With a quarter of the season in the books, it’s given us a chance to take reflect on the first ~20 games of the year. We’ve handed out awards and tiered out the league, but we also wanted to highlight the players that we’ve just really enjoyed watching to start the season.
Part of the job is bouncing around League Pass and checking in on different teams, and over the course of the first month-plus of the season we’ve started to find some favorites. There are, of course, teams you find yourself gravitating towards for different reasons. Some are just really good, others are more chaotic which tends to be entertaining, and some have a really fun broadcast (shouts to Eric Collins in Charlotte). And then, within each team, you start finding yourself locking in on certain players — again, for a variety of reasons.
Here, we wanted to share our favorite players to watch on each team. Some are stars, others are young players on the rise, and others still are just guys we enjoy watching even if they play more sparingly.
Atlanta Hawks: Jalen Johnson
It’s always nice when a guy everyone hopes breaks out actually does so. Johnson was on all of the MIP watch lists coming into the season, and after a bit of a slow first week, he’s found his stride as the Hawks second star. The Hawks have been trying to find a two-way wing to be the secondary star alongside Trae Young for years, and Johnson fits the bill. He has continued to get better as a shooter (36.7 percent from three), which only serves to make his explosive athleticism pop even more as defenders have to stretch further out of respect for his ability to knock down shots which opens up more lanes to attack the rim.
Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown
A theme you will find here is that we really love watching guys that play with force. In Boston, no one does that better than Jaylen Brown. He is the yin to Jayson Tatum’s yang. Tatum is the smooth operator who makes dominating a game look effortless when at his best, where Brown eschews grace for sheer force, bending the game to his will. That also tends to make Brown a bit more mercurial when it comes to his performances, as he’s a bit more prone to an off night, but when he’s got it rolling, it is a treat to watch.
Brooklyn Nets: Cam Thomas
Absolute hooper. The Nets weren’t supposed to be competitive this year — and they are going to pull the ripcord here soon and start trading guys off and setting their sights on the 2025 Draft — but Cam Thomas doesn’t care about Brooklyn’s future plans. That man is here to get buckets in the here and now, and there are few players in the league I enjoy watching cook more than Thomas when he catches a heater.
Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller
LaMelo Ball has been spectacular this season, but the guy that my eyes always gravitate to when I watch the Hornets is Miller. He’s still got some work to do to get more consistent, but his shooting stroke is so pure I have little doubt he’ll start to put that part together as he gets more experience (and the Hornets build out a better supporting cast). In the meantime, the flashes of brilliance are becoming more regular occurrences, and when the three ball is falling, there’s just nothing for defenses to do with him.
Chicago Bulls: Lonzo Ball
He’s only played in a handful of games, but seeing Lonzo Ball back on a basketball court looking like Lonzo Ball has been awesome to see. The jump shot hasn’t come back yet after he’d worked himself into being a legitimately good shooter prior to the injury, but the passing and defense are still there. Hopefully Ball can stay healthy for a stretch and get some rhythm back as a scorer, but in what figures to be a bit of a bleak year for the Bulls, he’s a bright spot.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland
As a team, the Cavs are just a delight to watch, but seeing Garland have his burst and bounce back has been especially fun to watch. He never looked right last year after returning from jaw surgery, but certainly looks to be back to full strength and has found his joy on the court again. He is lighting it up from three (45.2 percent) and has his burst back off the dribble, and having that back alongside Donovan Mitchell gives the Cavs as dynamic a backcourt as there is in the NBA.
Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively II
You can always say Luka or Kyrie when you pick the Mavs, but we’ll go with Lively, the second-year big man who is such a fun fit alongside their two stars. While Daniel Gafford is a good player in his own right, watching Lively continue to grow into his role as the ideal rim running and rim protecting big man on this exact team — even if it is in a role off the bench — is such a blast. Frankly, the Cowboys should see if they can borrow him as a red zone threat.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
Some of these are tricky. Some of these are not. The Nuggets very clearly are not. Jokic entered this season as the best player in the world and is somehow making the gap between himself and whomever is the second-best player in the world even larger. He’s a three-time MVP who is playing better than ever before. If he doesn’t play to this level, Denver probably is outside of the Play-In Tournament picture. What a blessing it is to be able to watch basketball when Nikola Jokic is in the league.
Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey
Watching young players who clearly dealt with a crisis of confidence start to believe in themselves is one of the most fun things in sports. Ivey fits that bill nicely. He had a promising rookie year, then just seemed wayward last year with the Pistons — which, let’s be clear, he was hardly the only player. This year, he’s looked more and more like the dynamic, exciting guard who was viewed as a running mate alongside Cade Cunningham, and we can’t wait to see what he has next as he continues to find his way in the league.
Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry
There are two other guys on this list who this applies to: Getting to watch era-defining icons age gracefully and still be an impactful player is so cool. Curry‘s gravity as a shooter still exists as he’s aging, and if the Warriors are able to make the playoffs, he’ll be the main reason why.
Houston Rockets: Amen Thompson
The single best athlete in the league, Thompson comes off the bench for the Rockets and finds ways to impose his will on the proceedings. He’s fast, he’s quick, he’s strong, he can jump out of the building, and while he’s still a work in progress on offense, he’s able to bully some of the best athletes in the world on the defensive end of the floor. He’s so much fun.
Indiana Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin
No one has ever questioned Mathurin’s ability to score in bunches. The catch this year is that with Tyrese Haliburton’s slow start to the season, Indiana has really needed that, and the third-year wing who saw his 2023-24 campaign cut short by injuries has stepped up on offense in a big way. Is he the world’s most willing passer? Not really, no, but he sure can fill it up.
Los Angeles Clippers: Norman Powell
Anyone who says they thought Norman Powell would lead the Clippers in scoring this year is a liar. Even with Kawhi Leonard being hurt and Paul George no longer being on the team, no one could have foreseen the veteran Powell going supernova to start the year. Whether it holds up or not remains to be seen, but regardless, it has been a blast to watch.
Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James
You can put the Curry section and apply it to LeBron. Even though he’s showing his age a bit more than Curry is, just getting to watch LeBron James play basketball is something we won’t be able to do sooner rather than later. Cherish it.
Memphis Grizzlies: Jaren Jackson Jr.
A year ago, Jackson Jr. was the only one of Memphis’ top stars that was healthy for most of the season, and his leap in offensive production was written off in part due to the Grizzlies team struggles. This year, Jackson has backed up that production with another leap in efficiency for a Memphis team that has jumped back into the West playoff conversation. He has become a legit offensive hub and, when coupled with his defensive abilities, is playing as one of the league’s best two-way centers right now.
Miami Heat: Tyler Herro
Bam Adebayo hasn’t really had a major Olympic bump this year — if anything, he looks like he’s really struggling to find a rhythm. Fortunately for the Heat, Tyler Herro is looking like the kind of top offensive option they really need. Oftentimes mentioned as the guy Miami will trade to get a star, Herro has played like a building block as Miami tires to figure out what life looks like in the post-Jimmy Butler era.
Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been out of his mind as the Bucks have gone from an early season disappointment to an ascending squad in the Eastern Conference. The bar is really high to say a guy like Giannis is playing the best basketball of his career, but he very well might be.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards
While the Wolves are struggling to figure out what they are in the aftermath of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Edwards has still been a blast. He’s letting it fly from three more than ever and seems like he’s up for the task of leading a team that has, quite frankly, been a disappointment as they try to find a way out of their current dilemma.
New Orleans Pelicans: Yves Missi
Not much has gone right for the Pelicans this season, whether that’s due to injuries or something else. But they have unearthed a potential gem in Missi, the former Baylor standout who went 21st in the 2024 NBA Draft. He plays hard, is a really good rebounder, and has been able to answer the question “who on earth is playing center for them?”
New York Knicks: Josh Hart
There might not be a more fun glue guy in the league than Hart. He keeps the ball moving on offense, will take shots when he gets good looks, rebounds like a maniac, and just fits perfectly into what Tom Thibodeau needs him to do. Every team would love to have a player like that, and the Knicks happen to have one.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Jalen Williams
I again return to the “guys that play with force” thing, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is unquestionably the Thunder’s best player, but Williams is the guy that I have the most fun watching. He has taken another step forward this season and seems primed for his first All-Star selection. While SGA sets the pace, I feel like it’s J-Dub that sets the tone for the Thunder on both ends, with the way he attacks and applies pressure on offense and defense.
