The NBA is on its way back, and this season is more exciting than ever. With trades ranging from exciting to heartbreaking, and rookies coming in from all over the world, people are more than hyped to watch this coming year of basketball.

As this season approaches, fans are left wondering many things. How will big-name trades, and rookies change the way the game flows? Are the Oklahoma City Thunder going to be able to defend their championship? Senior Max Meza, member of the basketball team at Cathedral Catholic shares, “To go to the finals, I’m predicting the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the New York Knicks.” Similarly, Dillon Wilhite, a Cathedral Catholic alum who went on to play basketball at Kansas, says he sees OKC, the Denver Nuggets, and the New York Knicks as three of the biggest contenders. Wilhite says, “I love OKC’s youth and energy, and they’ve already proven they can win championships.”

Trades are happening, and fans can’t help but question them. The Houston Rockets gained Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. Wilhite says, “Seeing Kevin Durant in Houston is going to be fun, especially with the pace they play at.” Many other teams have also traded important players, such as the Boston Celtics losing Kristaps Porziņġis to the Atlanta Hawks, Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Luke Kornet to the San Antonio Spurs. The Indiana Pacers gave Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Milwaukee Bucks traded Damian Lillard back to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he initially came from.

Along with veterans, rookies are also making a big impact. This year’s draft class is more exciting than ever.

Meza includes which rookies he’s most excited to watch: “Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. I’ve been watching them since high school.” Dillon also says he’s “excited to see what Cooper Flagg does in Dallas and how his game translates into the league in a prominent role.” Wilhite talks about how “rookies are coming in more skilled and prepared than ever.”

Now, let’s take a look at some underrated players. Meza talks about “19”-year-old Jayson Tatum who plays for the Boston Celtics. Meza says he “loves his game, 6’10 wing and can really score.” Derrick White is also regarded as one of the most underrated NBA players. He was an unranked high school player and received zero DI offers. In college, he played at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS) before transferring to the University of Colorado, Boulder. He then eventually was a first-round draft pick (2017) selected by the San Antonio Spurs. He then went on to win a championship with his current team the Boston Celtics. LeBron James talks a little bit about this on the ‘Mind the Game’ podcast.

With many story lines to come, this year’s season is shaping up to be extremely unpredictable. Some may even say the most unpredictable season yet.