myplayer starts as a professional scarecrow
NBA 2K creates this whole story where my MyPlayer is supposed to be a serious prospect, then gives him the athletic ability of a folding chair until I spend VC.
Can't shoot. Can't dribble. Can't finish through contact. Gets tired running from one corner to the other. Great prospect, coach.
So I play games to earn currency, but the player feels miserable while earning it. That is the trick. The grind is not just slow, the grind advertises the shortcut every possession.
Miss an open jumper because the rating is low. Watch somebody in the park dribble for twenty seconds wearing clothes that cost more than my build. Go back to the menus and stare at upgrade prices.
People say just enjoy the progression. I like progression when I begin as a rough basketball player, not when I begin as an unpaid extra who cannot make a layup.
And making another build feels worse. Want to try a different height or position? Cool, start the VC hunger all over again. Experimenting should be the fun part.
I know exactly what will happen anyway. I will grind, complain, finally make the build usable, then decide I should have made a point guard.
The economy wins because I am stupid in several positions.