride throughout, and I’m keeping the save file safe to play a second season if the mood ever strikes.
Frankly, my views on the first MyCAREER story – and NBA 2K14 in general – have drastically changed. Neither the game nor the mode is perfect, and I still have my criticisms of both. I averaged far too many turnovers thanks to body steals and cheap interceptions. The grading logic, though still problematic at times, was much worse than it is now. The menus were clunky, with some stats screens oddly inaccessible (though they were available in MyGM). For all the issues with Green Releases, the old shooting mechanics yielded inconsistent results. Cutscenes were unskippable, and games can’t be simulated until Year 2, when the Play Next Key Game option returns.
I did actually play a couple of games in the second season since the 76ers signed Carmelo Anthony during the offseason, and I wanted to see what it was like to play with a new-look lineup. It was here that I discovered a rather nasty bug. After I’d finished the first season, I began dabbling with MyGM, where I switched timeouts and substitutions to manual control. These coaching options seemingly saved across my profile, resulting in my player and the other 76ers starters playing all 48 minutes in the season opener. The only timeout came when I used the controller mic to call one. Changing the settings back in MyGM resolved the issue for the next game.
Obviously, this shouldn’t be. My guess is that it’s a result of the clunky menu system in NBA 2K14 PS4/X1, which aside from being cumbersome to navigate, caused several backend issues. It would appear that globally saving coaching settings is one of them, which is clearly a problem in MyCAREER where substitutions in particular need to be automated. It’s fortunate that there’s an easy fix, and I don’t mind all that much that it spoiled one game in Year 2 (thanks to fatigue, we lost). However, it does emphasise how poor the user interface was. As I mentioned above, there are some missing stats and info screens that are definitely supposed to be available to view.
All that aside, it was still a well made and fun mode overall. The cost of upgrading your MyPLAYER in NBA 2K14 was far more reasonable than it is now, and its usage of an offline version of Virtual Currency offered higher payouts than the Skill Points in future games. The story wasn’t as on rails as I’d believed it to be, and the scripted events did actually make things interesting. There were still meaningful decisions and role-playing opportunities, and as I said in my previous article, I really appreciate how the story was NBA-oriented. I couldn’t put it down even after NBA 2K22 launched, and was compelled to finish the season. That should speak volumes about its quality.
Given my burnout, I never would’ve expected that I’d dive so enthusiastically into playing a full MyCAREER season; especially in an old game. However, the time I spent with it in NBA 2K14 PS4 reminded me of what originally drew me to the mode. Honestly, it also cleared up a few misconceptions I had about that first story. Most of all, it was fun to play, keeping me occupied while I was waiting for NBA 2K22 to be released, and for a little while after as well. It’s allowed me to create new memories and better appreciate NBA 2K14 on PS4, as has playing games with classic teams, and revisiting MyGM. Speaking of which…well, I’ll get to that mode next week.
