Systems guide
The nine attributes, and which ones actually move a rating
Rebounding is 3% of a point guard's rating and 26% of a center's. The full weighting table by position, plus the four multipliers that decide what a rating is worth on the night.
Every player in Backcourt is nine numbers, an overall rating and a potential. The nine numbers are the real player. The overall rating is a summary of them — a weighted one, which is why two players with the same average can rate seven points apart, and why the cheapest way to improve a squad is often to understand the weighting rather than to buy anybody.
What each attribute does on the floor
| Attribute | What it changes in a match |
|---|---|
| Inside | How often he attacks the rim, how often he finishes, and how often that finish is a dunk |
| Mid-range | The two-point jump shot, and part of his free-throw stroke |
| Three-point | Both accuracy and shot selection: a player whose three-point rating sits well above his mid-range simply takes more threes |
| Passing | Creation, and fewer turnovers under pressure |
| Rebounding | Who actually collects a miss. This is the steepest attribute in the game — small gaps produce large differences |
| Defense | Lowers opponents' shooting. It is weighed with rebounding inside the paint and with speed out on the arc |
| Speed | Perimeter defence, transition chances, and punishing a press |
| Stamina | How much energy a minute costs him, and how much comes back each week |
| Basketball IQ | Ball security, decisions, and free throws |
How much each one counts, by position
This is the table most managers never see. The same attribute is worth very different amounts depending on where a player plays — rebounding is 3% of a point guard's rating and 26% of a center's.
| Attribute | PG | SG | SF | PF | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inside | 8% | 10% | 14% | 20% | 24% |
| Mid-range | 12% | 16% | 15% | 12% | 9% |
| Three-point | 16% | 21% | 17% | 10% | 5% |
| Passing | 22% | 12% | 11% | 8% | 6% |
| Rebounding | 3% | 5% | 10% | 20% | 26% |
| Defense | 12% | 13% | 15% | 16% | 19% |
| Speed | 13% | 12% | 9% | 6% | 4% |
| Stamina | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| Basketball IQ | 10% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 4% |
Three things fall out of that table immediately. A point guard is a passer first and everything else second. A center's rating is two-thirds rebounding, inside scoring and defence, so a center who shoots is a bonus rather than a requirement. And stamina never counts for much in the rating, which is exactly why low-stamina players are so often overrated by the number on their card — the cost shows up in energy, not in the rating.
The peak bonus. The rating is not a flat weighted average. Around a quarter of it comes from the average of a player's two best core skills. A specialist therefore out-rates a generalist with the same nine numbers spread evenly — and that is deliberate. Two elite skills win basketball games; nine adequate ones do not.
The card number is not the match number
What a player is worth on the night runs through four multipliers before the engine uses it:
- Energy. A fresh player plays to his rating. A tired one does not, and below the tired threshold the drop-off steepens rather than continuing gently.
- Morale. Small but constant, in both directions.
- Form. Built by playing well, lost by playing badly — see the morale and form guide.
- Role fit. A player in the right role performs above his rating; a player in the wrong one performs below it, without a single number changing.
This is why a squad can look strong on paper and lose anyway. Four of those multipliers are management, not recruitment.
What a point is worth
- Defense: around ten points of defence across a lineup takes roughly three percentage points off what opponents shoot. Across a season that is a comfortable playoff margin.
- Rebounding: winner-take-most. A 90 rebounder takes about 75% more of the available boards than a 70 standing next to the same four teammates.
- Basketball IQ and passing: twenty points of IQ is worth about two fewer turnovers per hundred possessions — roughly a possession and a half a game, handed back to you for free.
- Stamina: pays twice, once in how cheap his minutes are and once in how much energy returns between fixtures.
How to read one of these pages
Every player in the pool has a page built from the same nine numbers, and each one carries more than the raw values:
- Every attribute as a percentile against his own position, which is the only fair comparison. A rebounding rating of 68 is poor for a center and outstanding for a point guard.
- His two strongest and weakest attributes, named — the quickest way to see whether you are looking at a specialist or a generalist.
- Role fits, scored. The same nine numbers can make a good rim protector and a hopeless floor general.
- His rank in the pool and at his position, plus the players most similar to him.
Start from the ratings index or a position hub such as centers, and use the weighting table above to work out which of those percentiles actually matter for the player in front of you.
Rating tiers, and what they cost
| Rating | What the game calls him | Roughly what he earns |
|---|---|---|
| 90+ | Superstar | $35M+ |
| 84–89 | All-Star | $24M–$35M |
| 77–83 | Starter | $12M–$24M |
| 70–76 | Rotation player | $5M–$10M |
| 63–69 | Bench | $2M–$4M |
| Under 63 | Prospect | $1M–$2M |
The curve is steep on purpose: a 70 costs about $5.4M, an 80 about $16M and a 90 about $35M. Ten rating points at the top of the league cost more than an entire bench, which is the whole financial argument for developing players instead of shopping for them.
If you would rather look at real numbers than formulas, every player in the pool has a page with his nine attributes, his percentile against his position and his best-fitting roles — start from the player ratings index or the positions guide.
Frequently asked
What do the nine attributes mean in Backcourt?
Inside, Mid-range and Three-point are the three scoring ranges; Passing and Basketball IQ drive creation and turnovers; Rebounding decides who collects the ball; Defense lowers what opponents shoot; Speed covers transition and perimeter defence; Stamina decides how cheap a player's minutes are and how fast he recovers.
Which attributes matter most for the overall rating?
It depends on position. Passing is the heaviest single attribute for a point guard, three-point shooting for a shooting guard, and rebounding for a center — where it counts for about a quarter of the rating on its own. Stamina is the lightest at every position.
Why do two players with the same average have different ratings?
Because the rating is not a flat average. About a quarter of it comes from a player's two best core skills, so a specialist out-rates a generalist with identical numbers. An elite rebounding, elite defending center can carry a poor jump shot and still rate highly.
Does a player's rating change during a match?
His effective level does. Energy, morale, form and role fit all scale what an attribute is worth on the night, and a tired player drops off sharply once he passes the tired threshold. The card number is a maximum, not a promise.
How much is one attribute point worth?
Roughly: ten points of Defense across a lineup takes about three percentage points off what opponents shoot, twenty points of Basketball IQ is worth about two fewer turnovers per hundred possessions, and rebounding is winner-take-most — a 90 rebounder pulls in around 75% more of the available boards than a 70 alongside the same four players.
Why is a 90-rated player so much more expensive than an 80?
The wage curve is steep on purpose. An 80 earns around $16M a year, a 90 around $35M. The last ten rating points cost more than an entire bench, which is the whole argument for developing players rather than buying them.
Try it on your own club tonight
Backcourt is free on iOS and Android. Career mode works offline, and there is nothing to buy that makes your squad stronger.
