Three notable NBA stars who have the most to gain for their respective resumes heading into the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
March Madness is often referred to as the "One Shining Moment" for the college players across the tournament, but the same can be said about the NBA Playoffs, where players have the chance to show out with everybody watching and change their perceptions forever.
Every year, there are a few players that take a big leap in the playoffs, earning them more respect and attention as some of the top players in the game. Last year, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic, Tyrese Haliburton, and Anthony Edwards were a few of the stars who gained the most respect in the playoffs— all are talked about in a brighter light based on the incredible performances they put forth.
This season, there are several players with tons to gain, but I believe there are three clear stars who stand out at the front of the pack. As the NBA Playoffs quickly approach, we explore three notable stars with the most to gain heading into the postseason.
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is having one of the best seasons in recent memory when you take into account his statistical excellence and his team's unbelievable record (65-13). A deep playoff run would cement his 2024-25 in the conversation as the greatest in NBA history.
SGA is currently averaging 32.8 points per game. No player has ever won the championship while averaging that many points - not Kareem, not Wilt, and not even Jordan. In fact, only Wilt, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and Luka Doncic have reached the Finals with such an average. Additionally, with the Thunder having the potential to reach 69-13 if they win out, winning the Finals would make SGA the sixth-winningest player in a single season in NBA history (85 wins).
If SGA performs in the playoffs and goes on to win a championship, he will instantly elevate himself to being the face of the NBA and will prove all of the doubters wrong that said the Thunder were too young, that they needed a proven second option to help SGA, and that he flops too much. Nobody has more to gain than him.
2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum has been disrespected for a year on hand. Between not winning Finals MVP, getting benched during the Olympics, and the criticism of his personality from NBA fans, Tatum is not getting the respect he deserves. According to some pundits, he also hasn't proven that he can win without a "super team."
The 2024-25 Celtics team is far from a super team. Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday have struggled relative to last season, and Kristaps Porzingis has missed 37 games. The league has also gotten better with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers both on pace to win at least 65 games, meaning the Celtics are no longer viewed as the best team.
If Tatum is able to lead the Celtics to a championship, he'd defy the stigma against him that he isn't good enough to be the clear best player on a championship team. He'd also make Boston the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Warriors in 2018, and he'd become the third active player, along with LeBron James and Steph Curry, with at least two championships as the leading scorer on the team.
Tatum doesn't have much to lose - if he and the Celtics were to lose to Cleveland in the conference finals, he still would have made it further than any defending champion since the 2019 Warriors. However, if he is able to capture his second Larry O'Brien trophy, his résumé will be up there with the best.
3. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Kawhi Leonard has been written off. He's either been stopped short or injured in the playoffs since 2019 when he made the transition from Toronto to LA. Since the 2020-21 season, Leonard has only played in 63.5 percent of the Clippers games, and in every playoff series that they've lost, he's missed three games in each one.
However, the Clippers are coming on strong at a great time. In their last 15 games, they are 12-3 with the 5th best offensive rating and the best defensive rating, which has led to the second-best net rating in the league during that span, only barely trailing the Thunder. This means that the Clippers have a chance of contending for a championship, and Leonard, as their best player, has a chance to rebuild his reputation as one of the greatest players of his era.
If the Clippers make a run to the conference finals, that'd give us something to remember from the Kawhi Leonard era. If they were to make the NBA Finals, they'd be one of the great playoff stories of the decade, but if they were to win the Finals and Leonard wins Finals MVP, he'd be the second player, along with LeBron James, to win a Finals MVP with three different teams. Winning three championships in such a spread-out fashion (2014, 2019, and 2025) also displays Leonard's outstanding longevity.
All things considered, a ring and a Finals MVP to go with it would cement Leonard as a top-20 player of all time.