These Are The Best Schedule Release Videos For The 2023-24 NBA Season

After days of various games being leaked out, the full NBA schedule for the 2023-24 season was released on Thursday afternoon. Per usual, each franchise’s social media teams devised a creative way to unveil the schedule, with some teams outclassing others and staking a claim to the premier schedule release of the summer. Among the top contenders for best video, at least from what I’ve seen, are the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans, and Golden State Warriors.

Initially, the Heat’s video didn’t sell me, but the potshots directed at the three Eastern Conference foes they defeated en route to the Finals last spring were witty. I especially found joy in the “97 percent” quip regarding the Boston Celtics after ESPN Analytics gave Miami a 3 percent chance of winning that series heading into their Eastern Conference Finals showdown.

The Bulls went the nostalgia route with a Pokemon-style video, which was rather sweet. That Pokemon soundtrack is as catchy as can be and the video was well-executed with sublime graphics. Bravo, Chicago.

Speaking of nostalgia, the Orlando Magic catered to fans of 1990s cartoons with their video.

The Minnesota Timberwolves played off of the viral TikTok trend in which jars, bowls, and bottles are rolled down steps until they shatter or survive the entire journey. The video starts off with a bang, as a rubber dinosaur is smacked from above the top step by a hockey stick, making clear they’ll be opening their season against the Toronto Raptors. The video is pretty long for Twitter standards, but also creative, silly and enjoyable.

The Indiana Pacers adhered to a similar concept and the two Twitter admins had some fun about the parallels.

The Utah Jazz elected for an art exhibit — “The Museum of Jazz Moments” — to debut their schedule. The elegant narration voice dishing out trash talk made for a cheeky contrast between message and tone.

New Orleans’ video didn’t even convey any of its games. Instead, it included Jaleel White, who played Steve Urkel on “Family Matters,” as a fill-in of sorts for C.J. McCollum when McCollum’s schedule grows overwhelming. The only problem, though, is White revels in life as McCollum’s replacement and a rivalry brews between them. It’s an ingenuitive and lighthearted promo.

Gary Payton II starred in the Warriors’ release, as he sampled different culinary dishes and tried to guess which NBA team they represented. It’s certainly not a bad gig, and if any other teams need someone for a video like this, my line is open.

The NBA’s schedule release day is always a shining moment for social media departments and these groups absolutely nailed the assignment. I’m sure there are plenty other awesome videos that I missed, so I apologize in advance. Every video can be found here, if you’re looking the rest.