Player Potential

I've noticed that the player potential becomes insignificant at about age 29. If you go to the manage roster option and choose view card on any player thier stats, bio, chemistry, etc comes up. When you get to the screen that shows the players skills in a hexagon you will notice players above 29 years of age don't have significant potential (it is basicly not a factor any more). Players younger than 29 still do.

I'm playing association mode in 2k10 not sure if this is the same for season mode or any mode in 2k11. It is very interesting. I think players potential is a rate of how fast each player can progress. I've noticed that a player with higher potential can improve faster. (As of right now I also think it means that if put in the wrong circumstances, a players skills can decrease faster i.e. lack of minutes if the player is a big minute player, extended losing streak, or is becoming unhappy). But that last statement could be wrong, and it may just be something I'm experiencing.

So what does this mean for older players?
It's not all about the players ratings, potential affects trades also. So I'm assuming that 2k has some what of a system that says if a player is younger his potential will be greater and it decreases as the player ages. The rating of the potential will not decrease but it's value will

For instance you have a trade and a team is evaluating 2 players on your team.
Player A: age 20 overall 73 potential 81 (sf/sg)
Player B: age 32 overall 71 potential 89 (sg/sf)

If we disregard all other ratings (assume they are all the same, and the 2 player only reason for different overalls is because of position) the computer is more likely to take the younger guy. Potential doesn't play a big role in individual games but throughout a season, association, and in trade is when you see the true value of potiental

So you pretty much wrote everything that is logical?

I'll just post what I know...

I've noticed that the player potential becomes insignificant at about age 29.

I have it pegged at age 28 when the effects of Potential start to decrease (in increasing ratings). Potential isn't insignificant for older players. Will explain later.

I think players potential is a rate of how fast each player can progress. I've noticed that a player with higher potential can improve faster. (As of right now I also think it means that if put in the wrong circumstances, a players skills can decrease faster i.e. lack of minutes if the player is a big minute player, extended losing streak, or is becoming unhappy).

So what does this mean for older players?
It's not all about the players ratings, potential affects trades also.

Potential affects how fast young players develop and how slow older players' ratings decreases. Taking into account Player Morale in also affecting increase/decrease in ratings. A player with high morale will develop faster than a player with low morale even if their Potential are the same. Same can be said for players who get playing time as opposed to players stuck in the D-League or FA.
Potential is also taken into account by the cpu AI when trading for young players, most noticeably in rookies.
Players will still improve past age 28 but with less ratings increase compared as to below age 27.
By the time a player reaches age 30 the ratings increase stop, with the exception of a 1-2 value change in attributes but the values more or less stay that way. By age 32/33 the ratings will start to decline. Potential still affects them. Higher potential - slow ratings decrease, lower - fast decrease.

The rating of the potential will not decrease but it's value will

It's value is still accounted by the cpu for the decrease in ratings of older players above age 30, but by age 30 (no potential displayed in skill graph) the cpu trade logic doesn't consider Potential anymore and focuses on (overall) ratings and salary.

Potential doesn't play a big role in individual games but throughout a season, association, and in trade is when you see the true value of potiental

Like what most people in this section of the forum knows.

So you pretty much wrote everything that is logical?

I just thought I would contribute to the site instead of being a passive member who reads and doesn't contribute anything to the forums.
Some newer members and players new to the game may find this useful going into 2k12

So you pretty much wrote everything that is logical?

I just thought I would contribute to the site instead of being a passive member who reads and doesn't contribute anything to the forums.
Some newer members and players new to the game may find this useful going into 2k12

No I mean the info is good. I will tell you that, but its kinda all logical. I wont argue you about it, maby its only for me. Great Write anyway.

Great write up tgsogood, I enjoy these discussions in the forums. Any solid findings about the inter mechanics of the game always interests me. Thanks to shadow too pointing out about how potential even effects the rate of decline for aging players too which, until now I didn't truly put into consideration. I always thought potential rate dictated only how fast they can hit their ceiling, but not at what rate they can decline.