NBA 2K22: how to get all the Badges

There’s no question that NBA 2K22 has brought about a whirlwind of changes, not the least of which includes the game’s new Badge system in Career Mode. Badges can be acquired and used to give your MyPlayer certain advantages in the game. We’ve put together the following guide to help you figure out how to get all of the badges in NBA 2K22.  

All Badges in NBA 2K22

The categories of badges in NBA 2K22 are:

• Finishing
• Shooting
• Playmaking
• Defense/Rebounding

Before we dive into acquiring each badge, we should first go over the four main categories of Badges; Finishing, Shooting, Playmaking, and Defense/Rebounding. 

In NBA 2K22, players will be able to gain Badges in each one of these categories by performing their respective actions in a game. For example, if you want to earn Shooting Badges, you will need to take more shots on offense. But if you want to earn more Playmaking Badges, then you’re going to have to focus more on setting your teammates up with open shots. 

Simply put, the fastest way to unlock Badges is to only concentrate on a certain category. To assist you further, we’ve put together a guide of the top Badges to go after in each category; 

Finishing Badges  

1. Fast Twitch: Speeds up standing layups or dunks around the rim 
2. Acrobat: Boosts the ability to make layups that have a high degree of difficulty 
3. Dropstepper: Improves a player’s ability to effectively use dropsteps in the post
4. Fearless Finisher: Improves the ability to convert contact layups
5. Unstrippable: Protects the ball while trying to do a layup or dunk 

Shooting Badges  

1. Catch & Shoot: Boosts the chance of hitting a three-pointer immediately after a catch
2. Deadeye: Reduces the impact of a defender who is closing out
3. Difficult Shots: Improves the ability to shoot difficult shots off the dribble from mid-range
4. Fade Ace: Improves ability to shoot post fades
5. Stop & Pop: Boosts shot rating on stand-still three-pointers after dribbling

Playmaking Badges

1. Bullet Passer: Improves a player’s ability to pass the ball quickly
2. Dimer: Boosts the shot percentage for open teammates on jump shots after catching a pass
3. Downhill: Increases overall speed with the ball in transition
4. Needle Threader: Increases the likelihood that tough passes can get by the defense
5. Stop & Go: Improves a player’s ability to start and stop with the ball

Defense/Rebounding Badges  

1. Clamps: Boosts your ability to stay in front of the ball-handler on the perimeter
2. Tireless Defender: Reduces the amount of energy lost when exerting effort on defense
3. Intimidator: Intimidates the offensive players causing them to miss shots 
4. Pogo Stick: Enhances your ability to recover quickly and jump up again after landing
5. Defensive Leader: Enhances the defensive abilities of your teammates

Outside of the different categories for Badges in NBA 2K22’s MyCareer, there’s one badge in particular that 2k players deem necessary to succeed in the game; the ‘Gym Rat Badge.’ The Gym Rat Badge gives players a permanent boost to their attributes and removes the need for workouts.  

How to get the Gym Rat Badge in NBA 2K22

The easiest way to get the Gym Rat badge is by repeating the Gatorade Sports Science Institute training. Every time you complete the training, you’ll add a star to your Gym Rat badge quest. Each session only takes a couple of minutes, so it’s not too long of a grind.

Once you’ve successfully acquired all the badges, you should take over the league in no time.