NBA 2K25 small forward build

A good small forward is the biggest part of a team

A WNBA player for the Aces in NBA 2K25, bathed in a purple light from the arena lamps - 1 Josh Broadwell avatar - 2

A good NBA 2K25 Small Forward build gives you just a touch more offense than usual to help you pull off some crucial plays. The Small Forward has to be a bit of everything to everyone , with equal parts support, scoring, and defending depending on the moment. It’s a tricky balance, but one that’s so satisfying to pull off.

NBA 2K25 Small Forward build

Our Small Forward build is balanced, with a slight emphasis on offense that turns them into a “do everything” Small Forward. Strength and accuracy - two oft-ignored stats, despite how important they’ve been for several years - play a key role in this build, along with more defense than you’re used to if you normally play Guard positions. We’ve also given driving layups plenty of attention, since, even with customizable dunk controls, layups continue to have an advantage over dunks this year.

  • Small Forward physicals
  • Small Forward finishing
  • Small Forward shooting
  • Small Forward playmaking
  • Small Forward defense
  • Small Forward rebound

Small Forward physicals

Teams rely on the Small Forward for a bit of everything - scoring, blocking, stealing, passing, and anything else that comes up. They need to be strong enough to hold their own and tall enough to block effectively, and strong enough to not just push through the opposing team’s defenses, but to keep the ball from getting stolen as well.

StatValue
Height6'9
Weight215lbs
Wingspan6'9
Speed85
Agility80
Strength80
Vertical85

Small Forward finishing

We’re prioritizing an aggressive finishing build to help a Small Forward reach their potential in offense and defense. Driving Layup is just as good this year as it was in 2K25, so don’t neglect that in favor of dunks, even if dunks are fancier. The Small Forward’s role means you’ll want to invest a bit in Post Control as well, to give them a fair chance at forcing interior defenders to back down.

StatValue
Close Shot75
Driving Layup90
Driving Dunk90
Standing Dunk60
Post Control50
NBA 2K25 small forward build - 3

Small Forward shooting

Most Small Forward builds ease back on shot stat investment, but since we’re aiming for a well-rounded build, ours has moderate skill in two shot categories .

StatValue
Midrange80
3-Point80
Free Throw75

Small Forward playmaking

Passing Accuracy keeps getting overlooked in some early, popular Small Forward builds, but it really is essential that you have at least 71 in that category. Ball Handle helps with maneuvering down the court, so don’t ignore that either. If you want to drop points somewhere, consider reducing Speed with Ball.

StatValue
Passing Accuracy75
Ball Handle80
Speed with Ball70
NBA 2K25 small forward build - 4

Small Forward defense

Small Forwards need higher defense stats than the guard roles require, though Interior Defense seems less important so far this year.

StatValue
Interior Defense50
Perimeter Defense75
Steal75
Block75

Small Forward rebounding

You can pass on offensive rebounding for the Small Forward, since they’re much more likely to need a good rebound on defense.

StatValue
Offensive Rebound25
Defensive Rebound60-65

Check out our up-do-date NBA 2K25 locker code page for some freebies and our NBA 2K25 Point Guard build and Shooting Guard build while you’re here.

Josh Broadwell avatar - 5 NBA 2K25 small forward build - 6

NBA 2K25

PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC , Nintendo Switch

Sign in and unlock a world of features

A line drawing of a cartoon planet with a smiley face, surrounded by a couple of stars and a ring. - 7