NBA Basketball in Texas: The Top-5 Players on the Mavs, Spurs and Rockets

Texas boasts three NBA teams that have accounted for six of the last 13 Western Conference champions and five world championships during that span. There is a lot of talent, and there are a lot of future Hall of Famers on the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets rosters these days.

As another basketball season (finally) soon unfolds, let’s take a look at the five best players going into this season. Let me be clear—these are the five best players going into this season and not the five best overall players or careers. Let’s begin in descending order starting with the fifth best player and ending with the top player in Texas.

#5: Jason Kidd

Age is nothing but a number. To Jason Kidd, it means nothing. Coming off of a championship run for the first time in his career, Kidd is excited about his title defense. With the loss of JJ Barea from the team, Jason Kidd will play a big role in incorporating all the newcomers while continuing to facilitate Dirk Nowitzki fadeaways and Jet triples.

#4: Tony Parker

This season marks the 10th time Tony Parker starts as point guard for the San Antonio Spurs. Going into this year, it might be his most important because he has a lot to prove. He must stay healthy enough to manage this Spurs team and lead them to another trip to June.

While he has faced trade rumors almost every year over the last five years, expect Parker to bounce back and play great basketball this year. If this season does not go as planned, Parker will likely not suit up an 11th time.

#3: Kevin Martin

Kevin Martin is the scoring machine for the Houston Rockets and will likely dictate how far this team is able to go in an ultracompetitive Southwest Division. Martin leads a young team of Rockets who will officially begin the post-Yao phase.

The other complicating factor in this puzzle with the Rockets is the failed Chris Paul trade that would have moved Martin and Luis Scola out of Houston. There is little stability on the Rockets, but Martin is a solid shooting guard, and the Rockets will go only as far as he goes.

#2: Manu Ginobli

Although injuries have been a concern of late, Manu Ginobli is a remarkable talent who will dictate how far this aging Spurs team goes. Going into this season, he is the centerpiece of a talented Spurs team that cannot rely on the unstable Tony Parker and unhealthy Tim Duncan.

#1: Dirk Nowitzki

You knew this was coming. Dirk is coming off of a remarkable championship run last year and has got a great outlook for this coming year. He is ready to defend his title and finally will play a season without being referred to as “the best player without a ring.” Expect Dirk to continue to expand his game, get better and lead his Mavericks to another successful season.