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American whiskey is in an experimental phase.

While the official recognition of American Single Malt as a category has been long awaited, many brands are taking advantage of the freedom they enjoy to produce highly unique whiskeys that sometimes escape easy definition. Whether it’s by more traditional means or in truly trailblazing ways, consumers have more options now than ever before to find an American whiskey that suits their particular taste.

The whiskeys on this list have only two things in common: they’re produced in America and contain at least 52% whiskey. Beyond those pretty loose parameters, there’s a wide array of flavors and approaches to spirits production featured on this list, and we highly encourage you to keep an open mind and seek them all out.

Now, with that preamble out of the way, here are the most interesting American whiskey blends to try right now!

• • We Blind Tasted & Ranked The Best 10-Year Old Bourbons For 2024
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  • We Power Ranked The Best Barrel Proof Bourbons Of 2024
  • The Absolute Best Tasting Bourbons Under $50, Ranked For 2024
  • The Very Best Bourbon From 24 Top Brands, Blind Tasted & Ranked

10. Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey (Batch B924)

ABV: 61.3%
Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey has been around for a while, but the Barrel Proof edition was bumped up for national distribution at the beginning of 2023, and now the latest version is hitting shelves. Made from a mash bill of 51% wheat, 37% corn, and 12% malted barley and aged from seven to nine years, Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey is the most readily available cask-strength wheat whiskey across America.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is lively and fruit-forward, with licorice and plums standing out immediately before cinnamon, clove, and faint leather notes rise in prominence. There’s also a slight wintergreen streak running through it all and a drizzle of caramel to round things out.

Palate: The oak tones fuse with a cedar note that brings a ton of cinnamon bark and palo santo flavor with the first sip. As the first wave of flavor subsides, you’ll pick up a lot of nuttiness reminiscent of walnuts, black pepper, and some gentle floral tones with lilac standing out.

Finish: The finish on Bernheim Original Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey is medium-long and reintroduces a fresh layer of cracked black pepper and cedar with a touch of honey and black tea.

Bottom Line:

Wheat Whiskey is an underexplored category that Heaven Hill has been honing for years now. For this Barrel-Proof version, they display the style in its purest, uncut form, free from chill filtration. The results are well worth your consideration.

9. Garrison Brothers Lady Bird

ABV: 57%
Average Price: $210

The Whiskey:

For its premium Lady Bird expression, Garrison Bros. Master Distiller Donnis Todd selects barrels that display honey tones and ratchets it up several notches by infusing it with Burleson’s Texas Wildflower Honey for an additional 8-9 months. They then further mature the whiskey in French Cognac XO finishing casks for another three years.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Once you pop the top on Lady Bird, a ton of honey hits the nose with red raisins, plum, and oak aromas, making a distinct impression as well.

Palate: The oak and honey flavors at the tip of the tongue gently recede and introduce a peanut brittle note that arises unexpectedly and obfuscates a touch of chocolate hiding in the background. As to be expected with honey-infused bourbon, the mouthfeel is syrupy and robust. The flavor of over-steeped mint tea brings a slight astringency around the edges of the palate.

Finish: The finish has honey, oak, overripe bananas, and peanut brittle featured prominently in that order, and it lingers for a lengthy amount of time, making it taste like a peanut butter banana sandwich drizzled in honey. I don’t know about you, but count me in for two of those.

Bottom Line:

Here’s the straight-and-narrow regarding Garrison Bros. Lady Bird expression: it’s a sweet treat that ain’t for everyone. The honey is a bit heavy-handed, and the oak is a bit assertive, but the end result is one that errs on the side of boldness, and that’s a commendable choice that will make whiskey drinkers with a sweet tooth absolutely rejoice.

8. Hogsworth Bourbon Whiskey & Armagnac

ABV: 46.9%
Average Price: $50 per bottle $150 for 3-pack

The Whiskey:

Hogsworth is an intriguing blend of bourbons & Armagnacs aged between four and forty-two years. The blend features 52% bourbon and 48% Armagnac, and the full breakdown is such: 42% is a four-year and five-month-old bourbon from Tennessee, 22% is an 11-year Armagnac, 21% is a 13-year Armagnac, 10% is a four-year bourbon from Minnesota, and 5% is a 42-year Armagnac distilled in 1982.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The Armagnac might only make up 48% of this first-of-it’s-kind blend, but it takes the lead on the aroma notes with the scent of rich port wine coming through while red grapes, cinnamon bark, and spiced walnuts accent the periphery.

Palate: The mouthfeel is lean, which is again more in line with Armagnac than well-aged bourbon, but the flavors are truly dense and resplendent with brown sugar, walnuts, well-aged red port wine, and black pepper intimately kissing the palate before dialing up the nutmeg notes as it travels to the back of the palate.

Finish: The finish is bold with baking spice as cracked pepper, black tea, and red currants tease the edges of the tongue as a faint touch of tobacco leaf settles at mid-palate. The spice is expressive on the brief finish which makes does throw off the balance a bit.

Bottom Line:

As a genre-bending foray into the unknown, Hogsworth is a wild ride that assertively showcases the beauty of well-aged Armagnac with the restrained mouthfeel and curt finish that accompanies it. Time will tell if blends like this turn more American whiskey drinkers into Armagnac aficionados, but this initial hog-wild effort from the man behind Bhakta will surely help.

7. All Points West Malt And Grain Pot Still Whiskey

ABV: 46%
Average Price: $70

The Whiskey:

Drawing inspiration from late 19th-century Irish distillers, All Points West founder Gil Spaier sought to recreate a style of whiskey that was so popular in Ireland that it caused the British government to outlaw the use of corn in pot still whiskies. The mash bill for this old-style whiskey is between 65% and 70% barley, predominantly from County Cork in Ireland, along with some modified German malts, while the rest of the recipe is corn.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Pot still funk combined with red raisins, dates, bubblegum, and bacon fat for this robust and instantly impressive whiskey-nosing experience.

Palate: Sorghum, flan, and fatty brisket notes reach the palate on the first pass of this viscous, delicious whiskey. Butterscotch follows on the second sip, and once acclimated, the oily, buttery mouthfeel reveals deeper layers of nutmeg and black pepper.

Finish: All Points West’s Malt And Grain Pot Still Whiskey has a fairly brief finish that welcomes a touch of cherry and nougat to go with the meaty undertones and butterscotch top notes.

Bottom Line:

All Points West’s unctuous, full-bodied whiskey is impressive throughout its product lineup, but the Malt and Grain Pot Still Whiskey stands out as the most unique among them. This is old-school whiskey transported into present-day Newark, NJ, and it’s as unexpected and unexpectedly delicious as you can imagine.

6. Old Line Madeira Cask Finish American Single Malt

ABV: 50%
Average Price: $65

The Whiskey:

For its Double Oak Series, Old Line Spirits in Baltimore, Maryland, utilizes finishing casks to elevate its base whiskey and showcase how its flavors can evolve. This 100% malted barley whiskey uses both 2-row malt and deep roast malt, ages it for at least three years before finishing it in Madeira casks for an additional 10 months.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The aroma notes are full of several layers of flavor, with pecans, nutmeg, black cherries, and almond extract standing out at first while a touch of clove and cinnamon are buried slightly deeper in the glass.

