As the 78th season of the NBA draws closer, fans and teams will be showered with a lot of new reasons to remain excited about the ball games. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum in his pre-season media conference gave the highlights on what the season promises: fresh talents, elevated level of play, the debut of the In-Season Tournament, and on top of all of that—the thrilling knowledge that no franchise is a favorite to take away the title.
Tatum shared that the World Cup held earlier this year in the Philippines has helped players reach a new level of play that can be beneficial as they start their regular season stints.
“We had a ton of NBA players playing over in the World Cup, and what a great experience that was. The Philippines is one of the biggest and most passionate fan bases, hitting a record for attendance in FIBA. You have Luka (Doncic) leading Slovenia, Germany led by (Dennis) Shroder. All had incredible performances and competition,” he shared.
The players’ development can be largely attributed to the training camps they held in preparation for the World Cup. “They were in sort of mid-season form if you will heading into the season and I think that’s gonna create some exciting basketball early on in the season.”
Adding to the elevated level of play in the league is the international talent that comes with it. Tatum proudly announced that the league has grown to over 100+ international talents, an all-time high for the NBA. Fans are enjoying the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Domantas Sabonis, Lauri Markkanen, and even the Philippines’ very own Jordan Clarkson. Entering into the new season, a lot of hype has grown around the No. 1 draft pick from France, Victor Wembanyama.
All these players will be showcased in the In-season Tournament, the NBA Cup, the newest competition to debut in the upcoming season. Teams will be competing in Group Play matchups and winners will emerge from their corresponding groups. The winning team will receive a trophy, and on an individual level, there will be an In-Season Tournament MVP and an all-tournament team. All of these can spark a whole new era of exciting basketball.
“It really gives us the space to create a new championship tradition that will translate over time to teams, players, and fans. We’re giving these [regular season] games more significance by putting up an In-Season Tournament.”
The opening day of the 2023-24 NBA season features a double-header between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers, and the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.
