Quick answer
The Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build in NBA 2K27 costs nothing to unlock. 2K named him in its Season 2 announcement as one of the GOAT Builds "available at release", and "Hoodie Melo" has been in the MyPLAYER Builder's GOAT Builds path since Season 2 launched on Friday, October 16, 2026. No Season level, REP tier or Lifetime Challenges are needed. He's a 6'8" small forward, 240 lbs, with a 7'0" wingspan, built as a one-on-one scorer: 96 Mid-Range Shot (third of 18), 94 Post Control (fourth) and 86 Ball Handle. Only three GOAT Builds have 90+ in both Mid-Range and Post Control, and Melo is the only one who isn't a seven-footer. The cost is defense: Steal 60 (tied lowest of 18) and Block 50. At 99 OVR he reaches 45 badges, 3 of them Hall of Fame. Everything here applies to NBA 2K27 Season 2 and was checked on November 10, 2026.
How do you unlock the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build?
You don't have to. 2K's Season 2 press release says GOAT Builds "exceed the standard physical and attribute caps of the MyPLAYER Builder" and that "GOAT Builds available at release include Klay Thompson, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis, Dwight Howard, and more" (2K Newsroom, October 14, 2026).
- Open the MyPLAYER Builder to create a new MyPLAYER.
- Choose the GOAT Builds path instead of a custom build or Signature Blueprint.
- Pick Carmelo Anthony. He has no unlock requirement.
- Set Badges, Cap Breakers and Takeovers as you would on any build, then spend VC to raise him to 99 OVR.
Eight of the 18 GOAT Builds are free like this: Carmelo Anthony, Kawhi Leonard, Andrei Kirilenko, Klay Thompson, Penny Hardaway, Gilbert Arenas, Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard. Three of the eight are small forwards: Melo, Kawhi and Kirilenko. The fourth small forward, LeBron James, needs REP Legend I. Our NBA 2K27 GOAT Builds guide lists how every build unlocks.
Looking for the MyTEAM Melo card instead? That's a different item. A November 10 r/MyTeam post put it this way: "i've been trying to get carmelo anthony for a week now and now 1 has popped up on market." MyTEAM cards come from packs, rewards and the Auction House, and have nothing to do with the MyCAREER GOAT Build. Our MyTEAM Auction House guide covers how listings work.
Will Melo still be there after Season 2? 2K hasn't said whether any GOAT Build changes when Season 3 starts on November 27, 2026. Nothing points to free builds being removed. We'll update this page if 2K announces a change.
What are the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build's attributes?
2K says GOAT Build "animations and stats are locked to preserve each player's authentic feel, while keeping full access to Badges, Cap Breakers, and more" (2K Newsroom). The ratings below are Melo's fixed 99 OVR numbers from NBA2KLab's GOAT Builds database. They match the goatbuilds.wiki Carmelo Anthony page, re-checked November 10. The right column is his ceiling with every Cap Breaker slot filled.
| Attribute | Base (99 OVR) | Max with Cap Breakers |
|---|---|---|
| Close Shot | 85 | 92 |
| Driving Layup | 80 | 85 |
| Driving Dunk | 80 | 85 |
| Standing Dunk | 55 | 77 |
| Post Control | 94 | 97 |
| Mid-Range Shot | 96 | 96 (above cap) |
| Three-Point Shot | 85 | 85 (above cap) |
| Free Throw | 80 | 97 |
| Pass Accuracy | 75 | 80 |
| Ball Handle | 86 | 86 (at cap) |
| Speed With Ball | 86 | 86 (above cap) |
| Interior Defense | 60 | 79 |
| Perimeter Defense | 75 | 86 |
| Steal | 60 | 83 |
| Block | 50 | 83 |
| Offensive Rebound | 65 | 83 |
| Defensive Rebound | 80 | 91 |
| Speed | 85 | 85 (at cap) |
| Agility | 80 | 80 (above cap) |
| Strength | 85 | 90 |
| Vertical | 75 | 80 |
Four ratings already sit above the cap a normal build with his body would get: Mid-Range Shot 96 against a cap of 89, Speed With Ball 86 against 76, Three-Point Shot 85 against 84, and Agility 80 against 79. The Mid-Range and Speed With Ball gaps are the big ones: per goatbuilds.wiki, a regular build with his body caps out at 89 Mid-Range and 76 Speed With Ball.
NBA2KLab's builder card sums up the intended role: "Pure offensive engine. Uses violent jab-steps, explosive first steps, and lethal mid-fades to score at will."
How does Melo compare to the other 17 GOAT Builds?
We ranked all 18 GOAT Builds on NBA2KLab's base ratings. Here's where Melo lands:
- Mid-Range Shot 96, third of 18, behind Dirk Nowitzki (99) and Ray Allen (97).
- Post Control 94, fourth, behind Dirk, Hakeem Olajuwon (both 99) and Wilt Chamberlain (95).
- Strength 85, tied fourth, which helps when he backs down smaller wings.
- Overall average 77.0, seventh of 18. LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Andrei Kirilenko, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard are higher.
