The 2024-2025 NBA Season is in Full Effect
By: Dylan Tehada
The 2024-2025 NBA season is among us! After a long offseason, all 30 teams will be looking forward to a clean slate as they strive to find success during this upcoming season. Players themselves will also be looking forward to showcasing their own development and growth to their organization after spending months in the offseason training and elevating their game. In fact, a select few of these NBA players put in work this offseason right here at the UPBasketball Training Facility during the UPB Mini Camp over the summer. We are excited to see these athletes’ seasons unfold and cannot wait for all the highlights, memories, and milestones that lie ahead.
One of the most highly touted talents in the league this season is Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Expectations for Williams and the young Thunder team are through the roof as they look to build on a successful 2023-2024 campaign where they reached the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Williams is off to a hot start and is playing a crucial role in the Thunder’s undefeated record through five games averaging 18 points, 5.6 assists, and 2 steals per game.
UPB veteran and Denver Nuggets star, Aaron Gordon is another athlete looking to continue building on his recent success and bring his team another championship. Gordon is off to a blazing hot start averaging 18.6 points per game and cementing himself as a foundational cornerstone of a very talented Nuggets team. Gordon will look to continue making his presence felt alongside MVP teammate Nikola Jokic and a very talented Nuggets roster.
Another young talent who is looking to take the league by storm this year, is rookie Alex Sarr on the Washington Wizards. The highly coveted prospect will be looking to make an immediate impact on a young Wizards team after transitioning from professional ball in France to the NBA. The 2024 2nd overall pick, is off to a good start averaging 8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game through the first four games of his young NBA career. Fellow Wizards teammate Jordan Poole, is also making a huge impact in year two on his new team, averaging a career high 22.5 points and 6 assists per game. Both Sarr and Poole will look to build on their early success and will no doubt be key contributors to the Wizards this season and beyond.
Another young talent who has been on fire in the young season is Gradey Dick of the Toronto Raptors. After a productive rookie season last year, Dick has shown signs of a sophomore season breakout averaging a whopping 20.8 points per game and tallying 30 points and 31 points in back to back games. Dick’s shooting prowess has been on full display in the Raptors’ first six games and he will look to continue elevating his game throughout the season.
The Houston Rockets are another team loaded with young talent and surrounded by high expectations. One of the athletes leading this team is sophomore guard Amen Thompson. Amen Thompson came into the league known for his elite athleticism and high IQ play style. The young guard found success in his rookie year averaging 9.5 points in just 22 minutes per game and despite an injury riddled campaign. This year he is looking to continue building off that successful season, and is currently averaging 8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
We are so excited that the NBA season is back and in full effect and cannot wait to see all these athletes pave their path and find success on their teams. We have no doubt that all the hard work these athletes put in the offseason in the gym will pay off this season, and we are proud of all the accomplishments they have racked up in the young season and all the success awaiting them as the year treads on!
