NBA GMs pick Wembanyama as a top prospect while placing their bets on Tatum and the Celtics for the upcoming NBA season.
After clinching the 2024 NBA championship, the Boston Celtics are the clear frontrunners to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy once more at the end of this season.
On Tuesday, the NBA released its 2024-25 GM survey, revealing that the GMs picked the Celtics as the top choice for the 2025 NBA title. Boston claimed an impressive 83% of the votes, far surpassing the second-place Oklahoma City Thunder, who secured 13%.
In July, the Celtics signed star forward Jayson Tatum to the most lucrative deal in NBA history, a five-year extension valued at up to $314 million. They also kept their championship-winning core intact. NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown seems more determined than ever, especially after missing out on the Team USA roster for the Paris Olympics.
Meanwhile, experienced players like Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Al Horford are set to help Boston remain a dominant force in the Eastern Conference.
The Thunder, who led the Western Conference as the No. 1 seed last season with a 57-25 record, fell short in the conference semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks, by the way, received just 3% of votes for the 2025 championship.
Despite the loss, Oklahoma City’s future looks bright. GMs recognized them as the team with the best offseason moves, giving them 37% of the vote, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers with 33% and the New York Knicks with 20%.
Oklahoma City added veteran players Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein to bring experience to their talented young squad, led by one of the league’s top players.
Thunder’s standout point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander topped the MVP predictions, earning 40% of the votes, while Mavericks’ Luka Dončić came in second with 30%. Gilgeous-Alexander, who has averaged over 30 points per game for the past two seasons, remains the key figure powering Oklahoma City’s offense.
In the annual preseason poll, NBA GMs chose which player they would build a new franchise around. As expected, Victor Wembanyama led with 77% of the votes from the GMs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic followed with 10% each, while Luka Doncic earned 3%.
The previous year, Nikola Jokic topped this category with 33% of the votes, which came after the Nuggets’ historic title win. Given that Wembanyama was still unproven at that time, it’s no surprise he wasn’t higher on the list then.
Wembanyama made a huge impact in his rookie NBA season, playing 71 games and averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.6 blocks per game.
His extraordinary performance earned him the 2024 Rookie of the Year award, a second-place finish for Defensive Player of the Year, and spots on both the NBA All-Rookie and All-Defensive first teams.
Following his rookie campaign, Wembanyama shone at the 2024 Paris Olympics, leading France to the gold medal game. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t overcome the favored Team USA, but Wembanyama’s stellar play earned him a silver medal, showcasing his talent on the international stage.
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Image Credit: © Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
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