NBA 2K25: 13 Players Including Blake Griffin, John Wall, And More Removed From Game

NBA 2K25 is a few hours away from launch for players who pre-ordered the game, with heaps of anticipation for the basketball video game's annual release. As is customary, multiple changes to the roster have been made. Rookies have been added and veterans have been removed, with potential Hall of Famers John Wall, Blake Griffin, and Andre Iguodala, among others being removed from the game for 2K25.

Here's the full list of players removed from NBA 2K25.

- John Wall 

- Blake Griffin 

- Andre Iguodala 

- Goran Dragic 

- Serge Ibaka 

- Meyers Leonard 

- Will Barton 

- Noah Vonleh 

- Dewayne Dedmon 

- Frank Kaminsky 

- Rodney McGruder 

- JaMychal Green 

- Nerlens Noel

Not many NBA 2K players will miss the presence of someone like Nerlens Noel, Rodney McGruder, Meyers Leonard, Will Barton, or more due to their careers not being nearly as high-profile as the five names atop this list.

John Wall is one of the most electrifying point guards to have ever played the game, with Wall being a fan-favorite to use on 2K, especially as a throwback player on the 2012 Washington Wizards classic team alongside Bradley Beal. He was a 78 overall free agent last season, though it seems he won't find a home in this year's game. 

Blake Griffin is a former No. 1 overall pick who announced his retirement last season but was featured on the NBA 2K24 roster as a 75 overall free agent, with his throwback version in high demand was part of the 2015-16 Clippers Classic Team as well as the franchise's all-time team. His absence in the game makes one of the most fun 2K teams ever completely unplayable.

Andre Iguodala is a former Finals MVP and one of the core pieces in the defining dynasty of the last 20 years, the Golden State Warriors. He will also not feature on classic teams, removing an integral part of the Warriors dynasty. It seems the new 'Stephen Curry' era in MyNBA could be without the man who won Finals MVP for Steph's first championship.

Finally, the loss of Serge Ibaka will have a profound impact on another classic team, the 2011-12 OKC Thunder which lets fans play with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden together. The veteran shot-blocker is currently playing in Europe but won't have his name featured in NBA 2K25 despite featuring in NBA 2K24 as a 74 overall. 

When players retire or their association with the NBA Players' Union ends, there often is a one-year gap before they're re-included in the game as part of different associations. Sometimes, the players might never reappear though these players mostly find a way. 

The unavailability of these players on classic teams cannot be confirmed until the game is released for all consumers, but the trend with 2K indicates it's likely they won't return until next year's NBA 2K26.