Palate: This is Old Line’s most multilayered pour, and it starts sweetly with black cherry syrup and pecans taking the lead while clove and walnut notes sprout at mid-palate and introduce black pepper with cinnamon before it transitions to the finish.

Finish: The whiskey’s finish has a quickly receding tobacco leaf note that’s replaced by the walnuts and black cherry note from earlier. It’s short to medium in length, but the curt conclusion is a welcome one, allowing you to reflect on the notes found earlier in each sip without them lingering and distracting you from this whiskey’s strong start.

Bottom Line:

Old Line, out of Baltimore, MD., is producing incredible American Single Malt Whiskey, and their swift embrace of finishing casks is paying dividends with a portfolio that showcases several of them. While their flagship and Navy Strength offerings are the best bottles they’ve got, this Madeira Cask Finish is the most interesting and highlights the brand’s commitment to artfully altering their awesome juice.

5. FEW Spirits Smashing Pumpkins Straight Bourbon Whiskey with Madame Zuzus Midnight Rose Tea

ABV: 46.5%
Average Price: $56

The Whiskey:

For this atypical collaboration, FEW Spirits worked with the Smashing Pumpkins to produce a unique whiskey that’s brought to proof using Billy Corgan’s own Midnight Rose Tea, a high mountain tea from the Anhui province of China that has been naturally scented with rose petals from Madame Zuzu’s, his tea shop in Chicago. This also marks the first major project that FEW’s new Head Distiller and noted tea aficionado, Erin Lee, helmed.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: It begins really floral, like rosewater, as the tea makes a strong, inviting impression. There are lilacs, brown sugar, tobacco leaf, and oak notes. Vanilla frosting and black pepper as well add to the nuance.

Palate: Vanilla frosting and black pepper flavors make an impression, along with rose tea, honey, and barrel char, which are immediate standouts on the palate. The middle of the palate has a bit of menthol, giving this one a nice balance as all of the baking spices and floral, sweet notes mesh well.

Finish: The medium-length finish is slightly drying, with black pepper and floral notes asserting themselves before it ends.

Bottom Line:

This is a really exciting release that stretches the boundaries of what we expect with bourbon and exemplifies what makes FEW Spirits such a strong brand — they’re never afraid to step outside of the box. This unusual fusion of Madame Zuzus Midnight Rose Tea and Few Straight Bourbon is a perfect match.

4. Stranahan’s Mountain Angel 10-Year-Old American Single Malt

ABV: 45%
Average Price: $120

The Whiskey:

For its Mountain Angel expression, Stranahan’s takes its award-winning whiskey made from locally sourced barley, ages it for ten years in new American oak barrels, and bottles it a mile high in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. This whiskey is made in limited batches and the bottle we’re reviewing today comes from 2024’s Batch 4.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Boiled peanuts and toasted honey notes waft up from the glass before the malted barley asserts itself with a touch of mint candy and lime zest in tow.

Palate: Lemon and lime with white sugar sweetness hits the tip of the tongue at first. From there, malt notes and white pepper wash over the palate in a lush, rich wave before vanilla ice cream and nutmeg crop up at midpalate with a few fresh cracks of black pepper.

Finish: The finish is full of lemon custard, malted barley, and white pepper as is lingers for quite a while and grips the palate assertively, which leads to indecorous lip-smacking in the best way possible.

Bottom Line:

In a world where American Single Malt Whiskey producers are somehow still fighting an uphill battle to have their category recognized, one of the OGs is still humming along and releasing one outstanding release after another. Most of the brands in the category don’t have the luxury of being able to release a 10-year age-stated expression, so this relative rarity from Stranahan’s is well worth buying as a no-frills representation of what American Single Malt will look like in the future.

3. Wolves American Single Malt Aged 5 Years

ABV: 48%
Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Wolves Whiskey has been producing some stellar and incredibly unique premium blends over the past few years, but this expression is the brand’s very first crack at creating an evergreen product. Aged for five years in California wine barrels before being finished in Cognac casks, this brand-new American Single Malt debuted earlier this month.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with mocha, deep honey tones, and roasted Brazil nuts. After a few waves of the hand, cinnamon and doughy notes emerge out of the glass, along with dried strawberries.

Palate: This whiskey is immediately supple and expansive on the palate, defying its modest proof to flood your tastebuds with the flavor of Manuka honey, crème brulée, clove, and fresh figs. There are additional layers of nutmeg, cinnamon, and half-baked pastries, complete with a slight doughiness and well-developed sweetness.

Finish: The finish is medium-length and just as silky as the liquid itself, causing it to gently recede, leaving a touch of black pepper and clove with cinnamon bark at the end.

Bottom Line:

Wolves Whiskey’s brand-new American Single Malt is sure to turn heads as the brand’s very first evergreen product showcases an impressive utilization of finishing casks. While the brand has a ton of intriguing higher-end offerings, this new entry-level whiskey is sure to capture a new audience thanks to its more affordable price point and approachable flavor profile.

2. Uncle Nearest 777 Anniversary Blend Premium Tennessee Whiskey – The Lost Chapter (Batch 007)

ABV: 60.8%
Average Price: $140

The Whiskey:

For this special Anniversary Blend, created to honor Uncle Nearest’s 7th year in operation, the brand takes 7-year-old Tennessee whiskey that’s been hand-selected and mingled by their Master Blender, Victoria Eady Butler. The ABV for these small batch blends varies, but the one we’ll be considering today from Batch 007 landed on the higher side at 121.7 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rainier cherries, maple candy, and white chocolate. There’s some clove and more faint cinnamon, but the cherries are the strongest aroma.

Palate: Incredibly smooth and supple mouthfeel that instantly and gently coats your palate with honey, rainier cherries, and allspice hitting the palate. It’s remarkably even-keeled, and it’s only as it transitions to the finish where baking spices from clove to black pepper start to tingle the tongue

Finish: The lengthy finish finds white pepper, sage, and rich, well-rounded honey, gently sending this whiskey on its way.

Bottom Line:

This is far and away the best whiskey I’ve ever had from Uncle Nearest. The 777 Anniversary Blend has an incredible depth of flavor coupled with an impressive balance that subtly and effectively coats the palate and will leave you craving a backup bottle as soon as you take your first sip.

1. Westward Whiskey Milestone, Edition No. 2

ABV: 48.5%
Average Price: $250

The Whiskey:

For Westward’s premium Milestone expression, Master Blender Miles Munroe created a twenty-one-barrel Solera system to continuously age and blend some of the brand’s most precious whiskey in various casks. Two other things that make this release unique? The distillate is slow-proofed in-cask, and new for this year is the inclusion of Amburana barrel-aged whiskey in the solera blend.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich orange marmalade and cinnamon notes come leaping out of the glass when you run your nose over the rim, with further aromas of malt chocolate and dense French vanilla drawing you in and imploring an initial sip.

Palate: This is an incredibly lush and smooth whiskey with cinnamon and nougat meshing harmoniously with the orange marmalade, French vanilla, and malt chocolate notes from the nose. The texture is also remarkably creamy, allowing all of those decadent flavors to coat your palate and blossom at length.

Finish: The medium-length finish gently recedes with orange blossom, Brazil nuts, and cinnamon, leaving the final impression before it escapes your palate.

