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Mat Issa

Sports Editor

About

Mat Issa is based in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Yes, he spells his name with one "t." He's obsessed with NBA history, so much so that he's dedicated nearly two years of research to his two mini-series', "Blazing the Trail" and "The Quest for the Best." Right now, Mat goes to law school and writes about the NBA for The Analyst, Forbes, and of course, Basketball Insiders. His work has also been featured in ESPN, SB Nation, FanSided, Basketball News, ONE37pm, and Raptors Republic. Also, he's a lifelong Spartans fan. Go Green!

Articles by Mat Issa (135)

Analyzing the Terry Rozier trade for the Miami Heat

Key Highlights: When analyzing a trade, you need to look at it from an on-court and asset perspective Terry Rozier is a great on-court fit for what the Miami Heat need The Heat may have paid less than they needed to here (depending on when the pick ends up conveying) Terry Rozier is now a […]

Mat Issa  •  23 Jan 2024
Jalen Brunson partners with Catalina Crunch to launch limited-edition cereal

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is balling. On the season, Brunson is averaging 26.5 PPG and 6.5 APG (both career highs), and there is a good chance he’ll be selected to his first-ever All-Star game in the next couple of weeks (as of January 18th, he ranked sixth among Eastern Conference guards in fan votes).  However, Brunson’s […]

Mat Issa  •  22 Jan 2024
Stephen Curry to release a book titled “I Am Extraordinary”

Stephen Curry is many things. He is an All-Star, an All-NBA guard, an MVP, a Finals MVP, a NBA Champion, the greatest shooter ever. You get the point. But do you know what he also is that we don’t talk about too much? A published author. “I Am Extraordinary” On March 12, 2024, Curry will […]

Mat Issa  •  22 Jan 2024
Most Popular Basketball Shoes Worn By NBA Players In 2023-24

The beautiful part about the NBA is there are so many aspects to love. You can love the narratives, the trades, the tactics, the player growth, the crazy highlights, etc. You can also enjoy a facet of the game that doesn’t even have anything to do with the game itself – the fashion. And a […]

Mat Issa  •  19 Jan 2024
NBA Study: What do you need to trade to get a star player in 2024?

Key Highlights: To understand how much stars are worth on the open market, you need to look at trades for stars from the recent past You need to factor in things like length of contract, annual amount, player age, injury history, and caliber of star (All-Star, All-NBA, MVP, etc.) Since 2021-22, 12 “star” caliber players […]

Mat Issa  •  18 Jan 2024
It’s apparently cheaper to go to 21 Pistons’ games than one Lions’ game

The 2023-24 season has not been an easy one for the Detroit Pistons. There’s the obvious fact that they put together the longest losing streak in a single regular season in NBA history. But there have also been numerous injuries and questions about the direction of the franchise as a whole.  The Lions Have Made The Pistons […]

Mat Issa  •  17 Jan 2024
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jay Williams teaming up to start new media company

When Giannis Antetokounmpo first burst onto the scene all those years ago, many predicted that he would one day be the king of the league – much like LeBron James was at that time (by the way, how is that guy still going?) Fast forward to the present day, and while Antetokounmpo has emerged into […]

Mat Issa  •  15 Jan 2024
This statistic suggests that NBA may be more popular than NFL

When it comes to American sports, everyone always says that it is the NFL, then it is everyone else. Leagues like the NBA, MLB, and NHL have to watch when they schedule marquee games because they are always “competing” with the NFL. And by “competing,” we mean that they are at the mercy of the […]

Mat Issa  •  15 Jan 2024
Malik Beasley makes a bold prediction for All-Star weekend

After hardly playing during the Los Angeles Lakers Western Conference Finals run, Malik Beasley is making a big difference on the Milwaukee Bucks, starting all 37 games he’s played in for the 27-12 team that currently sits second in the Eastern Conference. Even with his contributions in mind, what Beasley had to say about what […]

Mat Issa  •  14 Jan 2024
The Other Guy: How signing DiVincenzo allowed the Knicks to trade Quickley

After falling to the Miami Heat in the second round of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the New York Knicks entered the 2023 offseason knowing they needed more spacing/shooting and more size. So, what did the Knicks do to address that need? They signed a 6’4 guard who was fresh off shooting just 34.1% from three in the playoffs. Initially, that decision […]

Mat Issa  •  13 Jan 2024