Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · 2d

The "face of the NBA" title has shifted neatly from Magic and Bird to Jordan to Kobe to LeBron and Curry. But who comes next?

My new story on the possible paths for Wemby, Ant, Luka, Flagg, and more:

Wemby, Luka, Ant? Examining the players primed to become the face of the NBA

ESPN analyst Zach Kram explores the paths and players who could follow in Curry and James' footsteps.

www.espn.com

7

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Sep 5

Earlier this week, I also wrote about new Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, one of the most underrated stars in league history

www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

Why Dwight Howard absolutely belongs as a first-ballot Hall of Famer

The long, undistinguished final arc of Dwight Howard's career masks just how high he climbed at his peak.

www.espn.com

2

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Sep 5

With the new Basketball Hall of Fame class being inducted this weekend, I surveyed the active players who are most likely to join them in the future

www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...

Who's next? Tiering Hall of Fame chances for 50 active NBA stars

From top-75 locks to vets on the bubble, Zach Kram runs down the active NBA players on the path to Springfield.

www.espn.com

2 2 13

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Aug 18

I have fun with this piece every year: Here's the key statistic for all 30 teams entering the 2025-26 season

The stat that could swing every NBA team's 2025-26 season

What numbers are teams focused on with just over a month until camp? Zach Kram runs down the big stat for all 30 franchises.

www.espn.com

1 6

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jul 22

This was a fun one to write: I ranked all 30 NBA teams' worst mistakes of the 2020s thus far, from confounding contracts to disastrous draft picks to franchise-altering terrible trades

Franchise-shifting trades to draft disasters: Roster mistakes for all 30 NBA teams since 2020

Zach Kram examines the deals, trades and picks that all 30 NBA teams would like to take back from the 2020s.

www.espn.com

2 2 26

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jul 16

I don't understand the sentiment I've seen online that Bradley Beal is an upgrade over Norm Powell at this stage of their careers

6 33

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jul 11

SGA will earn almost $1 million per game in the final year of his new supermax contract. The first NBA player to cross that threshold is coming soon.

I dove into all the implications of this financial milestone in a new piece for ESPN.

The NBA is closing in on its first $1 million per game player

The reigning MVP will get close, but the league is still waiting for its first $82 million per year player.

www.espn.com

1 1 13

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jul 8

I tiered the 15 Western Conference teams after the initial offseason flurry. The Thunder are in a group of their own, but who's closest to catching the champs?

NBA free agency 2025: New West tiers after flurry of moves

Did any West team do enough to challenge the champs? Zach Kram runs through a new-look conference.

www.espn.com

1 3

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jul 3

Offseason winners and losers!

NBA free agency winners and losers: Where Houston, Atlanta -- and, yes, the Lakers -- check in

From big-man depth to the New Orleans Pelicans, here are the early winners and losers of early NBA free agency.

www.espn.com

2 2 18

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jul 1

Lillard news is the first of the offseason that literally caused my jaw to drop

43

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 30

Wrote about Luke Kornet in today's piece (espn.com/nba/story/_/...). Advanced stats *love* his impact on both ends.

4

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 30

Featuring one of my favorite stats I've discovered in a while

Only two players with at least 800 minutes last season averaged at least 20 points, nine rebounds and 2.5 3-pointers per 36 minutes. One was Chris Boucher. The other was Victor Wembanyama.

1 7

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 30

Before the free agent frenzy begins, here are 7 underrated targets this summer, from post-prime award-winners to unheralded analytics darlings and more:

Seven underrated NBA free agents -- and teams that should sign them

As the Finals showed, a deep bench can make the difference. Here are seven players to watch this week, including former champions and a Hall of Famer.

www.espn.com

1 1 9

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 26

My draft value chart has the difference between the 13th and 23rd picks as equivalent to no. 28.

In other words, as long as the Pelicans and Bucks aren't 2 of the 3 best teams in the NBA next season, the Hawks won this trade based on pick value.

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 26

The Pelicans project as a bottom-3 team in the West and just gave up next year's unprotected pick (or the Bucks' pick if they trade Giannis)???

2 11

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 26

The Pelicans project as a bottom-3 team in the West and just gave up next year's unprotected pick (or the Bucks' pick if they trade Giannis)???

2 21

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

And then a piece I'll re-circulate from after the conference finals, detailing the many, many ways that this OKC team resembles the dynastic Warriors from last decade

Looking in the mirror: What Oklahoma City's roster shares with the last NBA dynasty

The Thunder have followed in the footsteps of the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors this season. Is a future dynasty in the making?

www.espn.com

1

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

First, a deep dive into Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's growing legacy, after he capped off one of the greatest statistical seasons in NBA history

SGA just capped one of the rarest feats in NBA history

An MVP, a scoring title and a ring by age 26? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins elite company after a dominant 2024-25 run.

www.espn.com

1 2

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

Wanted to share some next-day reading about the new NBA champions, including a piece with this remarkable chart

2 1 9

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

This is ridiculous for a 26-year-old!

1

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the second-youngest player in NBA history with an MVP, Finals MVP, and scoring title. He has the highest-scoring championship season ever, beating Michael Jordan by 0.1 ppg.

On SGA's budding legacy, after a season for the ages:

SGA just capped one of the rarest feats in NBA history

An MVP, a scoring title and a ring by age 26? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins elite company after a dominant 2024-25 run.

www.espn.com

1 15 70

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

Players with 20 points and 10 assists in a Finals Game 7:

Jerry West in 1969 (won MVP even in a loss)
Walt Frazier in 1970
Big Game James Worthy in 1988
LeBron James in 2016
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tonight

1 3 10

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

- SGA stepback 3
- SGA kickout to Chet for 3
- SGA kickout to J-Dub for 3

The platonic ideal of an offensive sequence for the Thunder, turning a tie game into a 9-point lead

6

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

The first 7 minutes of this game were phenomenal. Can't believe it just screeched to a halt like that.

2 39

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 23

Tyrese Haliburton is only the 5th player ever to make at least three 3-pointers in Game 7 of the Finals. The first quarter is less than halfway over.

The others:
Battier (6 in 2013)
Draymond (6 in 2016)
LeBron (5 in 2013
Steph (4 in 2016)

2 1 19

Zach Kram @zachkram.bsky.social · Jun 20

For what it's worth, the only NBA Finals Game 7s over the last two decades have all been classics. We're due for another!

Cavs 93-89 over Warriors in 2016
Heat 95-88 over Spurs in 2013
Lakers 83-79 over Celtics in 2010

5 18 99