Bottom Line:

Westward Whiskey’s annual Milestone expression has quickly established itself as a whiskey not to be missed, exhibiting Master Blender Miles Munroe’s expert blending prowess. This expression’s moniker, a sly nod to Mr. Munroe and aptly named to mark Westward’s growth, definitely fits, and the whiskey exemplifies the neck tag’s Latin dictum Verum Factum, the maker’s knowledge.

Glen Powell summer has turned to Art the Clown in Terrifier 3 fall, but the Twisters and Hit Man star hasn’t gone anywhere. He’s starring in an A24 revenge thriller, Huntington, with Margaret Qualley; remaking The Running Man with director Edgar Wright; and playing the titular Chad Powers in a Hulu comedy about a disguised college football player. Powell can also add “Family Guy voice actor” to his increasingly packed filmography.

The Family Guy Halloween special, “Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater,” follows Peter, Quagmire, Cleveland, and Joe as they aim to unseat the reigning champion Patrick McCloskey (voiced by Powell) in Quahog’s annual pumpkin contest. The episode premieres on Monday, October 14, on Hulu.

You can watch the trailer above.

Family Guy season 23 premieres in 2025 (it’s the first time in nearly 20 years the show hasn’t been on the same night as The Simpsons), with plenty more seasons to come. “At this point, I don’t see a good reason to stop. People still love it. It makes people happy and it funds some good causes,” creator Seth MacFarlane told The Los Angeles Times. “It’s a lot of extraneous cash that you can donate to Rainforest Trust and you can still go out to dinner that night.”

Complaining about frivolous things is a bad habit — it can make people seem ungrateful, rude, and frankly, like a brat… not in that cool Charli XCX way but in that obnoxiously privledged way. But it can also be a lot of fun, especially when the target of your complaint is a big corporation that has probably ripped you off more than it’s given you any value.

These days, fewer and fewer people are hitting up the big fast food juggernauts, opting instead for more elevated restaurant experiences that offer you more bang for your buck or hitting up the specialty fast-casual joints that have higher quality food for similar prices.

Why pay $12 for a meal at McDonald’s when you can spend $9 for higher-quality food at In-N-Out? That’s the kind of question people are asking themselves and as a response, fast food brands are scrambling and trying to win customers back by offering more food for less money.

So clearly, complaining about fast food has some merit and sometimes you’ve got to call out these big brands, especially when they’ve been acting out. So we’re here to do just that. We’re naming all the worst menu items from our favorite big fast food chains.

Our hope is that fast food brands get the memo and start ditching these lesser items for stuff people actually want to spend money on (we know, that’s wishful thinking) or at the very least, we can dissuade you from wasting your money on something that seems like a good idea but fails to deliver. Let’s eat, or you know, not eat.

Arby’s — Chicken Slider

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I think Arby’s gets a lot of unnecessary criticism just because a lot of the food seems gross. It’s easy to hate on Arby’s, but they have a few good dishes that hit the spot when you’re in the right mood (drunk or high). You’re going to tell me you don’t like a Beef and Cheddar with a side of curly fries? Get out of here.

That said, don’t ever eat chicken at Arby’s. It’s always awful. We could’ve picked any chicken dish for this list, but we’re going with the Chicken Slider.

The chicken is dry and stringy and it tastes like a mix of rancid oil and black pepper.

The Bottom Line:

Arby’s may “have the meats,” but chicken isn’t one of them.

Burger King — Fiery Mozzarella Fries

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I desperately wanted this dish to be good. Fried mozzarella is fantastic, add a spicy element and this dish should have everything going for it, yet this is some of the worst mozzarella I’ve ever tasted. I’ve had this dish four times so far, and all four times the cheese hasn’t been fully melted. It’s just a thin, semi-soft strip of mozzarella encased in a soggy, spicy coating.

The Bottom Line:

A great idea, but until Burger King raises its quality control, this dish will suffer.

Carl’s Jr — Loaded Guacamole Bacon Fries

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Trust me, I know that the Loaded Guacamole Bacon Fries sound like a great idea, but the execution here is awful. You’ve got Carl’s Jr’s fries, which are oily to the point of being soggy, shredded cheese, onion-heavy pico de gallo, crumbly salty bacon bits, and the worst guacamole you’ll ever taste.

There are a lot of ways to make guacamole. Carl’s Jr chooses to put more onion in this stuff than avocado, and that’s not the way to do it. The avocado used here aren’t great quality, this stuff always has a brownish hue to it, and it totally ruins the buttery savoriness we expect from guacamole.

Once all the ingredients are mixed, this becomes a mush of textures that is a true chore to eat.

The Bottom Line:

A great idea executed horribly.

Chick-fil-A — Kale Crunch Side

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

For an upcharge, you can sub your fries for a Kale Crunch salad which is probably the worst deal in all of fast food. The fact that you can’t get this without an upcharge adds insult to injury.

This dish — if we want to call it that — features a mix of kale, green cabbage, and almonds and is served with a side of Apple Cider and Dijon Mustard vinaigrette. I don’t want to sound like a complete nerd here, but you can tell this kale hasn’t been properly massaged. It’s rough, hard to chew, and tastes like dirt. It also totally dominates the palate, making your entire meal kind of taste like dirt.

Trust me, I’m not some kind of kale hater, I like kale, I just think this is the worst thing you can order at Chick-fil-A. I’m also confused about who it’s for. You’re trying to eat healthy at a Chick-fil-A? Was there not a Panera near by?

The Bottom Line:

Chick-fil-A’s menu is overall pretty solid, but the Kale Crunch Side feels like a real joke and an insult to its customers.

Chipotle — Queso Blanco

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

What disturbs me about the Queso Blanco is not the flavor — though I’m not fan of its heavily onion-y and salty flavor — but the fact that it’s still on the menu. Chipotle has already revamped this recipe once and while I’ll admit that the Queso Blanco today is the best its ever been, that’s really not saying much.

I’m not sure where Chipotle went wrong either, this is certainly made with a good set of ingredients. You’ve got Monterey Jack, cheddar, chili peppers, and onion, and yet onion is all this tastes like. You’re not getting any of the creamy, sweet, or nutty qualities of the cheese,which leads me to believe taht this is some seriously low quality cheese.

The Bottom Line:

A cheese dip that is more onion than cheese. In other words, a bad cheese dip.

Dairy Queen — Pretzel Sticks With Zesty Queso

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

If you’re getting anything from Dairy Queen that isn’t a dessert, there is a good chance its awful, but since this is a list of the absolute worst menu items, I’m going to have to go with the Pretzel Sticks with Zesty Queso.

The pretzel is as dry as a bone, and the zesty queso is pure salt. I’d suggest you just dip you r pretzel stick in a Blizzard for a better experience, but I think that would honestly ruin your Blizzard. Skip this at all costs.

The Bottom Line:

It’s like eating a piece of (mostly rotten) wood.

Dave’s Hot Chicken — Mac and Cheese

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Finding a bad menu option at Dave’s was hard. The chicken is great and the fries are decent, the only thing on the menu that ever feels like a disappointment is the mac and cheese. It tastes right, the noodles still have some bite and the cheese is salty with a hint of smokiness and a touch of spice. It’s just a bit too soupy. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think less cheese sauce would do a lot to make this dish a little better.

The Bottom Line:

Take this choice with a grain of salt, Dave’s Hot Chicken’s mac and cheese is good enough, but it’s also the worst thing on the menu.

