George, James and Antetokounmpo. The new NBA season is a star-studded start

Just a few hours to go before the 81st NBA season gets underway. The first teams to take to the court at 9 pm (Italian time) will be the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics. For the new season, the league’s most successful franchise has secured a new signing, the veteran Paul George – a player of extraordinary talent, though less reliable when it comes to his physical stamina. However, George’s debut in the green jersey, like the game itself, will take a back seat tonight. This is because, less than 800 km away, all eyes are on another debut: that of LeBron James with the Philadelphia 76ers on the grandest of stages – the New York Knicks’ home ground, Madison Square Garden.

Four months have passed since 14 June, the day on which the Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, brought a title back to New York that had eluded the city for 53 years. The squad coached by Mike Brown certainly has no intention of stopping there: the shrewdness with which this team has been built up over recent years means they can harbour the same ambitions as last season, with the aim of doing what Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors last achieved nine years ago: winning the title twice in a row. Of course, they’ll face Philadelphia straight away – another team that was put together this summer to win. Just think: the starting five will feature Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown (acquired in the swap for Paul George) and, of course, LeBron James.

The King is now in his twenty-fourth season in the American top flight, making him the longest-serving player in the competition’s history – yet another record to add to his collection. After eight years, and having won just one title, James left the Lakers to join the Philadelphia franchise precisely because of the project they were building: to win. This represents a significant opportunity for James, who will turn 42 at the end of December, particularly given the chance to fill the one remaining gap—if it can be called that—and definitively cement his place in history: Michael Jordan won six titles, LeBron four. The contract signed with the Sixers is a two-year deal.

LeBron’s departure has left a void in the Los Angeles Lakers’ squad. This void will allow 27-year-old Luka Doncic to step out of James’s very comfortable, yet equally cumbersome, shadow and take the definitive step towards basketball maturity, becoming the franchise’s sole undisputed star. And he will be able to do so straight away, as he is set to take to the court against the Warriors. Alongside the Slovenian will be new signing Walker Kessler and Austin Reaves, back to full fitness following his injury last spring – a player who doesn’t always steal the limelight, but does the right thing at the right time. He’s the sort of player every coach would want on their team because when he’s there, you don’t notice him, but when he’s missing, you feel the difference. J.J. Redick would certainly have appreciated having him on the roster during the last playoffs.

There is another debut, however, to keep an eye on this new season, and that is that of Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Heat. The Greek left the Bucks to join Miami after thirteen years and over 21,000 points in Milwaukee. While Philadelphia is a team built to win, the Heat appear every bit as strong: alongside Antetokounmpo will be Andrew Wiggins, Klay Thompson and Sam Adebayo. The franchise’s very high standard will also provide an opportunity for Simone Fontecchio, the last Italian remaining in the NBA, to show what he’s made of. Coach Erik Spoelstra has consistently expressed high regard for the Italian, but now in his fourth year in the top American league, Fontecchio must demonstrate that he is the player who convinced the Utah Jazz to bring him to America and who can help revive Italian basketball.