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Throughout the history of the National Basketball Association, one thing has almost always been true. The league is exceptionally difficult – and especially so for rookies. Unless your name is Magic Johnson, the first year of one’s career portends struggle, heartbreak and mistakes aplenty. But what the NBA has also taught its players is that the name of the pro game is resilience. It’s about what one does with those hard times that matters most. Fall, but get up. And when it comes to the 2023-24 season’s two most hyped rookies – Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson, who were picked first and third in the 2023 draft, respectively – the new season is proving to be a test of all they’ve prized and prided themselves on in the past.

It’s that time of year again. When people gather around the Christmas tree to exchange gifts and then gather around the big-screen television to watch the NBA’s annual slate of games. This year, as in the past, hoops heads are treated to a handful of excellent matchups. So, here below, we wanted to dive into those contests to offer some perspective and some predictions.

The NBA may boast the most talent it’s ever had. There are all-time greats still dominating (LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant) and one-of-a-kind rookies (Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama). The league has 30 teams and only a few (Detroit, Washington, Portland) are devoid of an All-Star or a surefire future one.

In short, the NBA is robust. That also makes it the perfect time for expansion, something NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league intends to explore when its current media rights deals ends in 2025. But where would the league look, and what are its best options? The first stage of expansion would probably be for two more teams but a couple more in the years after that is not out of the question.

With global basketball leagues flourishing and the 2024 Paris Olympics coming up, there is a lot to consider. So, let’s look at a selection (and please note that the list is not exhaustive – this is a mix of moonshots, possibles and probables) going from least to most likely.

In the NBA, there is a skill paramount to winning that isn’t often taught in camps or clinics. Some are born with it and while they can hone the attribute over time, it is not always evident from afar like speed or springy legs. It’s the timeless art of trash talking and in basketball, a sport likened to one played in underwear, where there are no helmets and open space comes at a premium, verbal sparring is frequent.

But who is the best? Who has the most potent style? Who could jaw with such prowess that it helped gain their teams an advantage even before the sneakers are laced? Indeed, whose tongues provide the best weapons? Let’s dig in.

First, though, the honorable mentions: Darryl Dawkins, Sam Cassell (see: marbles dance), Luka Dončić, Patrick Beverley, Trae Young (see: Ice Trae), Rasheed Wallace, John Starks and George Gervin.

Victor Wembanyama’s rookie campaign has been the story of the NBA season so far, which is little surprise given that he’s 7ft 4in and plays with the agility of a much smaller man. Now that we have a decent body of work – 10 NBA games – to learn from, what do those who have been around basketball their whole lives think of the young Frenchman.

When Greg Popovich is enthused, you know you’re onto something. The often-reserved coach of the San Antonio Spurs is known for keeping his composure and not using hyperbole. It’s what’s helped his team win five NBA championships during his ongoing tenure. Now, though, as the league is set to embark on its latest endeavor – the in-season tournament, beginning on Friday night – the 74-year-old coach says that the event is “exciting for everybody”. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the Spurs coach reminded those listening just how driven NBA players are. So, with a chance at winning the new NBA Cup, Pop says teams will rise to the challenge.

ccording to the rules of physics, a body can’t be in two places at once. But some of today’s NBA players are attempting to prove that scientific maxim false. Yes, the subsection of pro basketball players on “two-way” contracts often feel as if they are in multiple places at any single given moment, stretched between different rosters, playing styles, positions, playbooks and cities. But such is the life of a two-way athlete, someone who is walking a dual-pronged path, while also trying to find a permanent home in the league of milk, honey and millionaires. But how do these guys navigate this unique lifestyle and what does it take to succeed?