Del Taco — Crispy Chicken

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I love Del Taco, next to El Pollo Loco it’s the best Mexican-inspired fast food chain. That said, the chicken tenders (which shouldn’t even be on the menu) are some of the worst in all of fast food.

This chicken is awful, it’s overprocessed and chewy and the breading doesn’t properly adhere to the meat, so when you bite into it the meat slips out of its fried sleeve. If that sounded gross to you, good, it was supposed to.

The Bottom Line:

Avoid Del Taco’s Crispy Chicken at all costs, including when it’s served in a taco, which is an option. Tortilla and fried chicken? Get out of here.

KFC — Mac & Cheese

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

This is a controversial choice because I know there are a handful of people out there who go for the mac & cheese as their go-to side order, to which I have to ask: why? I sincerily mean it, why would anyone order this? It’s not only the worst mac & cheese in all of fast food, it may be some of the worst mac & cheese I’ve ever had.

The noodles are so soggy they dissolve in your mouth, the cheese is salty, with little dimension or nuance. This is essentially a cheese dip! Fast food brands wonder how to get customers back, there are probably board meetings where people are getting paid thousands of dollars to come up with sh*t like the Ch’izza (if it wasn’t a limited-time option, it would be on this list) when all they really need to do is give us better quality, better-tasting food.

The Bottom Line:

One of the reasons this article exists in the first place. Never order this stuff if you have any respect for your tastebuds.

In-N-Out — Grilled Cheese

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it before — “the fries at In-N-Out are terrible.” I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. If you have a problem with freshly cut potatoes fried to order the issue is not the fries, its you.

I’m saving all my ire for the secret menu item Grilled Cheese. I get it, In-N-Out needs a dish for the vegetarians, and all with all due respect to my non-meat-eating friends I gotta tell you — maybe In-N-Out just isn’t for you.

This Grilled Cheese has everything that’s great about an In-N-Out cheeseburger, minus the star ingredient: the beef. Without the beef this dish is a mess. Too much bread, not enough cheese, and the rest of the ingredients just taste weird when they don’t have a beef patty to support them.

The Bottom Line:

A dish designed for vegetarians, who would better be served by just finding a different place to eat.

Jack in the Box — Chick-N-Tater Melt

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

What the f*ck is this monstrosity?! I don’t know that whoever is in charge of the menu at Jack in the Box spends all their time getting super high and then thinking of dishes, but I’m willing to bet money that that’s exactly what they do.

This dish is a stoner’s dream, “what if there was like, a croissant, but it’s filled with hashbrowns, and chicken, and bacon? Oh, and Swiss cheese, and ranch, and white cheddar sauce. Oh and cheddar cheese too!” Biting into this sandwich is hell on earth. It’s a mix of blown-out flavors, it is salty, texturally all over the place, sour, and tangy, it’s just awful!

There is no nuance to this dish, no complexity, and yes, I’m aware we are talking about fast food here, but the way the flavors here hit your taste buds like a sledgehammer is truly one of the worst sensations I’ve ever experienced eating fast food.

The Bottom Line:

Even if you’re stoned, do yourself and your stomach a favor and don’t eat this.

McDonald’s — Sausage Burrito

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

McDonald’s has a near-impeccable menu. Most of the food has its die-hard fans, people love the Big Mac, the nuggets, the fries, the McMuffin, even the value menu Double Cheeseburger has people who swear by it. I challenge you to find me someone who feels that way about the Sausage Burrito.

This thing is awful. Its loaded up with dry sausage, a very small amount of onions, funky eggs, and peppers that have a nice vegetal flavor, but are used so sparingly they come across like a mistake, rather than a feature of the burrito. On top of that, McDonald’s adds a slice of American cheese into this burrito, which is straight up insulting.

The Bottom Line:

McDonald’s may be the only brand to f*ck up a burrito.

Popeyes — Coleslaw

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Coleslaw is easily Popeyes’ weakest side item, and keep in mind that one of the sides at Popeyes is just a single jalapeño pepper. I rather have a single pepper than eat this stuff.

This coleslaw is incredibly sour and rarely crunchy and fresh. It’s maybe the worst coleslaw side I’ve ever tasted at any fast food restaurant.

The Bottom Line:

Skip this one, any other Popeyes side would serve you way better.

Rally’s — Grilled Hot Dog

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Oh come on Rally’s, you’re making this too easy for me. I mean, do I really even need to say anything here? Don’t order the Grilled Hot Dog at Rally’s. There is nothing special about this, it’s a mediocre hot dog, you’ve probably had a million of those at a backyard BBQ, don’t spend more than a few dollars for one.

If you must have a hot dog for some reason, at least go for the Chili Cheese Dog, which is loaded with chili, cheese, and chopped red onions.

The Bottom Line:

If you’re ordering a hot dog at Rally’s, you’re not fast fooding right.

Shake Shack — Fries

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I’m going to get a lot of shit for this considering I gave a pass to In N Out fries, but you know what? Bring it on. Shake Shack fries are some of the worst. These awful fries don’t taste much different than the crinkle-cut fries you’d find in the freezer aisle at your local market.

The exterior is sharp and hard enough to cut the roof of your mouth, which you’ll become aware of as the salt on these over-salted spuds begins to sting you. Even the cheese fries aren’t much of an improvement. Sure it sogs up the fries a bit, but the sauce is movie-theater quality bad. Plus, the last thing these fries need is more salt.

The Bottom Line:

I will never stop complaining about Shake Shack’s fries, they are a stain on an otherwise impeccable menu.

Sonic — Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Okay, here is the deal — it’s not that Sonic’s grilled cheese is bad it’s just boring. Sonic has all sorts of great sides and main dishes, why would you ever order a grilled cheese when you could get jalapeño poppers or mozzarella sticks? Those aren’t just better delivery systems for cheese, the cheese in them is also significantly better.

If you like American cheese and grilled Texas Toast it’s safe to say you’ll like this, but just buy some bread and cheese at home and make your own, it’ll probably taste a thousand times better.

The Bottom Line:

It’s a grilled cheese… what are you doing fam?

Subway — The Great Garlic

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Oh wow is this sandwich bad. The Great Garlic features rotisserie chicken, bacon, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and red onions smothered in a creamy roasted garlic aioli but it almost doesn’t matter what’s in it because all you’re going to taste is garlic.

The garlic aioli is extremely bitter, blunt, and pungent, completely dominating the entire sandwich. Even the biggest garlic lovers wouldn’t like this sandwich. If you like garlic this much, you’re better served roasting a whole clove and squeezing it in your mouth.

The Bottom Line:

This is truly the worst sandwich at Subway, which is saying a lot considering most of the menu is objectively awful.

Taco Bell — Veggie Bowl

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Three years ago, when I wrote an article similar to this one, I named Taco Bell’s Nachos Bell Grande as the brand’s worst menu option. I got a lot of sh*t from that from both readers and my editor and while I’ll stand by my feelings that the Nachos Bell Grande are awful, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the Veggie Bowl was worst.

I’m all for the idea of the Veggie Bowl, its the execution I have a problem with. This is one of the worst mix of ingredients of any dish, ever. Here we have watery, soggy, wilted lettuce, hard lifeless cabbage, Pico de Gallo made with tomatoes devoid of flavor, awful pre-shredded cheddar cheese, the driest rice on Earth and decent black beans.

