8 NBA stars who will be playing under immense pressure to deliver in 2024-25

Exploring eight NBA stars who will be playing under immense pressure to deliver for their respective teams during the 2024-25 season.

The return of NBA basketball is nearly here. We've almost made it completely out of the dog days of August and soon there will be actual on-the-floor basketball storylines we can follow in real time. For now, this is a good time to look forward to the new season and speculate on what could be this year in the Association.

As the start of the season quickly approaches, we'll explore eight stars who will be entering a pressure-filled 2024-25 NBA campaign.

Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks

There should be no surprise to see Damian Lillard on this list. Even though he may never admit to the pressure that is mounting on his shoulders heading into this season, it's hard to deny it. There's a strong argument to be made that the entire Milwaukee Bucks build is reliant on him having a huge bounce-back season. If Lillard isn't able to deliver this season, the Bucks likely end the season in disappointing fashion.

If the Bucks end the season in disappointing fashion, big changes are likely coming next summer - especially with the chance that both Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton can leave in free agency. The Bucks know what they're getting from Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he's delivered a championship already. But the Bucks went all-in on Lillard. And at least through his first year, he was somewhat of a disappointment. That can't be the case in year two.