I think Crimzon's right. 2K's ratings may sound strict but I think it has more to do with their switch over to a 25-99 scale a few years ago (in contrast to their former 50-99 scale), so some numbers that sound low or strict really aren't, we're just accustomed to them standing for a different value.
In 2K12, the only top ten pick to be rated in the 50's was Bismack Biyombo and he, along with Nikola Vucevic and Cory Jospeph, were the only players drafted in the first round to have overall ratings below 60 (at the beginning of the year. I don't know where they finished).
Here's a full look of what the 2K12 rookie slate looked like (before the season began):