2024-2025 NBA Award Predictions: From MVP to NBA Champions

ANAHEIM, CA OCTOBER 19, 2024

With the NBA regular season just a few weeks away, it's the perfect time to bring out the predictions on the upcoming season. We will cover predictions on the very unpredictable Rookie of the Year down to the team looking to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy in the late spring of 2025.

THE UNPREDICTABLE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: ALEX SARR

HMS: ROB DILLINGHAM, ZACH EDEY, MATAS BUZELIS

There is no good way to say it, but this has to be the worst draft class in recent history. With no solidified first-overall pick (which is fine), it means any rookie selected can be great. Making this award somewhat unpredictable. My overall pick in Alex Sarr is more focused on team situations. Comparing him to the other top picks in Risacher, Sheppard, and Castle. Sarr has more of an open floor and more opportunity to make the Wizards his team, where Risacher joins Trae Young, Sheppard will be a depth piece in Houston, and Castle will be stuck in Chris Paul's shadow this season. He could easily outperform his class, primarily through his starting role and minutes in the Wizards roster whereas others in the class will struggle with playing time.

THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

HMS: CHET HOLMGREN, ANTHONY DAVIS, BAM ADEBAYO

Victor Wembanyama deserved this award last season and without a doubt, he will excel this season and have a much better sophomore season. This has to be a no-brainer pick in everyone's parlays to start the season. With more minutes per game, Wemby should look to average 2 steals and 4 blocks per game! He already led the league in blocks per game as a rookie last season, finished 2nd in DPOY, and was on the All-Defensive 1st team. He is easily this season's DPOY and should be for many, many, many years to come. Rudy Gobert won't be the only French big man with 4 DPOYs.

THE SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: RUSSELL WESTBROOK

HMS: MALIK MONK, NAZ REID, CAM WHITMORE

With many changes around the league every season, starting lineups look different at every NBA Tip-Off. And so does the bench unit. The sixth man of the year can be anyone, but Russell Westbrook looks like a great choice. After fully embracing a bench role with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, he looks to excel with the Denver Nuggets as their sixth man. Westbrook isn't getting any younger and is losing time to be part of a competitive team and be a part of a championship roster. I'm sure he will take off this season with his new team playing alongside 3-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Malik Monk is the favorite going into the season, but he won't bring the intensity that Westbrook brings off the bench in Sacramento. Westbrook makes Denver easily a top contender for the Larry O'Brien.

THE MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: VICTOR WEMBANYAMA

HMS: JONATHAN KUMINGA, CADE CUNNINGHAM, BRANDIN PODZIEMSKI

Unless any other player in the league decides to triple their statistics and lead their team to the playoffs, there is no reason for Victor Wembanyama not to win this award. As mentioned earlier, he will play more this season. His statistics and overall growth on the NBA court will propel him to the next level. Wembanyama is set for a huge year, alongside guidance from Chris Paul. Paul is an excellent and extremely wise basketball player, only knowing how to win games and improve talent. Although players like Kuminga and Podziemski are getting a bigger role in Golden State with Klay Thompson's departure (other favorites for the award), it won't come close to the season Wembanyama is in for. He will be headlining the DPOY award all season long, should be a lead-vote getter in this season's All-Star game, and may even get MVP nods if the Spurs start to be competitive in the Western Conference.

CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR: LUKA DONCIC

HMS: SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, STEPHEN CURRY, KEVIN DURANT

Luka Doncic is clutch. When you think of nail-biter games, close games, and game-winners you think of none other than Luka "Magic" Doncic. Current leading favorite (along with Curry, Brunson, and Shai) to win this award for good reason. Luka should be put in situations all season long to help get the Mavericks to overtime or a win with a stepback three in the final seconds of regulation. Luka is consistently mentioned as one of the "clutchest" players in the league and with the given situations of Curry losing Klay, Jalen Brunson having plenty of firepower in Madison Square Garden, and Shai also having plenty of firepower with the stacked OKC Thunder roster.

THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: LUKA DONCIC

HMS: ANTHONY EDWARDS, SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, NIKOLA JOKIC

To compliment his Clutch Player of the Year award. It's only best to finally award Luka Doncic his long-awaited Most Valuable Player award. With voters fatigue most likely coming into play to affect Nikola Jokic's incredible run, Luka is due to raise that trophy at NBA Tip-Off in 2025 at American Airlines Center. He has been in conversations for the award for the last half-decade and should continue to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a top-3 seed in the Western Conference, especially with a full season of Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington, new-teammate Klay Thompson, and overall a leap in his performance on the court. Averaging a triple-double and having ridiculous numbers on a nightly basis all season long will grant Luka Doncic his first of many NBA MVP awards.

2024-2025 NBA CHAMPIONS: BOSTON CELTICS

HMS: DALLAS MAVERICKS, OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER, DENVER NUGGETS

A team looking to run it back. The Boston Celtics should easily be the league favorite to raise the Larry O'Brien trophy once again. Although their Latvian giant Kristaps Porzingis is still suffering from injury from their championship run in the summer. They will still play at a high level and be one of/ if not the best team in the league once again. With Porzingis aiming to return to the roster by Christmas. Other than Porzingis' injury can hinder some wins, the roster is still solid. The team is near-identical to their championship roster from last season. It should be another season of absolute dominance and should be an easy run in the playoffs once again giving the Boston Celtics their 19th NBA Championship.

With so many rising stars, revamped rosters, and intense competition, the 2024-25 NBA season is shaping up to be unforgettable. As players fight for individual honors and teams eye the ultimate prize, fans can expect a thrilling journey from opening night to the final buzzer in June.