We are just days away from the start of the NBA season, and it’s time to start thinking about what the new year could bring.
A major part of each season is who heads home with some hardware when everything is said and done. So, yes, that is a ways down the road, but why not take a stab at giving a way-too-early prediction?
Here we go:
Rookie of the Year — AJ Dybantsa (Wizards)
It may be obvious to predict the No. 1 overall pick to win Rookie of the Year, but AJ Dybantsa just seems a level ahead of his competition.
Dybantsa has shown flashes of his abilities throughout the off-season, as he averaged 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in Summer League. He followed that with some steady work in pre-season, averaging 13 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and two steals while shooting 42.4 per cent from the field.
What additionally gives Dybantsa the edge in the race is who his running mates will be on the Washington Wizards, alongside one of the NBA’s elite playmakers, Trae Young and a premier big man, Anthony Davis.
Having such proven talent around Dybantsa will allow him to progress quickly and find his footing as an NBA star.
Coach of the Year — Will Hardy (Jazz)
The Utah Jazz have missed four straight post-seasons, and are coming off a miserable 22-60 season. However, things were slightly different last year, as the Jazz’s goal was a lottery pick instead of competing for a title. Utah consistently sat out its top players while others battled injuries, but health and youth should be on the horizon this season.
The Jazz are bringing back their core of Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, Isaiah Collier and Ace Bailey, while adding No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson into the mix.
Will Hardy is entering his fifth season and has been at the helm through all the struggles, but he now has a chance to change the narrative surrounding the Jazz. Hardy is respected as an elite basketball mind, and he can now show that by developing this young Utah core into a perennial playoff team.
The 38-year-old has the opportunity to get the Jazz a top seed in a much weaker Western Conference than in the past.
Most Improved Player — Cason Wallace (Thunder)
The Oklahoma City Thunder will have a new starting shooting guard this season in Cason Wallace. The fourth-year guard is widely expected to slot in OKC’s backcourt alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander following the off-season trade of Lu Dort.
Wallace is no stranger to starting, as he did it 58 times last season, but now he gets the chance to do it for a full 82. He averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 43.2 per cent shooting from the field and 35.1 per cent from three last season.
Those numbers don’t jump out at you, but it’s his defensive capabilities that have always been respected. Wallace averaged 1.9 steals per game last season en route to finishing seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Wallace can now continue to showcase his stopper abilities while expanding his offensive role. His ability to knock down threes could turn him into a top 3-and-D option.
Defensive Player of the Year — Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
If Victor Wembanyama is in the league and healthy, it’s hard to pick anyone but him to win the Defensive Player of the Year award every season.
The San Antonio Spurs phenom became the first-ever unanimous winner of the award last season, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he does it again. Wembanyama has averaged 3.6, 3.8 and 3.1 blocks per game over his first three seasons in the NBA, leading the league each time.
The 22-year-old also averaged a steal per game last year, grabbed 9.5 defensive rebounds and boasted a 101.0 defensive rating. A number that also stands out drastically is Wembanyama’s defensive win shares; he led the NBA in the advanced statistic with five.
Wembanyama would most likely be going for a three-peat with the award if he hadn’t missed nearly half of 2024-25 with a blood clot. His seven-foot-four frame allows him to be the anchor of the Spurs defence with ease.
Sixth Man of the Year — Dylan Harper (Spurs)
Realistically, Dylan Harper should be a starter in the NBA, but due to the Spurs’ crowded backcourt, he is forced into being the sixth man behind De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
In his rookie season, Harper averaged 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 50.5 per cent shooting. The second-generation star finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and 11th in Sixth Man of the Year with those numbers.
Harper now enters his sophomore season with some experience, and he had the chance to play in the NBA Finals. In 23 post-season games, he averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and a steal on 51.5 per cent shooting.
Even though the Spurs came up short, Harper showed he can rise to the occasion when needed and how much of an offensive weapon he can become. The 20-year-old is also playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Harper made it clear that he believes he should be a starter in the league in an interview with GQ, saying: “I ain’t coming off no bench." Harper will look to find his way into the opening lineup by dominating in his role.
Most Valuable Player — Giannis Antetokounmpo (Heat)
It’s definitely an unpopular opinion to pick anyone other than Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Nikola Jokic to win MVP.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to begin his first season off the Milwaukee Bucks, and he joins a new-look Miami Heat roster. The Greek Freak has won the MVP twice already and has a loaded trophy cabinet, but we may see a hungrier Antetokounmpo than ever before.
Antetokounmpo had a down 2025-26, averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists on 62.4 per cent shooting in just 36 games as he battled injuries and the Bucks’ front office. However, in years prior, Antetokounmpo averaged 30-plus points and shot over 60 per cent from the field consistently.
He now also joins a Heat team that is relatively weak and has been built to support his needs. Antetokounmpo will have the ball in his hands more than ever as Miami’s best shot creator, and he is surrounded by shooters for him to find on the wings. He will likely have to shoulder the load offensively most nights, and will have Bam Adebayo to support him defensively, allowing him to focus more on scoring.
The 31-year-old is already one of the best players of all time, and he now has something to prove. Antetokounmpo will need to be at his best to get people to forget all the negative publicity that surrounded his departure from Milwaukee.
NBA champion - San Antonio Spurs defeat Philadelphia 76ers in six games
The Spurs came so close to winning it all, but fell short at the hands of the New York Knicks. Wembanyama and his cohorts are not going to want to feel the pain of a loss like that again, and their roster is perfectly built to make another run for the title. If Wembanyama makes another leap while the youngsters continue to find their role, it’s hard to imagine San Antonio not getting through all their competition.
Their final opponent will be the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. That starting five could be one of the best of all time, and each of them brings their own skill set to the table. Brown has the chance to be the No. 1 option on offence, Embiid can control the paint, Maxey and Edgecombe can continue to grow, and James will be playing with the hopes of getting one last ring before he sails into the sunset.
All that will be enough to get the 76ers to the Finals, but not to the mountaintop. Once they run into the Spurs’ top-notch young core, they just won’t have enough to keep up with the pace. Expect San Antonio to take down Philadelphia in six games in the 2027 Finals.
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