2024-25 NBA Season Predictions: 5 players who could lead league in points
The 2024-25 NBA season is about to commence and basketball fans are excited to see their favorite players battle it out on the hardwood again. Last season, we've witnessed a plethora of players put up insane scoring numbers.
For example, Luka Doncic's 73 points against the Atlanta Hawks in January en route to winning the scoring title. Then there's Joel Embiid who put up 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs.
With all these crazy feats, fans might be dying to know who could lead the NBA in points this season. Here are our predictions on the five players who could lead the league in scoring.
Note: This listicle reflects the opinion of the writer. Readers should take this with a grain of salt.
5 players who could lead the NBA in points in 2024-25
#1 Luka Doncic
People call Luka Doncic "Magic" for a reason. Whenever the ball is in his hands, it either automatically converts to a bucket or he unleashes his wizardry by creating jaw-dropping plays for his teammates.
Aside from scoring the most points in a single game last season with 73, Doncic also led the league in points per game. Luka averaged 33.9 ppg matched with an efficient 48.7% shooting.
Looking at his numbers from the season prior to last year, his scoring average was virtually the same with 32.4 ppg. With that in mind, it's likely Doncic could lead the NBA in points come the 2024-25 season.
#2 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Despite lacking a solid jump shot in his bag of tricks, Giannis Antetokounmpo is still one of the best scorers in the NBA today. For the past couple of seasons, Antetokounmpo averaged 30 points and above. He had 30.4 ppg last season and 31.1 ppg in the 2022-23 season.
Given his consistency in averaging 30 points a game, chances are he could be among the top five scorers come the 2024-25 season. Depending on how Giannis and Luka Doncic will perform, we're predicting they could go neck-and-neck for the top spot.
#3 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Another player on this list who averaged at least 30 points per game in the last couple of seasons is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. While he's not the most explosive scorer -- his career-high is 44 points -- SGA sure is consistent. Per StatMuse, SGA led the league in 30+ point games last season with 51, one ahead of Luka.
Gilgeous-Alexander is currently the OKC Thunder's top star, which gives him a higher probability of recreating his scoring outbursts.
#4 Joel Embiid
Before Joel Embiid made an abrupt exit last year due to a knee injury, the Philadelphia 76ers star was on track to potentially winning his second consecutive MVP award. Within the 39 games he played, Embiid averaged 34.7 ppg, which is higher than Luka Doncic's 33.9 ppg.
Unfortunately for him, Embiid didn't play enough games for his scoring figures to qualify. However, it's worth noting that the Sixers big man is the only one on this list who averaged 30 points or higher in the last three seasons. If his injuries don't get in the way, Embiid could easily dominate the NBA in points.
#5 Jaylen Brown
Among all the players on this list, Jaylen Brown seems to be the odd one here. Brown averaged 23 points per game last season, down significantly from his career-high of 26.6 points the previous year.
However, Brown leading the league in points might not be as farfetched as it seems. He is coming off an NBA Finals MVP victory. Achieving such an accolade could give him the confidence booster to potentially lead the Boston Celtics this season.
Of course, there's no denying that Jayson Tatum is technically the team's number-one option. But it appears that Brown is looking to make a statement this season, especially after getting snubbed from playing for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics.