A Guide to Following the NBA this Season
On Oct. 21, the National Basketball Association (NBA) kicked off its 80th season, in what will be one of the most highly anticipated ones yet. With offseason trades, college superstars turning pro, and veterans chasing a long-awaited championship, the league has undergone major changes.
The league is split up into two conferences, the East and the West. In each conference, there are three smaller divisions with five teams each. In total, the league has 30 teams that play 82 games from October to May. The NBA playoffs are a four-round tournament where 16 teams (with eight from each conference) compete for the championship.
In the 2024-2025 season, the Oklahoma City Thunder won the championship against the Indiana Pacers in dominant fashion. They were led by the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the league, Shai Gilgius Alexander. According to Sports Illustrated, they are considered the favorites this year to win the title again. Other favorites for this season include the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets.
This year, two of the biggest stories in the NBA take place right here in LA. Both the LA Clippers and the LA Lakers have made headlines during this offseason, but for two very different reasons. The Los Angeles Lakers have been in the spotlight throughout the whole summer. Star player Luka Doncic got traded to the Lakers on Feb. 2, 2025 - about halfway through last season. The star duo of Lebron James and Doncic played well last season, leading the team into the playoffs. However, in the playoffs, Doncic was perceived as being out of shape and out of sync. During this off-season he was on a strict regiment, working out twice a day, working on his diet and sharpening his skills. Overall, he lost about 30 pounds.
Jack Phelan (’28), a basketball player and fan, gave his thoughts on the matter.
“I think he’s going to be faster, quicker on his feet, and better at defense. He will be able to get easy buckets now.” Phelan said.
The Lakers hope that this change can help them get over the hump this year and play for a championship.
The other LA team, the Los Angeles Clippers, sparked major controversy that gained prominence in September when the league investigated a no-show endorsement deal for star player Kawhi Leonard. In other words, Kawhi Leonard signed a deal with the company Aspiration, but ultimately didn’t carry out any work for them. Aspiration is now bankrupt, and it allegedly happened as a way to get around the NBA’s salary cap. The Clippers have continued to deny these allegations, but investigations continue. Owner Steve Ballmer has been placed under a lot of scrutiny in these past months, but he too, has continued to deny the allegations.
Even if the allegations don’t amount to anything, this whole ordeal will have a stain on Leonard’s legacy and the way the Clippers are thought of as a whole.
Levi Shank (’28) an avid basketball fanatic, gave his thoughts on the matter.
“Steve Ballmer was paying Kawhi Leonard for a no-show job, under-the-table money. When the NBA finishes their investigation and then decides on its consequences, that could cause Kawhi to either have his contract terminated or he can’t continue playing with the Clippers,” Shank said.
This season marks a turning point in the NBA. It seems that this could be one of the last years for the older generation to make their mark and win a championship. Star players like James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Leonard, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler are all over 35 years old.
“I think the older players have a chance to go very far in the playoffs, and I just think (the older generation) is going to succeed overall this season,” Phelan said.
Many young players are in the spotlight to start this NBA season. Victor Wembanyama, the first pick in the 2023 NBA draft, has been getting a lot of attention for his offseason. In a recent press conference, he described his training over the summer.
“I can assure you, no player has trained like I did this summer. I feel better and I look stronger.” Wembanyama said.
In the 2024 draft, player Cooper Flagg was the number one draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks. Flagg is one of the most highly anticipated rookies the league has ever seen. With his skills and size, he has the tools to perform at a high level in the NBA.
With all these major changes coming to the NBA, many are anticipating an interesting season ahead. JJ Reddick, a former NBA player who is now an analyst, gave his thoughts on the start of the NBA season.
“This is the most excited I’ve been for a regular season, period. An NBA season, period,” Reddick said.