From breakout stars to established players, here we have mentioned five high-impact players to watch this NBA season.
The new NBA season starts on October 22 with the visit of New York Knicks visiting the defending champions the Boston Celtics.
As the 2024-25 season approaches, the National Basketball Association (NBA) boasts an impressive array of high-end talent, arguably more than ever before, with a vast pool of both American and international players joining the 30 teams. Every roster features exciting talent ready to make an impact.
1-Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Two injury-plagued postseasons have left the “Greek Freak” as one of the league’s forgotten superstars.
Now fully healthy as he enters the new season, the two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) and 2021 NBA champion is on a mission to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to another championship in the 2024-25 season.
As he turns 30 this season, Antetokounmpo recognizes that the championship window in Milwaukee—one of the NBA’s oldest teams, may not remain open for long. However, he has strong confidence in his battle-tested teammates heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.
We’re getting older, and we’re not getting any younger, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still perform at a high level,” Antetokounmpo stated. “It’s tough to say, ‘Yes, we’re old, and changes need to be made.’ These guys are still beasts.
2-Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
Two years ago, Ja Morant was the rising American superstar of the NBA, and the highly talented Grizzlies were seen as the future of the league.
However, a series of gun incidents involving Morant and a subsequent suspension from the league derailed his ascent. When he finally returned, injuries limited him to just nine of 82 games last season, leading the Grizzlies to a disappointing 27-55 record.
Now, Morant is back and determined to make amends in the 2024-25 season, expressing that, “We all feel like we ain’t done yet.”
When he is at his best, the six-foot-three point guard remains one of the most electrifying players in the league, displaying an incredible first step that often leads to jaw-dropping “little man” dunk highlights that have become iconic in the NBA.
3-Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
Wemanyama is considered the greatest basketball prospect of his generation to play in the second NBA season. He is playing as a much-improved player from the rockie who deformed the league in several ways last season. This one is a scary prospect for the rest of 29 teams.
Standing an impressive 2.24m (seven feet, four inches) tall, Wembanyama, 20, made significant strides as the standout player on the France Olympic team, which narrowly missed out on the gold medal against the star-studded Team USA at the Paris Summer Games. Just minutes after receiving the silver medal, Wembanyama issued a striking warning to his NBA rivals: “I’m learning, and I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years. NBA, FIBA [International Basketball Federation], everywhere.”
The French sensation is already the frontrunner for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, but his extraordinary skills also shine offensively, highlighted by his smooth jump shot and his ability to execute nearly unstoppable alley-oop dunks at the rim. Wembanyama stands on the cusp of superstardom and is poised to be one of the league’s key figures in the 2024-25 season. The speed of his transformation will be a captivating story throughout the year.
- Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
In recent months, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards has emerged as a full-blown superstar, leading the Timberwolves to the NBA Western Conference Finals and playing a crucial role in Team USA’s gold medal victory at the Paris Summer Olympics, even drawing comparisons to the legendary Michael Jordan along the way.
At 23, Edwards averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists over 79 games in the 2023-24 NBA season and was selected to participate in his second All-Star game. As the new season approaches, the 1.93m (six-foot, four-inch) guard—widely known by the nickname “Antman”—is expected to significantly boost his scoring average after incorporating more three-point attempts into his already impressive offensive skill set during preseason play.
- Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
Zion Williamson was anticipated to be the NBA’s next great player when the New Orleans Pelicans selected him first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. However, ongoing injuries and weight issues have hindered the potential of one of the most athletic and skilled power forwards in the game’s history.
Fast forward five years, and Williamson had his best professional season in 2023-24, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and five assists while playing a career-high 70 games for the Pelicans. Over the NBA offseason, the 1.98m (six-foot, six-inch) forward earned the nickname “Skinny Zion” from the media after photos surfaced showing his significant weight loss, fueling optimism that the 2024-25 season could be a breakout year for the 24-year-old.
In the upcoming months, New Orleans will be counting on a healthy, fit, and dynamic performance from Williamson to help achieve a 50-win season for the first time since 2007-2008.