No other order at Taco Bell feels more like of a waste of money than this one.

The Bottom Line:

Taco Bell, no one is pressuring you to offer this dish. It’s a waste of the plastic its served in.

Wendy’s — Baconator Fries

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

Finding a bad menu option at Wendy’s was tough, I think the fast food chain is one of the best and they do just about everything on their menu pretty well. Except for the Baconator Fries.

In general, Wendy’s fries aren’t great. They have this bitter flavor to them; they’re often soggy and always over-salted. On top of the fries, you’ve got one slice of American cheese just thrown right in the middle of the fries, rather than distributed, and not nearly enough bacon to earn the “Baconator” name.

The Bottom Line:

Skip this dish and just order a baked potato with cheese.

White Castle — Chicken Rings

Thoughts & Tasting Notes:

I mean, do I need to say anything? Even the name turns my stomach. These highly processed chicken… rings are garlicky, with a touch of vinegar and a spicy aftertaste. The seasoning is fine, what I have an issue with is the texture of the meat and the overall shape of the dish. Why not take this same seasoning blend and make onion rings? Why does it have to be chicken? Fast food rarely makes me mad, but this dish drives me up a wall.

The Bottom Line:

Chicken. Rings. Need we say more?

Even after all these years, Coldplay remains one of the biggest bands (perhaps the biggest) in the world, as their near-billion-dollar-tour proves. Therefore, a new album from them is a big deal, so here’s what to know about when Moon Music comes out.

When Will Coldplay’s New Album Moon Music Be On Apple Music?

Moon Music is set to drop on October 4, so the album will be available on Apple Music starting at midnight ET on the 4th.

In a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Chris Martin said of the new album, “This album is really, really good. It’s sort of our manifesto or my way of looking at things right now in terms of how to continue, how to not give up, how to accept reality, not run away from it, not hate anybody, even in the midst of always being filled with so many difficult emotions, and it’s with Max Martin, so he made sure that it’s really good.”

Find more info about the album below.

Coldplay’s Moon Music Album Cover Artwork

Coldplay’s Moon Music Tracklist

1. “Moon Music”
2. “Feelslikeimfallinginlove”
3. “We Pray” Feat. Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna, and Tini
4. “Jupiter”
5. “Good Feelings” Feat. Ayra Starr
6. “[rainbow emoji]”
7. “Iaam”
8. “Aeterna”
9. “All My Love”
10. “One World”

Moon Music is out 10/4 via Parlophone/Atlantic. Find more information here.

The end is near for Coldplay: Chris Martin recently reiterated something he’s been saying for a couple years now, that Coldplay will stop making new albums after their 12th. This means we only have a few Coldplay LPs left, as the band is hours away from releasing Moon Music, their 10th album.

When Will Coldplay’s New Album Moon Music Be On Spotify?

Moon Music is set for release on October 4. So, the album should be made available on Spotify and other platforms beginning at midnight ET on the 4th.

Martin said of his mindset behind the band’s new album, “It’s really important that we have that limit. First of all, there’s only […] eight Harry Potters, or seven Harry Potters. There’s only 12-and-a-half Beatles albums. There’s about the same Bob Marley, so all of our heroes. And also having that limit means that the quality control is so high right now, and for a song to make it, it’s almost impossible, which is great. And so where we could be kind of coasting, we’re trying to improve.”

Check out some more info about the album below.

Coldplay’s Moon Music Album Cover Artwork

Coldplay’s Moon Music Tracklist

1. “Moon Music”
2. “Feelslikeimfallinginlove”
3. “We Pray” Feat. Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna, and Tini
4. “Jupiter”
5. “Good Feelings” Feat. Ayra Starr
6. “[rainbow emoji]”
7. “Iaam”
8. “Aeterna”
9. “All My Love”
10. “One World”

Moon Music is out 10/4 via Parlophone/Atlantic. Find more information here.

Last January, one week before Cody Rhodes became the last man standing at the Royal Rumble, the American Nightmare returned home to Atlanta.

He hadn’t yet earned a guaranteed title shot at WrestleMania, and The Rock wasn’t quite in the public picture just yet, but the audience gave him a hero’s welcome as if he’d already slayed the Bloodline. As he stood in the ring after Smackdown wrapped, Rhodes called his shot and made a bold promise to bring the WWE Championship back home.

“As a performer, as a wrestler, as an athlete, we speak with confidence. Joe Namath calling what was going to happen. We speak with confidence often,” Rhodes tells Uproxx Sports.

But this proclamation felt different. Some parts confidence, some parts destiny, the journey for Rhodes to finish his story has been a long, winding tale that didn’t quite culminate at WrestleMania.

Make no mistake, winning the title was always the primary goal. But Rhodes’ ties to Atlanta and bringing the belt home — back to his hometown where The Omni once stood, near the CNN Center and the WCW offices where his father and Tony Schiavone would spend time recording commentary together — is a unique part of his story.

On Saturday night, Rhodes will hold the belt high with a promise fulfilled when he walks into State Farm Arena to partner with his long-time foe, Roman Reigns, against Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, in what’s expected to main event Bad Blood.

“Here’s this Crockett kid, this Georgia Championship Wrestling, WCW kid, and I’m going to take from the World Wide Wrestling Federation, the original WWWF title, now the Undisputed WWE Championship,” Rhodes says. “In regards to, ‘Hey, I told you I was coming back and I told you I was bringing this,’ it’s the best feeling on earth. I said I was going to do this. I did. And now I get to share this, not just with WWE fans, but with WWE fans in my home.”

Returning as “the quarterback” of the WWE is a special moment for Rhodes and his family.

“My family for years was brushed aside, comp tickets, put up in the bowl. Just the treatment that they get to receive now since I came back to WWE and even furthermore, now being WWE’s champion. To see Mama Rhodes, my sister, Teal, my wife, Brandi and the people who were family to me, to see them regarded as like dignitaries,” Rhodes says.

“I know that sounds ridiculous and it probably sounds selfish, but that’s a good feeling to see your mom get the respect, to see someone like DDP get the respect of, ‘Hey, we’re here on Cody’s behalf,’ and WWE is going to let you know Cody’s a big deal now. That just really makes you feel good that the family can get that. And they’ve received that throughout this new tenure of Nick Khan and Triple H.”

Winning the title at WrestleMania was a lifelong journey completed. But it’s not one Rhodes has been able to sit and reflect on. From media appearances to photo sessions and back on television, being the champion means an absolutely loaded schedule from the night the belt hit his hands.

As Rhodes reflects on the last six months and how his expectations differed from the reality of becoming champion, he recalls the pressure and adversity he felt in that next phase.

“Roman is going away, Seth Rollins, who is such a huge part of WWE, is going away. Rhea Ripley, unfortunately, is injured. The Rock is saying goodbye for however long all of that was happening. Leaving me,” Rhodes says. “I’m the type that I’m up for the challenge. Give me the challenge. But also in the back of my mind, I’m thinking, I hope it’s okay. I hope I can deliver.”

Rhodes met the challenge head-on, continuing WWE’s record-breaking business in Lyon, France, and in recent months ahead of Reigns’ return to television. As Rhodes prepares for his big return home, he’ll share the spotlight with Reigns as part of their tag team main event. It’s not bittersweet, he says, rather unexpected that they’d find themselves partners at this stage of their journey.