- Steal 60, tied lowest of 18, and Block 50. His defense average (Interior, Perimeter, Steal and Block) is 61.25, 16th of 18.
The chart uses two simple averages we calculated ourselves, with every rating weighted equally. They describe the ratings, they don't predict how a build plays. Melo's one-on-one scoring average (Mid-Range, Post Control, Ball Handle and Close Shot) is 90.2, second of 18, just behind Magic Johnson's 91.8. The gap between his scoring and defense averages, about 29 points, is the widest of all 18 builds.
Only three GOAT Builds have 90+ in both Mid-Range and Post Control: Dirk, Hakeem and Melo. Dirk is 7'1" and needs Season 2 rewards track Level 33, and Hakeem is 7'0" and needs REP Elite V. Melo is the only wing of the three and the only free one.
Melo vs Kawhi, Kirilenko and LeBron
| Rating | Carmelo Anthony | Kawhi Leonard | Andrei Kirilenko | LeBron James |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height / Weight / Wingspan | 6'8" / 240 / 7'0" | 6'7" / 230 / 7'3" | 6'9" / 235 / 7'0" | 6'8" / 250 / 7'0" |
| Unlock | Free | Free | Free | REP Legend I |
| Mid-Range / Three-Point | 96 / 85 | 91 / 83 | 75 / 83 | 91 / 80 |
| Post Control / Ball Handle | 94 / 86 | 80 / 80 | 60 / 75 | 87 / 88 |
| Perimeter Defense / Steal | 75 / 60 | 96 / 94 | 92 / 93 | 96 / 75 |
| Block / Pass Accuracy | 50 / 75 | 50 / 75 | 93 / 80 | 75 / 90 |
| Badges at 99 OVR (HOF) | 45 (3) | 46 (3) | 42 (2) | 49 (5) |
Badge counts come from NBA2KLab's builder cards, which match goatbuilds.wiki for Melo.
Melo vs Kawhi is the real choice, because both are free. They're nearly the same size, and both shoot well from mid-range. Kawhi is the two-way wing: his 94 Steal is the highest of all 18, and his 96 Perimeter Defense is tied with LeBron for the top. Melo gives most of that up for 14 more Post Control, 6 more Ball Handle and a 96 middy. If you want to guard the other team's best scorer, take Kawhi; our Kawhi Leonard GOAT Build page has his full card. If you want to be the scorer, take Melo.
Kirilenko is the opposite build, with 93 Steal and 93 Block but 60 Post Control. See our Andrei Kirilenko GOAT Build guide. LeBron is the upgrade at small forward, ahead of Melo on 15 of 21 ratings per goatbuilds.wiki, but he costs a REP climb to Legend I. Our LeBron James GOAT Build page covers that grind.
What badges does the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build get?
goatbuilds.wiki counts 45 badges at 99 OVR with no Cap Breakers: 3 Hall of Fame, 8 Gold, 20 Silver and 14 Bronze. NBA2KLab's card lists the same 45. That's fourth of the 18 builds, behind LeBron (49), Magic (48) and Kawhi (46). The list cites 2KMyPLAYER and other databases. 2K hasn't published GOAT Build badge lists itself, so treat the tiers as community-reported.
- Hall of Fame (3): Ghost Stepper, Post Fade Phenom, Static Middy.
- Gold (8): Aerial Wizard, Post Spin Catalyst, Deadeye, Quick Trigger, Smooth Operator, Lightning Launch, Slippery Off-Ball, Work Horse.
- Silver (20): Float Game, Hook Specialist, Paint Prodigy, Physical Finisher, Post Powerhouse, Set and Fire, Ankle Assassin, Dimer, Handles for Days, Pace, Strong Handle, Unpluckable, Immovable Enforcer, Off-Ball Pest, Boxout Boss, Sync Snatcher, Brick Wall, Bruiser, Flash, Pogo Stick.
- Bronze (14): Layup Mixmaster, Posterizer, Arc Cadence, Limitless Range, Break Starter, Versatile Visionary, Ankle Braces, Challenger, Interceptor, Pick Dodger, Seatbelt, Breaker, Crasher, Possession Closer.
The Hall of Fame trio is the whole build in three badges. Static Middy and Post Fade Phenom cover the elbow and the block, and Ghost Stepper covers the finish. Deadeye, Quick Trigger and Smooth Operator at Gold add catch-and-shoot help. Defense tops out at Silver (Immovable Enforcer, Off-Ball Pest), and Limitless Range is only Bronze, so don't expect him to live behind the arc. Our best offensive badges by position guide covers which badges a wing scorer leans on most.
What jump shot and animations does Melo use?
GOAT Build animations are locked, so you can't swap these. NBA2KLab and goatbuilds.wiki list what players report from the in-game builder:
- Jump shot: Carmelo Anthony base with both Carmelo Anthony upper releases, release speed reported as Normal. His free throw and go-to shot are his own too.
- Off the dribble: Desmond Bane dribble pull-up, Kyle Kuzma spin jumper, Jordan Clarkson hop jumper.
- Post: Pro post fade, Jaren Jackson Jr. post hook, Devin Booker post hop shot, Carmelo Anthony post go-to shot.
