2023 NBA Year In Review
With a sprinkling of highlights from beyond the NBA's orbit AND 23 reader submissions added to the publisher's list of standout moments!
I recently posed a question to all of you that has no wrong answers.
What was your favorite professional basketball moment, anywhere in the world, in 2023?
It hit me last year around this time that it would be so much more meaningful to take a community approach to a Year In Review compilation. Which is how I plan to tackle these going forward.
I will naturally share some of The Stein Line's favorite moments from 2023 here as well, but opening up the floor for your submissions made so much more sense than just foisting my list upon you.
Then the answers started rolling in ... many of them more detailed and personal than I even expected.
And that's the whole point. It's certainly important for historical context to note that 2023 was the year that LeBron James surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer .... and that Nikola Jokić led Denver to its first championship in the Nuggets’ 47 years of NBA existence ... and that Philadelphia's Joel Embiid won his first MVP trophy … and that the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat reached the Finals as an eighth seed ... and that San Antonio drafted Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 overall pick in June after winning the draft lottery in May.
Those were all major, major milestones. Yet it's often the deeply personal circumstances and quirks that really make moments stick in the memory. I know 2023, for me, will be recorded as the year that I was able to launch my first recurring podcast alongside my dear friend Chris Haynes after years of discussions ... and the year that I was also able to start hosting a solo weekend radio show in Dallas on 97.1 FM The Freak that debuted on the first full day of NBA free agency on July 1 .... and the first year of my three-plus decades covering #thisleague in which I didn't attend a single NBA playoff game in person but did have a seat in the locked-down lottery room in Chicago in which San Antonio found out Wemby, like David Robinson and Tim Duncan before him, was going to be a Spur.
It was a year that I saw things I never thought I'd see and things I had never seen before. Such as: Mark Cuban selling a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks. And Mac McClung resuscitating the dunk contest while on a two-way contract. And breaking a story about the NBA’s investigation into a referee’s alleged burner account. And Germany winning the FIBA World Cup … four years after Dirk Nowitzki retired. And an In-Season Tournament. And the Pistons somehow losing 28 NBA games in a row to set a new record.
Honestly, though, I have to be true to my hoop nerd self and say that I will likely remember my August trip to Springfield, Mass., for Hall of Fame inductions and then hosting an interview with George Gervin on that new radio show in October to talk about The Iceman's new book as much as any hoop happenings over the past 12 months. I don't think 9-year-old me would have ever believed that I would someday get to tell The Iceman himself about the first George Gervin basketball card I ever owned.
On a live broadcast in a studio with microphones and everything.
On to your selections!
(Editor’s note: Reader submissions have been lightly edited and/or condensed for clarity.)
Reader Philly Hoops on hope (and helping us hype this thing up):
Looking forward to reading everyone’s moments of the year. I don’t have one in particular. All I can say is how much fun my Sixers have been thanks to Joel Embiid’s dominance and Tyrese Maxey’s charisma.
Reader Josh Crabtree on the resurgent Sacramento Kings:
This won’t have a specific date attached to it, but as a longtime fan and season-ticket holder, Sacramento’s long-awaited return to relevance was my highlight of the year. For many years I felt roughly 8,000 years old as I tried to convince my two teenage children that it used to be fun being a Kings fan. Our Light The Beam thrill ride had my kids fighting to see who got to come to the games with Dad. I’m sure this won’t register with many fan bases, but being a Kings fan in Sacramento is a unique experience. And for one season, at least, it was magical again.
Reader Dan Hinrichs on an unforgettable Timberwolves victory (or two):
Since we're talking calendar year: Minnesota at Dallas on Feb. 21. The Wolves were dangerously close to yet another very Wolves-y loss, clinging to a three-point lead in the final few seconds after leading by as many as 26. This time, however, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels put the absolute clamps on Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, not even allowing a potential game-tying shot to go up. Fast forward to Nov. 6: The Wolves and Celtics went to overtime after the Celtics missed a potential game-winner at the end of regulation. Like that game in Dallas, Minnesota amped up the defense in OT, shutting down anything Boston tried. It's those kind of lockdown performances that make me think this Wolves team is different than what we've seen for years. (Edwards looking like a potential superstar is nice, too!)