While Reigns was the outright top star in the first two years since Rhodes’ return, they’ve create a unique bond and an indescribable connection in the ring, at the very least as equals. Both Reigns and Rhodes contend that each of them hold ownership over Atlanta — Reigns played college football at Georgia Tech — and to a larger extent, the WWE as a whole.

“Every now and then, you find somebody that you stand across from the ring, whether you love them, hate them, know nothing about them, know everything about them, that there’s a spark, there’s a magic,” Rhodes says. “He brings something out of me. When I look at nutrition. When I look at dialing in, when I look at focus, when I look at the structure of a wrestling match, when I look at a premium event, whatever it might be, he brings something out of me that I don’t think I knew was there. I would hope I do the same for him. Cause there’s a lot of great stories to be told 30 years from now when we’re old and gray about record business being done.”

Reigns’ return and Rhodes continued inclusion in the Bloodline story doesn’t appear to be slowing anytime soon. Many of the main characters have yet to be folded into the latest wrinkle, like Paul Heyman and The Rock, who have been absent from television entirely, or Jey Uso, who has been doing his own thing on Monday Night Raw.

What Rhodes appreciates about his link to the ongoing Bloodline story, which he calls, “one of the best stories in all of entertainment,” is that he gets to be in the proximity of a talent the likes of Heyman.

“I think in another lifetime, I would have made a really great Paul Heyman guy. I have an unflinching respect for Mr. Heyman not just what he did for my dad, but his own story,” Rhodes says. “Even if I’m the guy that beats the Bloodline, even if that’s my role in all this. I like to be in the orbit of Mr. Heyman because there are very few super geniuses as we call them in Sports Entertainment and he’s one. If you’re on set and you get the chance to work with a Scorsese, for example, it’s as a wrestler to be in that orbit, to have those conversations, that’s something I enjoy about it.”

Whether that opportunity presents itself for Rhodes to align himself with a talent like Heyman on Saturday remains to be seen. What he is intrigued about in this next phase of his story is for someone to “have your back” and advocate for you in every sense of the word.

“It’s great when someone has your back on screen, that’s cool. But to have somebody who has your back off screen, it plays out differently when you’re out there. To have that uniformed manager, truly a manager. Something about this looks fun because you get to feel and hear a crowd and have that moment, share that moment. For me, everyone’s at a distance. I don’t know, maybe something down the road, any type of person who can be there to support me behind the scenes,” Rhodes continues.

“I always like when they have a connection to my roots. Or particularly, that’s one of the reasons I liked using Arn (Anderson) when we had Arn at AEW was just because he was my dad’s adversary, like a nemesis, and to be able to get his perspective versus just what I would have gotten from my father was really unique. I don’t see it happening by any means, but gosh. If you’re watching modern WWE, anything can happen at any point. Triple H, just doing it, just cooking as the kids say.”

We’re in the first few days of October right now, so there’s still plenty of time for people to get their Halloween costumes sorted out before the end of the month. If you’re a Drake hater (or a Drake lover, even, depending on how you want to interpret it), Fashion Nova has the Halloween costume for you.

Technically, it’s an accessory, not a full costume: Fashion Nova has a new item listed, and the listing is titled “BBL Booty Butt Pad Costume Accessory – Nude.” The accessory straps around the wearer’s waist and, when paired with the right outfit, gives the appearance of a large butt.

The listing has no direct mentions of Drake. But, it’s so clearly about him. Aside from the obviously “BBL Drizzy”-inspired product name, the model they got to show off the costume is wearing a hoodie that says “Papi,” grills in his mouth, and rainbow-colored hairclips that are similar to the ones Drake sported during the For All The Dogs era.

As for what “BBL Drizzy” means: The term stems from accusations that Drake has had a Brazilian butt lift surgery. It especially took off earlier this year, when Metro Boomin shared an instrumental beat titled “BBL Drizzy.”

At present, some current TV series and a movie based upon fantasy author Neil Gaiman’s writing seem to be sitting in limbo. This isn’t the case for Netflix’s second season of The Sandman, but the streamer did recently unveil a three-minute behind-the-scenes video in which Gaiman is not mentioned, heard, or seen. Whereas in the first season counterpart video, he was a main attraction. This conspicuous omission arrives after Netflix cancelled Dead Boy Detectives, albeit likely due to not-so-great streaming numbers.

Then Disney paused work on their Graveyard Book movie adaptation, which (like the above-mentioned Netflix promo video) happened in the wake of sexual assault allegations that are reportedly tied to an ongoing investigation (in New Zealand) concerning multiple women as reported by Tortoise Media about Gaiman, who has denied the accusations against him.

In September, Deadline reported that Gaiman offered to “step back” from Good Omens‘ third and final season, for which he is creator, showrunner, and screenwriter. This naturally caused viewers to wonder whether the season would happen at all, a subject that has not been addressed in public by Amazon, which had reportedly paused production (also according to Deadline) in Scotland amid “discussions about possible production changes.”

What does this do for putting a bow on Earth-bound drama between angelic Aziraphale (Martin Sheen) and the devilish Crowley (David Tennant)? Honestly, we don’t know, but let’s talk about what we can expect if the show continues:

Plot

Sadly, the plot seems secondary (tertiary, even) to questions surrounding whether Gaiman will still be involved in this season or whether another shelving is in the cards. In December 2023, however, the third season renewal had become official, and in a Prime Video/Amazon statement, Gaiman did declare, “I’m so happy finally to be able to finish the story Terry [Pratchett} and I plotted in 1989 and in 2006. Terry was determined that if we made Good Omens for television, we could take the story all the way to the end.” He continued with a brief summation of his plans:

“Season One was all about averting Armageddon, dangerous prophecies, and the End of the World. Season Two was sweet and gentle, although it may have ended less joyfully than a certain Angel and Demon might have hoped. Now in Season Three, we will deal once more with the end of the world. The plans for Armageddon are going wrong. Only Crowley and Aziraphale working together can hope to put it right. And they aren’t talking.”

Who else might not be talking to each other? Page Six recently reported that Gaiman skipped his usual attendance of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ “top secret Campfire literary retreat,” although this has not been confirmed or denied by any involved party. What could this mean for existing plans on delivering a more satisfying series ending than the second season finale turned out to be? Until we hear more, your guess is as good as ours right now.

Cast

Michael Sheen and David Tennant would wrap up the series as Crowley and Aziraphale, respectively. Jon Hamm revealed to TV Insider that he’s not sure whether Archangel Gabriel will return, but as of May 2024, he declared, “I think that there might be something happening, but I don’t want to get too far out over my skis and I don’t want to spoil anything. But Neil’s a very good friend, and I think if there’s a will, there’s a way. I’ll put it that way.”

Release Date

Looking at this through rose-colored glasses is perhaps not wise. With Gaiman possibly pulling away from production, the best-case scenario is that filming will run longer than expected, probably through next year. Add in post-production time, including for (at times intentionally bad) special effects, and release time could hit 2026-2027, if the season still happens.

Trailer

No dice here, either, but in this TV Line interview clip, Michael Sheen and David Tennant discussed that kiss. You know the one.

Kylie Minogue just dropped “Lights Camera Action,” and the song’s title was even more instructive than it seemed.

