From Wembanyama Watching to Flagg Waving, NBA Stars Can Outshine Tarnish of Gambling Allegations

The gambling allegations that rocked the National Basketball Association (NBA) last week will likely be a footnote when the championship bucket is scored at season’s end.

That’s because the league-wide talent level seems to have spiked and the superstars are reaching new heights. If the first week of the season is any indicator, some of the game’s biggest names—particularly the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, the Los Angeles Lakers’ main point producer, Luka Dončić, and Dallas Mavericks’ rookie, Cooper Flagg—are expected to bring unmatched excitement to a season that is shrouded in controversy.

Wemby on Another Level

Wembanyama recently became the first player in league history to score 100-plus points and record 15 blocks in the first three games of the regular season as the Spurs beat the Brooklyn Nets 118–107 on Oct. 26.

Wembanyama opened the season by stealing the spotlight from Flagg in his Oct. 23 debut. Wembanyama, who was out eight months last season because of deep vein thrombosis, recorded 40 points and snatched 15 rebounds in a 125–92 rout of the Mavs, making veteran Dallas center Anthony Davis look like a novice in the process.

The 7-foot-4 Frenchman put on a dazzling array of point guard-like moves that made defenders drop their arms (and their jaws) as he let the league know he had worked on his game in the offseason.

The Spurs raced past the Toronto Raptors on Monday, 118–107, pushing their record to 3-0.

Wembanyama’s field goal percentage is up, as is his 3-point shooting efficiency. His rebounds and blocks have also seen a bump, and some believe the 21-year-old even grew some over the offseason.

Everything seems to be looking up for Wembanyama and the Spurs.

Reshaped Luka Helps Reform LA

Much was made of Dončić’s offseason body sculpting, but it was the beauty of his shooting touch that grabbed attention in the first two games for the Lakers.

Dončić eclipsed the man on the NBA logo, Jerry West, for most points in franchise history in the first two games of a season. The Lakers topped the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 128–110 victory on Friday as Dončić poured in 49 points.

The offensive outburst meant so much more because injured Lakers superstar LeBron James isn’t expected to join the action until mid-November. Dončić is figured to carry the scoring load for the Lakers, but Austin Reaves hit the Sacramento Kings with a career-high 51 points in a 127–120 victory for Los Angeles on Oct. 26. He followed that up with 41 in a loss the next night to prove he can be a consistent scoring threat.

Dončić is shooting the best percentage of his eight-plus seasons—with the small sample size—and looks the part of a re-sculpted star. He will be out for about a week because of a finger sprain and a lower leg contusion, but his fast start has the Lakers eyeing success at the end of the tunnel.

A Lot of Rookie Flagg Waving

Flagg struggled to 10 points and 10 boards with zero assists and a –29 in plus-minus rating as the Mavs fell to Wembanyama in the team’s opener, but he played a big role in the team’s first victory of the season. Flagg dropped 22 points as Dallas got past the Toronto Raptors 139-129 on Sunday.

The 6′ 9” point guard out of Duke hasn’t had a breakout game like some of the other young stars, but the 18-year-old looks ready for an explosion, which could happen at any moment.

Meanwhile, rookie V. J. Edgecombe of the 76ers became part of the new process in Philadelphia on Oct. 22, making a huge impression with 34 points in his debut. It was the most points in a debut since Wilt Chamberlain netted 43 on Oct. 24, 1959.

The 76ers opened up strong, despite a mediocre showing from All-Star center Joel Embiid, and Edgecombe is a big reason.

That Losing Life

The Boston Celtics, who lost their scoring leader Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles during the playoffs last season, have started the season 0-3. Many experts predicted they were in for a long season, and the rest of the NBA is ready to pounce on a team in a compromised state that’s trying to cut contracts around the trade deadline.

The 0–3 Pacers, who lost in the finals when two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with a ruptured right Achilles, look like they will hit the skids in Indiana. They also lost Myles Turner to free agency, as the pace of winning will require depth throughout the long grind.

Overall, the great performances are certain to continue. The NBA just has to stay out of its own way, digging itself out of the FBI investigation while its superstars remain healthy and productive.