Should you join Rise or Elite in NBA 2K25?

NBA 2K25 can be a bit overwhelming as players first dive into MyCAREER, and there are plenty of decisions made early on that will impact you long-term. While there's still a lot to navigate in The City, they've at least shrunk the overall map down this year. Once you reach the affiliations area, you'll have to choose between Rise or Elite.

Should you choose Rise or Elite in NBA 2K25?

Don't fret, because this is an early NBA 2K25 decision that's impossible to get wrong, even if Chris Manning and Shakedown make it sound more critical. Ultimately, Rise or Elite is going to come down to your own personal preference. Both affiliations have the same court selection, they both have daily spin rewards, and they both accumulate rep throughout the season.

It can be tempting to go with whoever seems to be the winning side, as the faction with higher rep can get some extra rewards each season, but it's particularly difficult to predict how that will go for such a massive game with so many players. Go with Elite if you prefer the pirate vibe seen above, and join Rise if you'd rather the Transformers-esque futuristic mech feel seen below.

Once you've chosen to join an affiliation in NBA 2K25, there will be consequences if you decide to switch. If you switch between Elite and Rise, your rep will be reset and any progress on season quests with your previous affiliation will be erased. On top of that, you won't even get to participate in your new affiliation's quests until the next season begins.

If for any reason you need a change, it's usually best to make the switch right at the end of the season. Your rep will reset with the new season anyways, and that way you won't miss out on any NBA 2K25 quests which could net some important VC rewards. To change affiliations, just head to the same area where you joined and speak to the leader of the one you're switching to.