The Gym Rat badge in NBA 2K21 grants a permanent bonus to physical attributes, increasing acceleration, speed, stamina, strength, and vertical by four. One way to obtain this badge is to reach Superstar 2 on MyRep progression, though this undoubtedly requires a significant amount of grinding. Fortunately, there is an alternative and easier way to unlock the Gym Rat badge, and it centers around NBA 2K21's MyCareer game mode.
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Before getting into this method, though, it is important to clarify that the Gym Rat badge that it grants is not identical to the one that comes from reaching Superstar 2 in one big way. More specifically, the Gym Rat badge that players can unlock through MyCareer can only be applied to the character that is used to obtain it, whereas the one that comes from MyRep Progression can be applied to all characters. As such, players that want to use the process detailed here to unlock the Gym Rat badge for more than one character in NBA 2K21 will need to go through it multiple times.
Updated on August 3rd, 2021 by Hodey Johns: Despite a new NBA 2K game on the horizon, players are still finding themselves drifting toward this guide. And it's understandable because even though new games bring about some changes, the Gym Rat badge has been around for a few entries now and will likely exist in future installments. Those who aren't looking to the future will still want to unlock the secrets of this valuable badge. To help the new players who are acquiring the game on sale and for free (a common event before the next edition comes out), this guide has been updated with a section on what the badge actually does and a second means of unlocking it.
There's a gym in MyCareer covered with Gatorade logos that players will visit to boost their core stats. On a variety of machines, they can improve their speed, stamina, strength, vertical, and acceleration. This sounds peachy, but there are some legitimate drawbacks.
First of all, it takes forever. Each stat is tied to a particular minigame and the minigames can take as long as an entire game. Nobody wants to be working out instead of actually playing the sport, especially with boring and tedious games that involve clicking two buttons in rotation rapidly.
The next issue is that these expire quickly. After a few games, the bonus is gone and the player will have to work out again. If also making time for team drills, this time total makes the time spent playing in the NBA less than the time on the court.
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And finally, some of the drills are so particular and needlessly difficult, it's hard to max them out. So players that need strength and verticality for slam dunks might not get the boosts they need. Rarely do gamers ever get the plus-four maximum bonus in each category.
The Gym Rat Badge is, as a result, deeply coveted, as it permanently gives the player the maximum bonus in each workout category. No more minigames are required and more game time is spent on the hardwood.
With that established, the process for earning the Gym Rat badge through MyCareer is to play 40 regular-season games and then win the playoffs and Finals. While this may seem like quite an undertaking, NBA 2K21 players can simulate certain games to expedite things considerably. The instance where it is okay to sim games is as follows:
- Players can sim the requisite 40 regular-season games after they are up by 25 points.
- After hitting 40 regular-season games played fans can sim the games leading up to the NBA playoffs.
- Players can sim the playoff games after they are up by 25 points.
- Win the NBA Finals.
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Fans can, of course, decide for themselves if they want to put the time into shooting drills in NBA 2K21, but it is important to emphasize that the Gym Rat badge will not unlock if a player loses in the Finals.
Notably, some players insist that doing several team practices during the Finals is an important part of winning and earning the Gym Rat badge, while others suggest that it is simply unnecessary. So which is it?
Despite the rumors, shockingly, it appears the gamers can unlock the Gym Rat badge without ever entering the gym. Their stats will be lower during the MyCareer games during that stretch, but if that's no big deal, it can speed up the process significantly.
Now that this method for obtaining the Gym Rat badge has been outlined, it is worth returning to the previous point about the Superstar 2 reputation, which also unlocks the Gym Rat badge. Indeed, fans that think that they may want to use the badge on multiple characters should really consider grinding MyRep Progression in NBA 2K21 unless they can simply not get enough of the game's MyCareer mode.
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Reputation ranks come with experience in player versus player games. Players who win about half of their games will hit Superstar 2 in around 600-700 games. That will easily take even longer than an entire NBA season, so here are some tips to speed up the process.
Max out the player first. Players will constantly try to grind rep with an OVR in the 60s. That's a formula for losing eight or nine games to every measly win. And even in that win, teammates won't want to play with a low-ranked player, so it's basically guaranteed to take double the time searching for a squad to play with. And don't forget to upgrade those finishing badges!
Play the events! These are limited-time game modes, but they give away free reputation to nearly all participants and double to triple the reputation for each game. Maximum efficiency is the name of the game.
Lastly, the game still allows "boosting" in the Pro-Am arena. Find five other friends and play 3v3 games against each other. Throw up lobs, play no defense, unlock badges, and both teams get rep. It's not the most sportsmanlike way to get the badge, but the process is such a grind that no one is blaming anybody for taking advantage of it.