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Streetball tournaments have been around for years, but Rucker Park in Harlem, NY stands above the rest as the quintessential battleground for local talent — and sometimes NBA stars. Founded by Holcombe Rucker in 1956, the park started hosting tournaments decades ago and has grown into the mecca of streetball, with a DJ, MC, and droves of fans coming from all over to watch from the grandstands, apartment windows, and on rooftops. Fortunately, you don’t need to travel to New York to experience the lively atmosphere, because NBA 2K24 is bringing that same energy to The City.
In the latest iteration of the NBA 2K franchise, you can experience what it’s like to drop game-winning shots and hit ankle-breaking crossovers in the all-new Streetball format, a single-player side quest separate from the MyCareer storyline with a unique progression system.
Throughout The City, there are three courts (Sunset Park, The Point, and The Yard) where you can challenge various teams and boss-level players to 3v3 games in front of a rowdy audience. Each court features a boisterous environment complete with an MC, who will serve as your guide throughout the game mode, and an altogether distinct format. If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll need to assemble a team to earn valuable Takeover perks and bragging rights.
At your local basketball court, everyone is fair game, and the same rules apply at the Streetball courts in The City. Starting at Sunset Park, you and two AI teammates can challenge anyone from that court in any order you’d like. With each squad you defeat, you’ll gain access to their captain, or boss, as a teammate you can use in other Streetball games at all quest courts. Overall, there are 18 possible captains you can recruit (and one hidden located somewhere in The City), but you’ll have to beat teams at Sunset Park and The Point to recruit them all.
To advance to The Point, you must defeat three teams at Sunset Park; you’ll need to defeat two teams at The Point to qualify for The Yard. If you complete all the bosses at Sunset Park, The Point, and The Yard, you’ll earn King Pants, King Boots, and King Blazer and Crown, confirming your rank as the Streetball King.
In addition to the bosses, Streetball features a unique progression system with new Weekly and Daily Challengers for you to face, including NBA stars Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum, and Kevin Durant to name a few. Completing the Daily and Weekly challenges will earn you more VC. Plus, you can earn six valuable Takeover Perks at the Streetball courts: Suppressor, Stay Warm, Saboteur, Sponge, Extender, and Juice. The environment alone is worth checking out, but the King rewards, Takeover Perks, and VC have added incentives to go head-to-head with opposing teams.
Some of you may remember that in 2011, Kevin Durant put on an offensive clinic at Rucker Park, scoring a ridiculous 66 points. In the fourth quarter, the NBA superstar drilled 3-pointer after 3-pointer and shut down the game when he hit his fourth consecutive, causing the crowd to rush the court and burst into a frenzy.
In NBA 2K24, Shut It Down is an alternate win condition across all Streetball modes, where performing a specific series of actions will instantly win the game regardless of the score. Activate the Shut It Down meter by gaining a five-point lead on the opposing team. Once you activate the Shut It Down meter, you need to maintain a three-point lead to keep it active. Fill up the meter by performing flashy moves and chaining a string of combos together before scoring. For example, some skilled dribbling and crossovers before throwing an alley-oop will energize the crowd and earn some Shut It Down points. Chaining multiple combinations together or putting on a Kevin Durant-esque performance will secure your place in The City as a Streetball savage.
The NBA is filled with world-class athletes, but even the league’s biggest stars know that pickup games at a community park are their proving ground, where players of all skill levels can be humbled or walk away as royalty of the blacktop. Assemble your squad, recruit new talent, and progress through the Streetball side quest to earn bragging rights in The City.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that I earn commissions for purchases you make after clicking on the links. This is at No extra cost to you. Read more here. Thank you for your support!
