NBA fans, especially those in the Bay Area, could not be more excited when the new season tipped off last month.
With the Golden State Warriors defending their fourth title in the past eight years by trouncing the hapless Los Angles Lakers, there was plenty to celebrate when the season opened last month at Chase Center.
But with the Warriors (6-8) showing cracks in their championship armor, local fans might want to turn their attention to five rising stars who are off to a hot start and could be putting together an All-Star season.
1. Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans had a devastating knee injury back in early 2021 and just got back on the court this season. So far, he has been tearing up the opposition and seems to be showing no signs of his injury whatsoever.
What has probably helped his fast start is Williamson lost a significant amount of weight during the offseason, helping him dominate early on.
2. Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies is the second must-watch player on my list and is quite the high flyer. Morant has been playing at an MVP level since last season, when he led the Grizzlies into the second round of the playoffs before getting injured.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year has been having an amazing season so far, averaging 29.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.
3. Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons may be just a rookie but he’s going to surprise a lot of people this year. Ivey was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft and so far he has been playing like the top overall pick.
Ivey has been playing very similar to Morant, but his shooting abilities are at another level, averaging nearly 32 points in his first 10 games. Ivey appears to have something to prove and he looks to be very entertaining in this upcoming season.
4. Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic is another rookie but he looks to be a dominant force already. Banchero has been killing it so far as a power forward, averaging 34.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for a terrible Magic team.
5. Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves is entering his third season and continues to show a lot of promise. Last year was a very good one for him as well he helped lead the Timberwolves to the playoffs. With new additions of Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota could return to the playoffs with Edwards emerging as an MVP candidate. He has potential to be the NBA’s next Kobe Bryant.
So while Warrior fans waiting for their team to figure out how to play defense and praying that Steph Curry doesn’t have to score nearly 50 a night to beat teams like the Sacramento Kings, they should try tuning in to watch these rising stars as they start establishing themselves as the future of the NBA.