The Indiana Pacers are one of the most intriguing teams in the NBA today. Led by Tyrese Haliburton, a blossoming superstar, and Pascal Siakam, a steady All-Star, the Pacers have surrounded their core with depth, athleticism, and shooting. After a decent offseason, expectations for this team are higher than they’ve been in years.
But if you turn to NBA 2K26, you’d think the Pacers are stuck in mediocrity. The ratings miss the mark across the board, inflating role players, underrating key contributors, and failing to reflect the true balance of this roster. While 2K usually struggles to capture young teams correctly, Indiana’s case is particularly egregious.
Let’s look at five players whose ratings are either overrated or underrated, and why these numbers don’t reflect reality.
Tyrese Haliburton: Underrated at 93 OVR
At 93 OVR, Haliburton is rated as a star, but not the superstar he has become. This is a player who led the league in assists per game last season, averaged over 20 points, and showcased a unique blend of shooting and playmaking. His 82 three-point rating feels fair, but his overall being capped at 93 ignores his value as a top-10 player in the league.
Shooting animation for Haliburton in NBA 2K26
— NBA 2K26 Community (@nba2kcmty) July 31, 2025
Haliburton is the engine of the Pacers’ offense, one of the most efficient creators in basketball, and the reason Indiana transformed into a Championship contender last season. He deserves to be in the 95-96 OVR range, right alongside other young MVP-level guards like Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Pascal Siakam: Slightly Overrated at 89 OVR
Siakam is an All-Star, no question. His ability to stretch the floor (82 3PT) and slash inside (80 dunk) makes him one of the more versatile forwards in the NBA. But 89 OVR puts him a little too high. While he remains a valuable second option, Siakam has not consistently dominated against elite defenses or proven he can be a number one option.
His impact is more in the 87-88 OVR range, a reliable All-Star who complements a star guard like Haliburton but shouldn’t be placed on the cusp of the 90s, a territory reserved for true franchise players.
Obi Toppin: Overrated at 81 OVR
This is one of the biggest head-scratchers on the roster. Obi Toppin at 81 OVR puts him on par with Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith, all of whom have shown more consistent contributions.
Yes, Toppin’s athleticism (90 dunk) and improved shooting (80 3PT) make him an exciting player, but he’s still inconsistent, often disappearing in games where the Pacers need a reliable forward presence. His defense remains shaky, and he has yet to prove he can thrive outside of transition buckets.
Toppin should realistically sit around 78-79 OVR, a solid rotation player but not at the same level as Indiana’s key starters.
Bennedict Mathurin: Underrated at 81 OVR
On the other hand, Mathurin is underrated at 81 OVR. While his sophomore season had ups and downs, Mathurin remains one of the Pacers’ most important long-term pieces. His 77 three-point rating and 80 dunk rating only scratch the surface of his scoring potential.
Mathurin is a shot creator who thrives at getting to the free-throw line, and his development into a consistent second or third option alongside Haliburton and Siakam is crucial. Rating him the same as Obi Toppin diminishes his offensive ceiling. A more accurate score would be 83-84 OVR, placing him closer to his actual impact.
Aaron Nesmith: Overrated at 81 OVR
Aaron Nesmith has been one of the league’s better 3-and-D wings, and his 86 3PT rating is right on the money. However, his overall 81 overstates his role in Indiana’s hierarchy. Nesmith is a glue guy, not a star; his defense and shooting are valuable, but he doesn’t have the shot creation or playmaking chops to warrant an 81.
He should be more realistically in the 78-79 OVR range, similar to a high-level rotation player who makes an impact without carrying heavy responsibility.
Other misfires in 2K26
Beyond the five major cases, several other ratings are worth discussing:
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Andrew Nembhard (81 OVR): Fair, but could arguably be higher (82-83) given his defensive versatility and improved offensive consistency.
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T.J. McConnell (80 OVR): Slightly high, he’s still valuable as a backup guard, but his ceiling is lower than what this rating suggests (77-78 feels fair).
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Jarace Walker (76 OVR): This feels too low. His combination of athleticism (87 dunk) and shooting (84 3PT) should make him a more dynamic piece; 78-79 would be more accurate.
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Jay Huff (76 OVR): Overly generous, Huff is unproven, and while his 84 three-point rating is intriguing, his overall impact doesn’t justify being rated the same as Isaiah Jackson or Walker.
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James Wiseman (75 OVR): Honestly, a touch high, given his track record of inconsistency and poor defense.
The bigger problem with 2K’s Pacers ratings
The Pacers’ ratings highlight a consistent issue with how 2K evaluates NBA teams: they inflate role players while underselling true stars. Haliburton should be rated as a top-tier guard, Mathurin’s potential should be rewarded, and Siakam should be graded as a strong but not elite All-Star. Instead, the roster comes out looking flat, with too many players bunched between 80-81 OVR, creating the illusion of balance but ignoring hierarchy.
This hurts the Pacers’ identity in-game. In real life, Indiana’s offense flows almost entirely through Haliburton, with Siakam and Mathurin acting as secondary scorers. In 2K, however, you could just as easily spam threes with Nesmith or run lob plays for Toppin, and the game engine wouldn’t punish you, because the ratings suggest they’re equal contributors.
The Pacers have quietly built one of the more promising cores in the NBA, but NBA 2K26 doesn’t do them justice. The game inflates role players like Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith while underselling stars like Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.
Until 2K stops flattening the roster and starts rewarding true impact, the Pacers’ digital identity will remain out of sync with the real-life version, one that is gearing up for another potential deep playoff run in the Eastern Conference.
