Sam Coltrane
- MVP — Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- Defensive Player of the Year — Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Sixth Man of the Year — Montrezl Harrell, Los Angeles Clippers
- Most Improved Player — De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings
- Rookie of the Year — Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
- Coach of the Year — Nate McMillan, Indiana Pacers
- 1st Team All-NBA
- Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- James Harden, Houston Rockets
- LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves
- 2nd Team All-NBA
- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
- 3rd Team All-NBA
- Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
- Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
- Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
- Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- 1st Team All-Defense
- Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Clippers
- Jrue Holiday, New Orleans Pelicans
- Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
- Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
- Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
- 2nd Team All-Defense
- Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs
- Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
- Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
- Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
- 1st Team All-Rookie
- Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
- Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Tyler Herro, Miami Heat
- R.J. Barrett, New York Knicks
- Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
- 2nd Team All-Rookie
- Coby White, Chicago Bulls
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, New Orleans Pelicans
- Dylan Windler, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
- Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards
With the NBA season under a month away. I spotlighted my locks for future bettors across the world (I’m in a hole).
Curry will remind everyone he is a top-5 NBA player as he unleashes both his scoring and off ball prowess across the league essentially demonstrating from day one he is the MVP like he did to kick-off the 2015 season.
Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers will be in the news all year. It will help him win an award maybe one or two others could have deserved more.
Harrell had the third-most baskets in the restricted area in the entire league last year. With two elite mid-range stars coming to town, he should get even more on his way to beating his teammate Lou Williams for the honor.
While with Team USA, the only words about Fox were positive. I suspect he’ll have a great year which ultimately will lead the Sacramento Kings to the playoffs and him to Most Improved.
Williamson will be the most talented player on a surprisingly good team who could absolutely sneak into the playoffs out West and would be a team who could win their first series in the East.
Coach of the Year, which I predict will be the closest race of them all (except maybe an undeserved DPOY), will be Nate McMillan as he narrowly edges out Brad Stevens. I believe both teams will finish either third or fourth in the East. They won’t have the element of surprise, but they will do better than expected unless you’re already bullish on both, like myself.
The All-NBA teams are comprised of many familiar faces, but look for Towns to make a sneak appearance as he will put up monstrous numbers on a bad team and Holiday will be the most important (not talented) player on a surprise New Orleans Pelicans team.
Lastly, welcome back Dejounte Murray as I predict he sneaks onto 2nd Team All-Defense in his first season back from injury.