On Oct. 19, the National Basketball Association (NBA) season kicked off after a three month absence since the NBA Finals series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns. The opener featured Giannis Antetokounmpo and defending champion Bucks against a well rounded Brooklyn Nets roster including Kevin Durant and James Harden.
The Bucks were able to protect their home court and cruise to a 127-104 victory in front of Milwakuees’s fan plaza, the Deer District.
There are many fresh new faces from the 2021 NBA Draft that look to catapult their stardom around the league, and the Sacred Heart student body had an abundance of different opinions on who will take the Rookie of the Year award.
“I believe Toronto Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes will win the Rookie of the Year Award.” said Sophomore Blake Stewart. “Barnes is a player that can play both sides of the court and he isn’t a selfish player, so his teammates are going to love playing with him.”
According to DraftKings, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green is the leading favorite to receive the Rookie of the Year award.
Green’s athleticism and experience in the NBA G-League during the 2020-21 season where he averaged 17.9 points and 4.1 rebounds helps his case as he looks to lead the young Rockets core to many wins during the season.
Another favorable rookie is the number one overall pick Cade Cunningham. At 6’8, Cunningham’s above average size at point guard will be advantageous against competition. Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores expressed his gratitude for getting Cunningham on draft night.
“I had the opportunity to spend time with Cade before the draft,” Gores told NBA.com. “I could tell immediately that he’s not just an elite prospect, he’s an elite leader who will take our franchise to another level.”
The Sacred Heart student body had many different opinions on incoming rookies coming into the league.
Other Sacred Heart students had various opinions on teams that have a chance to win the Larry O’Brien trophy. Sophomore student-athlete Alexus Delgado is confident that the purple and gold will take the hardware.
“I believe the Lakers will take it all the way because I love the way Lebron leads them,” said Delgado. “I feel like he can really make this super-team work and communicate. But, if we’re being honest here, a lot of teams can win it this year.”
According to Sporting News, the top four NBA teams that have a chance to win the championship are the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz. The Jazz, led by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, had the best record in the western conference in the previous season.
With the start of the season right in front of our eyes, basketball fans will be waiting to see who will win and who might even surprise everyone this season.
