With the 2023-2024 National Basketball Association season approaching, it's time to see which teams could knock out powerhouses like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
The first team that could cause problems for these powerhouse teams is the San Antonio Spurs with their number one pick, Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama is living up to his reputation of being the number-one draft pick, averaging 18 points,10 rebounds, and 4 blocks per game. With the Spurs being in the Western Conference this could pose a threat to teams such as the Warriors, Lakers, and Nuggets.
Western Conference teams have won the last three championships in the last five years. After watching the NBA Summer League games and championship, it looks like things could be changing for the Western Conference teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers took home the summer league championship while being led by Isiah Mobley. Isaiah Mobley, Emoni Bates, and Sam Merrill proved that they can score in big games and lead their team against a very skilled Houston Rockets team.
The Indiana Pacers are also a team in the Eastern Conference that are making a new name for themselves. Throughout the Summer League, Bennedict Mathurin of the Pacers showed why he was put on the All-Rookie First Team for the end of the 2023 season. Bennedict Mathurin is just one piece of a rookie class that the Pacers have brought to the team in hopes of turning around their losing seasons in the past couple of years.
The draft class of 2023 was packed with players that could potentially become the face of their team. The Charlotte Hornets took Brandon Miller with the second overall pick in the 2023 draft. Miller was the SEC Player of the Year when he played for the University of Alabama. Miller is now a forward for the Hornets, and during Summer league play he was averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal per game. With these stats, it is showing the Hornets that he will be a reliable player throughout the season and could help push the team in a positive direction. The Hornets are a team in the Eastern Conference, so if they make it all the way to the end of the season and end up in the NBA Finals, they could potentially be playing against teams like the Lakers and the Warriors.
Another rookie that people should keep an eye on is Cam Whitmore. Whitmore was named the MVP of the Summer League and was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the twentieth pick in the 2023 draft. Whitmore averaged 19 points, 5 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 2 assists per game. Whitemore is leaving the Summer League with high expectations from his coaches and fellow teammates with the performance that he put on.
The powerhouse teams should be prepared for a competitive upcoming season because the recent rookie classes have shown that they are all more than capable of playing at the pace of the NBA games.
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