Four former Georgia Bulldogs to watch as the NBA season kicks off
The NBA is finally about to return for another chaotic season. For Georgia natives, one of the best ways to keep track of the hundreds of NBA games is by focusing on individual players, and how better to choose those players than by following those who have already passed through the doors as a Georgia Bulldog?
There are plenty of former Bulldogs on NBA rosters this year, ranging from All-NBA superstars to unsung heroes. With the NBA less than a week away, checking up on the best NBA bets today with Action Network is a great way of keeping up to date with developments for NBA betting, especially for the former Bulldogs in the league.
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Georgia’s very own No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, Anthony Edwards is bound to be familiar to even the casual NBA and NCAA fans. He only spent one year in Georgia before being drafted, but has exploded as an NBA player.
Now an All-Star and All-NBA regular, Anthony Edwards has a huge season ahead of him. With arguably the best supporting cast he’s ever had behind him, including the addition of LaMelo Ball, his team is in contention for a deep playoff run at their best. His highlight reel won’t be bad either.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Orlando Magic)
A former SEC Player of the Year in Georgia with the Bulldogs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, KCP for short, will always be well-remembered in Georgia, but he’s carved out a great NBA career for himself too.
KCP has already won himself two championships, with the 2020 Lakers and the 2023 Nuggets, he’s now the veteran on a young and defensive Orlando Magic team built around Paulo Banchero. He’s being asked to be a 3-and-D guy as well as a mentor to a team that has struggled for consistency in the past.
Nic Claxton (Brooklyn Nets)
Claxton spent two seasons at UGA (2017–2019) before heading to Brooklyn as the 31st overall pick, having displayed unique perimeter ball skills for a 6-foot-11 forward/center. He’s still in Brooklyn, a team deep in a rebuild that isn’t exactly going to plan.
As Brooklyn’s defensive anchor on a long-term deal, Claxton is expected to average a near double-double while competing for top-five block-rate honors. Offensively, expect him to serve as a rim-running lob threat and secondary playmaker in dribble-handoff sets, surrounded by promising young talent prone to struggles.
Toumani Camara (Portland Trailblazers)
An exception in this company, Camara was a Bulldog for two years where, after stagnating (partly due to injury) he entered the transfer portal, and spent the next two years at Drayton, before being drafted and eventually traded to the Trailblazers, where he plays today.
Camara’s a crucial piece of the roster in Portland, starting every single game last year. Expect him to log heavy minutes guarding the opponent’s best scoring wing every night, and play virtually every minute he can as Portland looks to climb out of a brutal Western Conference.
