NBA Writer for EssentiallySports
Mat Issa is an NBA Writer for EssentiallySports. Mat has been covering the NBA at-large for five years.
Mat is also a member of the Professional Basketball Writers' Association (PBWA).
He attended Michigan State University, where he earned both his Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology and a Juris Doctorate. He is a lifelong Spartans fan. Go Green!
Along with his role at Essentially Sports, you can also find his work at Forbes, SB Nation, and Opta Analyst.
What Jayson Tatum Isn’t Saying About Jaylen Brown Is the Real Story
Everyone is talking about Jaylen Brown, except the person whose opinion matters more than anyone else...his co-star.
Top Seven Landing Spots if LeBron James Decides to Leave LA
If LeBron James is actually going to leave Los Angeles, here are the seven best spots for him to consider ending his career at.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Won’t Fix Everything for the Heat Despite Blockbuster Trade
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade means that the Miami Heat finally got their superstar. But what do they do next?
The Top 25 NBA Players of the 2025–26 Season
With the playoffs now over, we rank the 25 best players of the 2025-26 NBA Season. Who is the best player on the planet right now?
Karl-Anthony Towns Is Like Dirk…Just Not in the Way Everyone Thinks
They have been connected for Towns' whole career, but now, the comparison to Dirk Nowitzki finally makes some sense.
The 27-Year NBA Circle Connecting Patrick Ewing, Tim Duncan, Victor Wembanyama, and Jalen Brunson
The New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs are in the 2026 NBA Finals...just like they were 27 years ago. What's changed?
“Nah, He Too Small”: How Jalen Brunson Proved a WNBA HoF Head Coach Wrong After 2 Years
Now that Jalen Brunson has the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals, Becky Hammon's old comments seem pretty silly.
Is Josh Hart Right About Analytics Use in the NBA? Understanding the Use Cases for Advanced Metrics
Josh Hart says analytics can't take you home. But is the New York Knicks veteran actually right about this?
The True Wemby Stopper: Who Is the Best Victor Wembanyama Defender in the NBA?
We ran a poll to see who is the best Victor Wembanyama defender in the league. Who came out as the top player?
Will OKC vs Spurs Series Reach Game 7? What Victor Wembanyama Exposed About Thunder Should Terrify the Rest of League
Losing Game 1 isn't usually the end of the world, but there are a lot of reasons why the Oklahoma City Thunder should be very concerned.
Why The San Antonio Spurs Are The Best Bet Of The Conference Finals
The San Antonio Spurs are coming, and you better capitalize on them soon by betting them to win the Western Conference Finals.
“I Don’t Even Know if I’m Going to Be Here”: Joel Embiid, Domantas Sabonis, and a Radical Sixers Pivot
This hypothetical trade between the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings could be so wild that it just might work.