Reader Barrett Brooks on Dame Time’s days in Portland:
I’ve shared season tickets for the last few years, which meant I had 10 home games a year to see the Blazers (and Damian Lillard) play basketball. With two small kids, my wife would often decide not to go at the last minute. In her place I’d invite a friend who also loves basketball. He probably went to eight to 10 games with me over the past three years. He felt bad about never paying for tickets, but I was just happy not to be solo, so it seemed like a fair trade to me. He nonetheless wanted to “repay” me by buying great seats to a game when a lackluster opponent came to town (so they’d be affordable). So he picked the lowly Rockets last year on Feb. 26. He bought fifth-row tickets near midcourt. We got there early to enjoy the courtside amenities, which I had only ever experienced once before. We soaked up all of the pregame warmups and introductions, but we assumed it would be a meh game. And then we got to watch Dame explode for 71 points in what was his last great performance as a Blazer. By halftime we were wondering if he’d possibly top Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game. I got Dame’s career-high-topping triple on video along with my idiotic cheering. I was heartbroken but understanding when Dame requested a trade. The organization let him down. As fans we’ll always wonder what could have been. But I’ll also always have the memory of that game when he went for 71 and I was in the fifth row. Best basketball moment of 2023! Probably the best basketball moment of my life.
Reader Xavier (a Spurs fan) on the NBA’s new reigning champions:
The Nuggets winning their first championship and The Joker's introduction to a larger audience as a top player in the league rank high on my list. But the ultimate moment has to be my Spurs winning the lottery and drafting Wemby.
Reader James Houtsma on a shot in the Western Conference finals that he’ll never forget (which was also nominated in a Substack Chat session by a chatter with the handle Undisputed):
Jokic hitting that ridiculous 3-pointer over Anthony Davis in the playoffs … and then both of their reactions. Big Honey is simply the best.
Reader James Fulwiler on the aforementioned lottery night in May … and a delicious draft night in June:
After a slog of a season during which I refused to even think about the possibility of the Spurs landing a third generational big man, followed by the absolutely wild whiplash of winning the draft lottery, I took myself out to dinner alone at a local sports bar just so I could sit in the booth and enjoy a delicious beer and burger as I watched Victor Wembanyama take the stage after being selected No. 1 overall. I finished my food, settled the bill and had just the most delightful walk home. Go Spurs Go.
Reader Bill C. on a rising star in Oklahoma City:
My favorite moment of the year was the broader ascendancy of Shai-Gilgeous Alexander to a spot on the All-NBA first team. No one predicted he'd make that kind of leap last season; now he looks like he's there to stay. Just an amazingly inventive player who's worth a League Pass subscription on his own.
Reader Jason Walker on the big picture of #thiscrazyleague:
I do love The Circle that is sports. In 2023, we saw one phenom assembling an amazing final chapter to a career that began with his much-anticipated lottery selection in 2003. LeBron James hit that iconic shot that broke another phenom’s all-time scoring record. Then later in the year we welcomed another much-anticipated lottery selection: Victor Wembanyama made his NBA debut. Circle!
Reader Jason Walker sent in two submissions and, yes, I let my old #eventhehawks pal get away with it:
As a longtime NBA watcher from as far back as the 70s, it's LeBron setting the all-time scoring mark, which will live for the ages through a tremendous photo of surrounding fans in which everyone is watching the moment through their phones … except for Nike founder Phil Knight.
Reader Hassan Christian with more on LeBron (and Kareem):
As a longtime Lakers and basketball fan, it’s been thrilling to watch LeBron perform at such a high level at his age. But before Bron (and Kobe and Shaq and even Magic) I was a Kareem fan. He’s my GOAT. I watched LeBron’s monumental achievement with conflicted emotions. Kareem’s legacy is one I feel I strongly about protecting, but I respect LeBron immensely and all he’s done for the game.
Reader Reo Onishi on the global game:
My favorite basketball memory from 2023 is being on the sidelines as part of the Game Experience crew at the Basketball World Cup at Okinawa Arena and watching Japan secure its first Olympic berth since 1976 on its own merit after we competed in the Tokyo Games contested in 2021 as the host nation. I’ve never seen a Japanese crowd that intense and united for a basketball game.
