As professional sports continue throughout the year, it’s time to get ready for the NBA. The NBA stands for the National Basketball Association and is made up of around 32 teams with a player limit of 15. As of late, the NBA has seen a surprise in decline in viewership, mainly because of how the games are and how the league is ran.   

According to Sports Epreneur, “The NBA is experiencing a decline in popularity, with a reported 28% drop in viewership… Analysts attribute this decline to several factors, including too many regular-season games, a lack of continuity due to frequent player team changes, and confusion among fans caused by changing team uniforms.”  

Although the league is on a decline, there are still several up and comers who are proving themselves in the league, who might be able to help bring up viewership in the future. Young stars like rookie starter Cooper Flag and second year starter Victor Wembenyamba are just two stars who have so much potential.  

According to The Sports Glory, “Victor Wembanyama leads the 2024-25 NBA season with impressive all-around stats, cementing his status as a top rising star… Cooper Flagg’s Versatility: A defensive powerhouse with room for offensive growth.” 

Even though NBA viewership has been on a decline, young stars in the league are helping bring them back up and helping keep the NBA alive.  

As the beginning of the season is underway, here are the front runners for MVP and championship runners. 

According to USA Today, the MVP front runners are “Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and Stephen Curry.”  

The front runners for the NBA championship are, “Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves.” 

All in all, the NBA is ready to get back into the regular season. The season started on Oct. 21, and the NBA is hopeful fans are going to keep up with young stars and to get back into the sport.