Jackson State University students share their NBA predictions

Jan 26

The National Basketball Association is changing before our eyes. Since the 2022-23 season began on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, fans have been blessed with high-level basketball.

The players the world once watched through viral college highlights are now dominating the league.

The high-flying former Murray State guard Ja Morant is putting on for the south, averaging 27.3 points per game while leading a determined Memphis Grizzlies team and giving out daily highlights.

The Grizzlies are looking for redemption after NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, ended their 2021-22 season in the Western Conference Semifinals. However, Morant is not the only player performing MVP-caliber basketball.

The 6-7 Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic, is leading out of six players who are currently averaging at least 30 points per game.

Jayme Mitchell, Jackson native and sophomore guard for the Jackson State University basketball team, believes Doncic could take home the scoring title if he continues to dominate.

"Luka Doncic is currently averaging the most in the league at almost 34 points," stated Mitchell. "If he keeps playing like this, he's going to win it."

Outside of individual performances, the race to the Larry O'Brien Trophy has new competitors stepping up. Teams struggling to pick up the pace last year are now taking the league by storm.

After trading away their franchise players, fans expected the Utah Jazz to fall behind in the star-studded Western Conference.

Although the new Jazz team was built for the future, they are dominating today's league. The addition of Collin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Lauri Markkanen has given the Jazz an unexpected regular season run in the Western Conference.

Matthew Adams, a junior journalism and media studies major from Atlanta, Ga., expressed his thoughts on the sudden success of the Utah Jazz.

"I feel like with the loss of two of their All-Stars, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, they lost some key pieces. But right now, it's looking like they are a playoff contender," Adams said.

Lauri Markkanen (23) has found success on the Utah Jazz | Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

He acknowledged how Utah has improved this season after acquiring a more versatile center. But while other teams made the necessary moves to improve their franchises, others have fallen behind.

Elijah Spann, a junior journalism and media studies student from Mendenhall, Miss., expressed his disappointment with the Brooklyn Nets following the trade for Ben Simmons. He believed that the Nets should trade Simmons if he does not get comfortable soon.

"Make him play like his potential and get him back in the lab," Spann said. "Let him just be him without heavily critiquing him."

Despite Simmons consistently underperforming, the Nets have picked up the pace and started winning big-time games. The Nets are currently the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, sitting at 29-19.

The Lakers are also a team that, despite having an awful start to the season, is now picking up the pace. With the addition of former Washington Wizards forward Rui Hachimura and the return of Anthony Davis, the Lakers are looking to make up for the terrible start of the season.

Rui Hachimura (28) in his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers | Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

They are currently ranked 22nd out of the 30 teams in the league with a .460 win percentage. Lakers fans are hopeful that the recent trades will influence their journey to .500.

Meanwhile, their historic rivals, the Boston Celtics, have established themselves as a true contender for the title. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both averaging over 25 points per game, as they currently hold the best record in the league.

With the addition of Blake Griffin, Malcolm Brogdon, and Danilo Gallinari, the Celtics have added more depth to their highly talented team. Although Boston fell short against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals last year, fans believe that history will not repeat itself this year.

Adams predicts that the new additions to the team will elevate the 2021 Eastern Conference champions to Finals champions.

"With these additions, I feel as if they have more than enough potential to make it back," Adams said.

He believes that the team's experience will play a big factor in their 2022-23 run.

Students Spann and Mitchell also believe the Celtics have the potential to bring the franchise its 18th championship.

Although teams are showing strong glimpses of championship contention, there are still plenty of games left in the season yet to be played.