Reader Blake Murphy, who I visit with weekly alongside William Lou on The Raptors Show on Sportsnet 590 (AM) Radio, on Canada’s bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA World Cup by virtue of a victory over the United States in the third-place game:
Not only is it the first time that the Canadian men medaled at the event but it was rich with fun storylines: The next step in Shai's breakout, Dillon Brooks’ vindication and the culmination of 23 years of the post-Vince Carter Effect, post-Steve Nash explosion in individual Canadian talent that, until this point, forced me to learn the ins and outs of Olympic Qualifying Tournament formats every four years. Add in some excellent calls from the legend Dan Shulman, that extra jolt from an event when you're all up at 5 AM watching together and the promise of more to come in 2024 at the Paris Olympics … it's hard to top that moment in this or any year.
Reader Calvin Simmons on Luka Magic:
My two favorite moments were two incredible Luka Dončić passes. The more recent example is the pass around Jaxson Hayes for a Dante Exum 3 … but the pass that I find almost inconceivable happened when he was trapped by a double team in the corner, jumped in the air, scissored his legs to gain balance and fired a pass across the court to a wide-open Jaden Hardy. Most amazing pass I've ever seen and thankfully Hardy drained the 3! The guy is a savant. I hope we can put a good team around him so he can play on the greatest stage — and more than once. Dirk Nowitzki deserved more opportunities to win it all than he got.
Reader John P. on the aforementioned Mr. Nowitzki:
For me it was Hall of Fame ceremonies in August. I’ve been a huge Dirk fan since the beginning, so it was really special to watch — not even just Dirk. The whole class of inductees was one of the best ever. So much mutual respect.
John P. added a side note, too:
The chats here were awesome during what was a wild offseason — especially right around the draft. I don’t know how many trades I read about in these threads first before I saw them anywhere else. That was also a highlight this year for me.
(Editor’s note: Same!)
Reader Anne Kazanjian on the reigning Western Conference Player of the Week:
Watching Ja Morant score the game-winning basket in his first game back from suspension.
Reader C.J. M on the Ben Simmons saga:
I think of Nets coach Jacque Vaughn being extremely blunt about fit issues with Ben Simmons. It confirmed how much Simmons had fallen and it was also the first time I can remember a coach speaking so openly about the thought process behind benching a former All-Star.
Reader Koby Boyd on the Lakers’ In-Season Tournament crown:
It wasn't the championship I was hoping for, but it was nice to be able to celebrate this team after three seasons of injuries, bad rosters and overall discontent. Years from now, I think this victory will be recognized as an even more amazing accomplishment! But for now it was a tremendous high that gave our fan base something to look forward to the rest of the season … as long as you can ignore how terrible we have been playing since then.
Reader Sherman Alexie on one of Koby Boyd’s favorite players:
The Austin Reeves playoff fastbreak Eurostep in Game 5 against the Grizzlies … it felt like the official arrival of a surprisingly great player.
Reader Yato on the epic first-round series pitting Golden State against Sacramento:
As a Warriors fan, 2023 has been a mixed bag, with a heavy dose of “is it time to face this team’s mortality?” questions to contend with. But the NorCal series lived up to the hype through the first six games thanks to the upstart Kings, seeing their first playoff action in 17 long years and led by former Warriors lead assistant coach Mike Brown, pushing the defending champions to an elimination game. The series had suspense and suspensions and foot stomps and cowbells. And in Game 7, Stephen Curry delivered 50 points, enabling the Warriors and their fans — for at least one more night — to savor the brilliance of their superstar.
Reader Alex Drude on the greatest shooter in the world:
Frankly just watching Stephen Curry continue to be Steph. And LeBron James being LeBron. They are still great and doing great things and they are taken for granted every time they step on the court and do their ridiculous things. I appreciate the legacy they continue to build on the daily.
Reader Dave Purcell on the champions one more time (rather than him mentioning how he helped me administer the first reader survey in the history of this Substack):
The Nuggets won the title with a team and coach that are easy to root for. They showed us a beautiful style of play led by Jokic's magic, delivering a trophy for a deserving city and shooing away the ghosts of the ABA. Hoping for a repeat.
Reader Kevin Mulder on the intersection of basketball and family and the underappreciated women’s game:
My third-grade grandson began his first year of traveling basketball this year. At the first practice, he and his teammates were asked to name who their favorite player was. LeBron, Anthony Edwards and other NBA stars were popular answers. My grandson went last and proudly proclaimed that his favorite player is Caitlin Clark. My how far we’ve come.
Woo-Hoo! I made the cut! 🙌
Happy New Year, Marc, and all the fellow readers out there! Here's to even more great basketball moments from #ThisLeague in 2024! 🏀
Great summary! Appreciate the shoutout, Marc. Happy new year, everyone!