On Thursday morning, October 3, the Australian pop icon announced 2025 North American dates for her Tension Tour, which a press release confirmed “is set to be Kylie’s biggest tour since 2011.”

“North America, it’s your turn!” Minogue cheerfully said in this Instagram video. “I’m coming to a city near you next spring for my Tension Tour.”

The 16-date North American leg will begin on March 29 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Minogue will hit New York City’s Madison Square Garden on April 4 and several other famed venues before wrapping at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California on May 2.

As per press release, American Express Card Members will have access to the Amex Presale from 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 8, to 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, October 10. The Artist Presale is scheduled for Wednesday, October 9, at 10 a.m. local time, which fans can sign up for here. The general onsale will begin on Friday, October 11, at 10 a.m. local time.

Minogue is appropriately kicking off her Tension Tour at home in Australia, with opening night scheduled for February 15 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Australian dates stretch into March before Minogue visits Asia and the UK. See all dates here, but keep in mind that “more countries and dates to be announced over the coming weeks, including Europe and South America,” as per press release.

Minogue released Tension in September 2023 and will release Tension II on October 18.

Check out Minogue’s North American Tension Tour dates as well as her Tension II album cover artwork and tracklist below.

Kylie Minogue’s 2025 North American Dates: Tension Tour

03/29/2025 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
03/30/2025 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
04/02/2025 — Chicago, IL @ Allstate Arena
04/04/2025 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
04/08/2025 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
04/09/2025 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
04/11/2025 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
04/13/2025 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center
04/14/2025 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center
04/17/2025 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
04/19/2025 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center
04/22/2025 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
04/25/2025 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
04/26/2025 — Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum
04/29/2025 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
05/02/2025 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena

Kylie Minogue’s Tension II Album Cover Artwork

Kylie Minogue’s Tension II Tracklist

1. “Lights Camera Action”
2. “Taboo”
3. “Someone For Me”
4. “Good As Gone”
5. “Kiss Bang Bang”
6. “Diamonds”
7. “Hello”
8. “Dance To The Music”
9. “Shoulda Left Ya”
10. “Edge Of Saturday Night” With The Blessed Madonna
11. “My Oh My” With Bebe Rexha & Tove Lo
12. “Midnight Ride” With Orville Peck & Diplo
13. “Dance Alone” With Sia

Tension II is out 10/18 via Kylie Minogue/Darenote & BMG Rights Management. Find more information here.

The start of October means that the beginning of the NBA season is right around the corner. Teams are in the middle of training camp right now, with the start of the preseason right on the horizon. And before you know it, it’ll be Oct. 22, and the New York Knicks will be in Boston for the Celtics’ ring night, and the months-long grind that is the 2024-25 NBA regular season will be underway.

Coming into the season, NBA fans have a pretty good idea of who the best players are going to be on a given team, and which players are going to be the most important if a team wants to go where they aspire to go. The much more difficult thing is identifying which players are going to break out, in large part because defining what a breakout means in the context of each specific team is different. Some need a guy to take a leap into stardom, some need a guy to become a star in a given role, some just need a guy who will patch over a gigantic hole and empower stars to be the best version of themselves.

Today, we decided to look at all 30 teams and identify which player is in line for a huge breakout. Again, that means something different on every team, but at the end of the day, these are the players who will be critical for their team’s success.

Atlanta Hawks: Jalen Johnson

Johnson made a big leap last year and he should be an even bigger part of the Hawks offense this season with Dejounte Murray gone from the roster. The super-athletic forward made major strides with his shot in ’23-24, knocking down 35.5 percent from deep, and if he can keep up that kind of shooting efficiency while taking on a bigger role as a secondary creator alongside Trae Young, he could be in for a monster season in Atlanta.

Orlando Magic: Anthony Black

The Magic bolstered their guard rotation this summer with the signing of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but with Markelle Fultz gone, they are going to need second-year guard Anthony Black to take on a bit of a bigger role behind Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony at point guard. Black shot it well (39.4 percent from three) in limited action last year, but for a team in need of floor-spacing, he could make the Magic even more dynamic on offense if he can maintain that with an increased workload.

Miami Heat: Nikola Jovic

The Heat need their young guys to be good if they’re going to make any noise in the East this year. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is on the watch list for Most Improved Player for many, but Jovic might be more important to the Heat given their need for production from the four-spot. Jovic played pretty well in 46 appearances last year and had another good summer playing for Serbia in the Olympics. Now, there’s a chance for him to establish himself as the floor-spacing four the Heat need in their starting lineup.

Charlotte Hornets: Brandon Miller

Miller had a spectacular rookie season, he just happened to do so in a year with Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren also on the ROY ballot. It’s not always easy backing up a big rookie year with a leap in year two, but if LaMelo Ball can stay healthy, I think there’s a chance for Miller to become a full-on monster in Charlotte with some high-level point guard play to help elevate him. I’m not particularly high on the Hornets as a team, but Miller has a chance to be in the All-Star conversation this in January.

Washington Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly

Even with the Wizards starting the season with Jordan Poole at point guard, Coulibaly is the guy Washington has to hope takes a leap this season. He showed flashes last year, but the Wizards are still trying to figure out if they have anyone that’s firmly part of their future core. The young Frenchman figures to get plenty of burn (as will rookie Bub Carrington), and if he can start to turn those flashes into sustained good play, Washington will feel a bit better about how it’s progressing.

Boston Celtics: Baylor Scheierman

The Celtics are running it back with everyone from the top 10 spots on their roster from a year ago, and a couple of those guys already broke out last year to become useful rotation players on a title team (see: Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard). With their roles not likely expanding, I’ll go with the Celtics rookie as the best candidate for a “breakout” season, as Scheierman’s shooting could get him on the floor some and a rookie providing anything to the league’s best team would qualify in my eyes as a breakout performance.

Brooklyn Nets: Noah Clowney

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the Celtics are the Nets, where there are a lot of options, but I’ll go with the second-year forward out of Alabama. Clowney played just 23 games as a rookie, but shot it pretty well in a small sample and with the Nets fully in evaluation mode this year, he ought to get an opportunity to show his value as a versatile, floor-spacing big.

New York Knicks: Deuce McBride

The Knicks center rotation is their big question mark and perhaps at the end of the season we’re looking at Jericho Sims as the actual answer, but my choice here is at backup point guard. McBride had a very good postseason run for the banged up Knicks, and after New York thinned out some of their depth in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade by sending out Donte DiVincenzo, he figures to play an important role on the fully healthy squad this season with his ability to bring some scoring punch off the bench. Remember, he signed a 3-year, $13 million extension right after the OG Anunoby trade, which is pretty great value for New York.

Philadelphia 76ers: Ricky Council IV

The Sixers changed over a lot of their roster this summer and have gone veteran heavy in their quest to win a title. Even so, they will need to establish some wing depth and find some shooting from their bench unit, and the second-year man out of Arkansas provides an intriguing option. He only appeared in 32 games a year ago, but shot 37.5 percent from deep on a small sample and could get some looks as a down-the-bench option.

Toronto Raptors: Gradey Dick

The Raptors need Gradey Dick to be A Guy this year. Toronto was 27th in the NBA in three-point shooting a year ago and lost their best volume shooter, Gary Trent Jr., to free agency this summer. Dick should have an increased role for the Raptors this season, and they need him to become a big threat from beyond the arc in order to create some space for this offense.