- Dunks and layups: Malik Monk signature dunks, LeBron James normal layup, Default Swing for the other layup types.
- Dribbling: Devin Booker dribble style, Pro triple threat style, jab steps and stepovers.
- Motion style: Carmelo Anthony. goatbuilds.wiki lists a Scottie Barnes pass style.
2K hasn't revealed the archetype name or default Takeovers for GOAT Builds.
Practice the shots he'll actually take. Melo's value is the mid-range and the post, and those are separate animations from his catch-and-shoot three. A pull-up uses the Bane animation, a post fade uses Pro, and a spot-up uses his own jumper. Get the timing on each in both offline and online games, not just in the Gym. Our guides to how to green your shots and the best jump shot after Update 2.0 cover timing in more detail.
Where should you put Melo's Cap Breakers?
Melo has room for 70 Cap Breaker steps. Six ratings take none: Mid-Range, Three-Point, Speed With Ball and Agility are already above the cap, and Ball Handle and Speed sit at it. That matters, because the usual advice doesn't fit him. A November 9 r/NBA2k thread about another GOAT Build said it plainly: "I see 99% of the people just say to put cap breakers on 3pt and block (or PD/Steal)." Melo has no Three-Point slot at all. The biggest steps are on his defense:
- Block: +9, +8, +7, +5, +4, from 50 up to 83.
- Offensive Rebound: +7, +7, +4, from 65 up to 83.
- Steal: +6, +5, +5, +4, +3, from 60 up to 83.
- Standing Dunk: +6, +5, +4, +4, +3, from 55 up to 77.
- Interior Defense: +5, +4, +4, +3, +3, from 60 up to 79.
- Free Throw: +4, +4, +4, +3, +2, from 80 up to 97.
Post Control only gets +1, +1, +1 because it already starts at 94, and Driving Layup, Driving Dunk, Strength, Vertical and Pass Accuracy gain +1 per step. goatbuilds.wiki's raw-points answer is Block first (+9), then Block twice plus Offensive Rebound for three (+24). Raw points aren't everything, though. A step that pushes a rating over a badge threshold can be worth more than a bigger step that doesn't.
Here's how we'd spend them:
- Steal and Block, two steps each (Steal +11 to 71, Block +17 to 67). Melo's defense is his weakness, and these are his biggest steps. It won't make him Kawhi, but it may lift a defensive badge a tier. Check the badge screen before you commit.
- Free Throw, two steps (+8 to 88), if you play full games with fouls, like REC or MyCAREER. A mid-range and post scorer draws contact. In Park or 3v3 it matters less.
- Perimeter Defense, two or three steps (+3, +2, +2), if you'll guard wings rather than hide on a big.
- Offensive Rebound if you play him at the 4, where his 85 Strength helps on the glass.
Leave Post Control for last. It's already 94, and three steps only add three points. Our where to put Cap Breakers guide explains how Cap Breakers work, and attribute breakpoints shows which ratings unlock badge tiers.
Is the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build worth making?
Yes, if you want to score one-on-one from the elbow and the post. He's free, he has the second-best one-on-one scoring average of all 18 builds, and his 45 badges are the second-most of the eight free builds after Kawhi's 46. No free build gives a wing a better mix of middy, post game and handle.
Maybe not, if you want to guard the best player on the floor. Kawhi does that far better and is also free. If you'd rather do everything and are willing to grind REP, LeBron is better on paper.
Play him at the 3 or a small-ball 4, next to a rim protector. His Block and Interior Defense start at 50 and 60, so he needs a big behind him. If you're comparing against a custom build instead, our best small forward build guide covers what the regular builder can do at the same position.
FAQ
How do you get the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build in NBA 2K27? He's free. Open the MyPLAYER Builder, choose the GOAT Builds path and pick Carmelo Anthony. 2K listed him among the GOAT Builds "available at release" when Season 2 launched on October 16, 2026.
What position is the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build? Small forward. He's 6'8", 240 lbs, with a 7'0" wingspan, and his build name is Hoodie Melo.
Is Carmelo Anthony or Kawhi Leonard the better free small forward? Melo is the better scorer, with a 96 Mid-Range, 94 Post Control and 86 Ball Handle. Kawhi is the better defender, with 96 Perimeter Defense and 94 Steal. Both are free.
Can you put Cap Breakers on Melo's Three-Point Shot? No. His Three-Point Shot is 85, already above the 84 cap for his body, so it has no Cap Breaker slots. The same goes for his Mid-Range, Speed With Ball and Agility.
What jump shot does the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build use? His own Carmelo Anthony base and both upper releases, with a release speed players report as Normal. You can't change animations on GOAT Builds.
How many Hall of Fame badges does the Carmelo Anthony GOAT Build get? Three: Ghost Stepper, Post Fade Phenom and Static Middy. That's out of 45 badges at 99 OVR with no Cap Breakers, per goatbuilds.wiki and NBA2KLab.
More NBA 2K27 Season 2 guides: every GOAT Build and how it unlocks, the 2X REP schedule for the rest of Season 2, and when Season 3 starts.
