{"id":92671,"date":"2025-08-23T14:48:52","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:48:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=92671"},"modified":"2025-08-23T14:48:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T14:48:52","slug":"breaking-stephen-a-smith-names-anthony-davis-and-luka-doncic-as-must-watch-stars-for-2025-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=92671","title":{"rendered":"Breaking!! Stephen A. Smith Names Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic as Must-Watch Stars for 2025-26"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"flex w-full max-w-[980px] flex-col px-4 pt-4 font-secondary lg:px-0\">\n<p class=\"dek prose mb-2.5 italic text-secondary\">Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic headline Stephen A. Smith\u2019s top players to watch as the Mavericks, Lakers enter the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full max-w-[980px] flex-row gap-5\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col lg:max-w-[660px]\">\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aspect-video w-full max-w-full object-contain object-center px-4 lg:px-0\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Mavs-Anthony-Davis-guarding-Lakers-Luka-Doncic.jpg?w=1200\" alt=\"Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) makes a jump shot over Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center.\" \/><\/figure>\n<article class=\"article-body prose max-w-none pb-7 pt-5 prose-figure:max-w-full prose-ol:pl-10 prose-img:max-w-full prose-video:max-w-full md:prose-ol:pl-6 [&amp;_iframe]:m-auto [&amp;_iframe]:block [&amp;_iframe]:max-w-full\">With the\u00a02025-26 NBA season two months away, ESPN analyst\u00a0Stephen A. Smith\u00a0released his list of the\u00a0top five players to watch\u00a0entering October.<\/p>\n<p>The group is led by\u00a0Dallas Mavericks\u00a0forward\u00a0Anthony Davis\u00a0and\u00a0Los Angeles Lakers\u00a0guard\u00a0Luka Doncic,\u00a0two stars linked by last season\u2019s blockbuster trade.<\/p>\n<p>Smith placed Davis at the top of his list. The 32-year-old forward was\u00a0dealt to Dallas at the February trade deadline in exchange for Doncic.<\/p>\n<p>In nine games with the Mavericks, Davis averaged 20 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the field.<\/p>\n<p>Combined with his time in Los Angeles, Davis finished the 2024-25 season averaging 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per game on 51.6% shooting from the field and 28.2% from three-point range across 51 games.<\/p>\n<p>Doncic, who Smith ranked second, enters his first full season with the\u00a0Lakers after inking a three-year, $165 million contract extension\u00a0earlier this summer.<\/p>\n<p>At 26, the guard produced 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 37.9% from three during his 28 games with Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<p>Over the entire 2024-25 campaign, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 45% from the field and 36.8% from three across 50 appearances.<\/p>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col items-center gap-5 px-5 pb-5\">\n<div class=\"relative w-full overflow-hidden h-[300px]\">\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" class=\"\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1958919867194556649&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Fnba%2Fdallas-mavericks%2Fmavericks-news-anthony-davis-luka-doncic-top-players-watch-2025-26-stephen-a-smith-says&amp;sessionId=6200a4c30e96f4bf8fdc25fdf7a0e68bf5d20237&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"1958919867194556649\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"flex h-12 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-primary-accent px-5 py-3 font-secondary font-semibold text-primary-accent\"><\/button><\/div>\n<h2><strong>Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic lead Stephen A. Smith\u2019s top five players to watch<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_3447010\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-3447010\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3447010\" src=\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LeBron-Luka-Lakers-2.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LeBron-Luka-Lakers-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LeBron-Luka-Lakers-2.jpg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LeBron-Luka-Lakers-2.jpg?resize=768,430 768w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LeBron-Luka-Lakers-2.jpg?resize=1024,573 1024w, https:\/\/wp.clutchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/LeBron-Luka-Lakers-2.jpg?resize=150,84 150w\" alt=\"Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and forward LeBron James (23) and Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"573\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-3447010\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Smith\u2019s list also includes Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, who ranked third.\u00a0Durant joined Houston this offseason in a multi-team trade\u00a0from the Phoenix Suns, marking another shift in his storied career.<\/p>\n<p>Jimmy Butler followed at fourth after being traded from the Miami Heat\u00a0to the Golden State Warriors at the February deadline, giving Golden State an additional All-Star presence alongside Stephen Curry.<\/p>\n<p>Rounding out the top five is\u00a0Kyrie Irving, who is recovering from a torn ACL\u00a0suffered in March against the Sacramento Kings.<\/p>\n<p>Irving, 33, remains a central figure despite the injury setback. He posted 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.1% from three in 50 games last season.<\/p>\n<p>The selections highlight a dramatic offseason that reshaped the league. Davis and Doncic\u2019s trade connected two of the NBA\u2019s most prominent franchises in a rare superstar swap, while Durant and Butler found new homes through high-profile deals that shifted the balance of power.<\/p>\n<p>Irving\u2019s rehabilitation adds another storyline as the league anticipates his eventual return.<\/p>\n<p>The Mavericks and Lakers are set to face off in a preseason matchup on Oct. 15, televised nationally on ESPN.<\/p>\n<p>Their first regular-season meeting comes on Nov. 28 in Los Angeles, a game that could serve as Davis\u2019 return to face the Lakers since the February trade.<\/p>\n<p>With Davis and Doncic headlining Stephen A. Smith\u2019s list, the focus on both stars underscores the heightened expectations surrounding the Mavericks and Lakers as the 2025-26 season approaches.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic headline Stephen A. Smith\u2019s top players to watch as the Mavericks, Lakers enter the 2025-26 season. With the\u00a02025-26 NBA season two months away,&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":92672,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-92671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Breaking!! Stephen A. 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