Chicago Bulls: Ayo Dosunmu

The ’23-24 season wasn’t particularly fun in Chicago, but it did produce two positives in the form of leaps from Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. White’s was the most notable, as he took over for the injured Zach LaVine and played the best basketball of his career. Dosunmu’s play was a bit quieter, but he likewise enjoyed the best season of his career. With DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso gone, there are some minutes on the wing to be had, and Dosunmu has a chance to build on his excellent season to cement himself as a quality player.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley

Mobley is already considered one of the best defenders in the NBA, but the hope with Kenny Atkinson arriving is that he takes a leap on the offensive end and puts himself in the All-Star conversation in the East. We saw late in the playoffs that he’s got more in the tank on that end of the floor, but the question is whether you can get that out of him while playing alongside Jarrett Allen. That’s the task of Atkinson, but if he can unlock Mobley as an offensive threat, that’s the way this Cavs team can take another step forward as a whole and go from a reliable regular season team to a potential contender in the East.

Detroit Pistons: Jaden Ivey

I’m still a believer in the former Purdue standout, and I think J.B. Bickerstaff’s success getting Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell to play well together in Mitchell’s first year in Cleveland (before Garland’s injury issues) bodes well for getting more out of Ivey alongside Cade Cunningham. Having some adults on the roster on the wing should help as well, and even if this is a bit of a make it or break it year for Ivey, I feel like he’s due to take a leap forward under his third coaching staff in three years.

Milwaukee Bucks: AJ Green

The Bucks are going to be led by their veterans, but they really could use some positive impact from their younger bench unit this year. I think the guy most likely to crack Doc Rivers’ regular rotation is AJ Green, as Milwaukee needs some more floor spacing and he hit 40 percent of his threes (on three attempts per game) last year even in limited action.

Indiana Pacers: Bennedict Mathurin

The Pacers want to follow-up last year’s surprising run to the conference finals and prove that wasn’t just a fluke, and to do so they’re going to have to be even better given how the East got stronger around them. The player who has the most room to grow on this roster is Bennedict Mathurin, who had a good ’23-24 campaign before getting hurt and missing the playoffs. Mathurin finding a way to build on last year when he took strides in scoring efficiency to give the Pacers another dynamic on offense is the kind of thing they need to keep pace in the crowded East playoff picture.

Denver Nuggets: Julian Strawther

The Nuggets desperately need at least one of their young guys to step up, whether that’s Christian Braun, Julian Strawther Peyton Watson, Zeke Nnaji, Jalen Pickett, or Hunter Tyson. For the purposes of this exercise, we’ll go with Strawther, who flashed last year and will have a chance to show he can be a 3-and-D guy now that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is gone.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Naz Reid

Easy one here, as Reid is an awesome player who is now going to have to scale up his game as a floor-spacing big man with Karl-Anthony Towns going to the New York Knicks. His game fits alongside Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert in a clearer way than that of Julius Randle, and we expect him to reward any and all faith the Wolves place in him.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Chet Holmgren

Another easy one, as Holmgren was awesome as a rookie on both ends of the floor and has room to get better as one of the faces of this era of Oklahoma City basketball. He should be an elite defensive player regardless, but we’re interested in seeing how his offensive game grows as he gets more opportunities, which should hopefully come this year. It’ll be tough to make it, but he could be in the All-Star conversation in the Western Conference.

Utah Jazz: Keyonte George

George was a rookie guard on a bad team last year, which is to say he struggled mightily — he shot 39.1 percent from the field. The flashes were good, though, and he came into the league with a ton of promise as a talented young guard who has the potential to be a starter in the NBA. He should have the ball in his hands a ton during his sophomore year, and if all goes right, he’ll take a big step forward.

Portland Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson

You can basically copy and paste everything we said about George into here, as Henderson went through many of the same growing pains on a bad team. Still only 20, Henderson has plenty of time to develop (particularly as a shooter), but betting on his work ethic and feel should carry him a long way in the league.

Dallas Mavericks: Dereck Lively II

The idea of Lively is that he can, essentially, be a big man in the Tyson Chandler mold who protects the rim, can switch defensively, and finishes lobs from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. As a rookie, we saw that he’s more than capable of doing that, and during his second year in the league, it seems like a safe bet that Lively will build on all of that and establish himself as one of the best young bigs in the league.

Memphis Grizzlies: Zach Edey

He’s one of the only rookies on the list, but it’s for good reason. Not only is Edey an older rookie (he turned 22 in May), but his size, strength, rebounding, rim protection, and touch around the rim are all NBA ready. Perhaps most importantly, Memphis has a hole at center that he is going to get a chance to fill, and his ability to do that could be the difference between the Grizzlies being good and the Grizzlies being one of the best teams in the West.

New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III

Murphy is awesome, but figuring out his future is tricky. He’s slated to hit restricted free agency this offseason — will the famously cheap Pelicans give him the gigantic deal he deserves to bring him back? How is his future linked with Brandon Ingram’s? They’re interesting questions, but on the floor, Murphy just keeps getting better and better, and there’s no reason to think that will change this year.

San Antonio Spurs: Devin Vassell

All the talk this offseason in San Antonio is how their main veteran additions — Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes — should help Victor Wembanyama. But after being overextended the last few years, keep an eye out for how these guys help Vassell, too. With Paul at the point and Barnes providing another option on the wing, we think Vassell can thrive in a souped up 3-and-D role where he occasionally shows off his on-ball and playmaking chops.

Houston Rockets: Jabari Smith Jr

The Rockets have a bunch of potential options here, but there is just something about Smith as a huge forward who can really shoot the ball that we just can’t quit. He took a step forward as a scorer during his second year in the league, and at only 21 years old, there’s still plenty of time for him to keep developing his all-around game.

Phoenix Suns: Tyus Jones

The Suns are a very difficult team for this exercise since their team is largely made up of vets. Still, we’ll go with Jones, who is good and should give them some much-needed point guard help. We don’t think he’ll make an All-Star team or anything, but he could be in line for the best season of his career, which would provide a gigantic boost for Phoenix.

Los Angeles Lakers: Max Christie

The Lakers gave Christie a $32 million deal this offseason despite the fact that he’s never scored more than 14 points in a single game. We can assume, then, that the team believes he has a bright future, as his name always comes up when the Lakers talk about developing young talent. Him turning into a reliable wing option alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James would make new coach JJ Redick’s life a whole lot easier.

Los Angeles Clippers: Terance Mann

The Clippers are kind of like the Suns in that they’re a team built around a bunch of guys with NBA experience. Still, with Paul George gone, Mann seems ripe for a bigger role, as he’s been in L.A. forever and has flashed time and time again during his time with the Clippers.

Golden State Warriors: Brandin Podziemski

Golden State clearly loves Podziemski, who was not moved this offseason in an effort to get more immediate help. His basketball IQ and willingness to do whatever it takes to support Steph Curry makes him an invaluable piece of the puzzle for the Warriors, and he’s primed to build on an impressive rookie year with an even better sophomore campaign as he slots into the starting lineup for Klay Thompson.

Sacramento Kings: Keegan Murray

For the Kings to go where they want to go this season, Murray has to be a perfect fit alongside their trio of De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and offseason acquisition DeMar DeRozan. His defense, in particular, will be crucial, as will knocking down the open looks those three generate for him.