Orlando Magic: Franz Wagner
Everyone thought Wagner had a gigantic leap in him heading into last year, but that never materialized. And then, this year started, and Paolo Banchero went out with an injury, and Wagner took that leap. He has been a monster as the Magic have tried to stake out a place atop the Eastern Conference, mixing his usually pesky defense with total command of the team’s offense as one of their primary initiators. And his scoring is up, even as his shot isn’t quite where it needs to be from deep. Unfortunately, Wagner joined Panchero on the shelf, also suffering a torn oblique this weekend.
Philadelphia 76ers: Jared McCain
God, how bleak would things be in Philly if not for the fact that they landed McCain? Putting him, another small guard, next to Tyrese Maxey might lead to some trouble down the road, but in the meantime, McCain has been a breath of fresh air for a Sixers team that desperately needs one. He’s given them some much-needed punch on offense as all of their stars try to get on the court together, and his future is bright amid everything else going on in the City of Brotherly Love.
Phoenix Suns: Kevin Durant
The Steph and LeBron sections apply to Durant, too, with the added caveat that he looks like an honest to god MVP candidate when he plays. He’s so comfortable during his second full year in Phoenix and he’s an excellent fit in Mike Budenholzer’s system. If he can stay healthy (admittedly a very big if), the Suns can make some noise in the Western Conference.
Portland Trail Blazers: Donovan Clingan
I have no idea why Clingan is not playing 30 minutes a game for the Blazers, even with the understanding that they’re trying to trade Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams. The former UConn standout is awesome, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, where he’s putting 4.6 blocks per 36 minutes (for reference: Victor Wembanyama, who erases everything near the rim, is at 3.8 blocks per 36). He needs to play more, because he’s going to be a very good player for a very long time.
Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox
There are some incredible point guards in the NBA today, but there are very few who are more fun to watch than Fox. He is perhaps the fastest player in the league on the ball, and has learned how to harness that not just in transition, where he and the Kings are lethal, but to get defenders on their heels in the halfcourt as well. The Kings record doesn’t feel fully reflective of how good they
San Antonio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama
I mean, duh. Stephon Castle has been really fun as a rookie, but we all know why we’re tuning in to Spurs games and it’s to see the gigantic French guy do cool stuff. My only gripe with Wembanyama is he should not be shooting 9 threes per game. Get your tall self down by the rim more, where no one can stop you because you can basically dunk without jumping. Otherwise, what a treat it is to watch this guy steadily figure out all of his powers on the basketball court.
Toronto Raptors: RJ Barrett
The Raptors are the most fun of the bad teams in the NBA this season, and they should get better now that Scottie Barnes is back. Their big issue is depth, but at the top they have a lot of talent and no one is playing better than RJ Barrett. Barrett is a borderline All-Star right now, taking a big leap as a playmaker, and it’s been very cool to watch him tap more fully into the talent and potential that made him such a highly-touted star coming out of high school.
Utah Jazz: John Collins
The Jazz are not a good basketball team, but I will say I have enjoyed the John Collins resurgence early this season. Collins was once a 20-10 guy in Atlanta, but late in his Hawks tenure things just fell apart. In Utah, he’s seemed to at least find a return to form offensively, regaining his shooting stroke from three-point range and still being capable of producing some highlight dunks. That’s good for Utah, not because he’s part of their long-term plans, but because they’d like to sell once again at the trade deadline and John Collins showing some value offensively again should help in those efforts.
Washington Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly
Speaking of not good basketball teams, it’s the Wizards! They are dreadful and lost literally every game they played in November, but Bilal Coulibaly is really cool and shows some flashes of being a really good player. Defensively he has the potential to be a monster if he can ever play on a team that helps him on that end, and offensively he’s been fantastic at and near the rim, while the jump shot still lags behind. The Wizards are still very early in the rebuild phase, but Coulibaly looks like a guy with real potential and that’s all Washington can really hope for right now.
