5 NBA Players Ready To Make The Leap

Predicting a player's leap in the NBA can be extremely difficult, but some young players, based on their play last season, may be on the verge of taking the next step in their development.

There were several leap stories last season: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Duren (ignore his playoff performance), Deni Avdija. 

The leap can happen for several reasons, most commonly because more time in the NBA system opens the door. Other cases can come from a change in the situation, whether it's moving to a new team or more opportunities opening up when someone leaves. Sometimes it's finally getting healthy at the right time that gives a player a chance to show what they can do. 

Below are a few candidates—some more obvious than others—that are fully capable of taking a huge leap next season.

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs

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Second-year players are expected to make a leap after going through their first season. Dylan Harper of the Spurs might be in a different category, as his leap could be bigger than most people are ready for. 

Harper came into his rookie year looking more advanced than most rookies. But it largely went unnoticed during the regular season because he was coming off the bench. He only started four games and averaged 22.6 minutes per game, averaging 11.8 points and 3.9 assists and finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. He struggled from three for most of the year, but in the last 21 games, he shot 53.6 percent on 2.7 attempts.   

As the playoffs began, Harper's shooting didn't carry over, but he remained a consistent source of good basketball for the Spurs. It didn't matter what defender was in front of him; he could get to the rim at will and finish. And as many of his teammates struggled in the finals, he shined. He was second in scoring for San Antonio, averaging 18 points per game, and his minutes went up to 31 per contest during the series. 

This coming season, Harper should receive a larger role from the Spurs despite De'Aaron Fox playing in front of him. Coach Mitch Johnson has the luxury of pairing him with Fox or Stephon Castle—at times, playing all three together.

Harper may still come off the bench, but there are more minutes out there for him, especially if he can become a more consistent shooter like he was at the end of the regular season. 

Harper came into his rookie season not playing like a rookie and after the run he had in the Finals, expect him to make a major leap next season that goes beyond just a rookie into his sophomore season.

Ajay Mitchell, Oklahoma City Thunder

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There's an argument that Ajay Mitchell's leap happened last season. He burst onto the scene for the Thunder, with Jalen Williams dealing with injuries. But Mitchell still has room to grow.

Over the last two seasons, Mitchell has played only 93 games because of the Thunder's depth. That depth has gotten a little thinner with OKC moving off Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe. And all of that means more minutes and opportunities for Mitchell. 

Mitchell's minutes went up from 16.6 minutes his rookie season to 25.8 last season. With that minute increase, his points per game shot up from 6.5 to 13.6. He was banged up in the playoffs, but through the 11 games he played, he averaged 15.1 points. That made him the Thunder's second-leading scorer. 

Looking into next season, Mitchell's role should change as one of the Thunder's most important pieces off the bench. He has a legitimate shot at winning sixth man of the year, with the second-best odds, according to FanDuel, just behind Dylan Harper.

Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

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A great candidate for a leap is fourth-year forward Brandon Miller. The former No. 2 pick has quietly put together three strong seasons despite playing only 27 games in his second season. 

For Miller's career, he's averaged 19 points while shooting 37.3 percent from three. He's coming off a career-high 38.3 percent from three on 8.2 attempts. He was a member of the three-headed monster with LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel that made the Hornets the surprise story of the season. 

This season, Miller will have more opportunities to show off his playmaking skills. He will play without Ball and Miles Bridges after already having a high usage rate of 27.2 percent. Expect the ball to be in Miller's hands more, and he can show another facet of his game that has not been shown too often. 

The Hornets made a big bet trading Ball, one of those bets is that Miller alongside Kon Knueppel will flourish with more opportunities to have the ball in their hands. Miller is the favorite on FanDuel for the Most Improved Player award.

Walker Kessler, Los Angeles Lakers

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2025-26 was a lost season for Walker Kessler, who played only five games for the Utah Jazz. But after a sign-and-trade that has him as a Los Angeles Laker, Kessler has a chance to take a major leap forward. 

Kessler has not been a beacon of good health throughout his career; his games-played total has dropped each consecutive season. However, when he is on the floor, he's been a good rebounder, averaging 12.2 rebounds during the 2024-25 season, along with 2.4 blocks. 

What makes this season a leap opportunity for Kessler is that he gets to play with one of the best lob-throwers in the NBA, Luka Doncic. Getting that opportunity to catch lobs and also rebound the misses from Doncic as he rolls to the rim should see his scoring numbers go up. Kessler is a great pick-and-roll partner for Luka, and it should pay immediate dividends. 

In the few games Kessler played last season, he experimented with adding a three-ball, attempting 1.6 three-pointers over five games. If that is an addition to his game, that would be a pretty big leap and would be worth the hefty price the Lakers paid for him.

Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers

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Scoot Henderson missed most of the 2025-26 season but played in the Portland Trail Blazers' last 29 games. Health has held back his development for multiple seasons. However, last season showed all the flashes that made him the third pick in the 2023 draft. 

The biggest market against Henderson has been his shooting, but in the last 21 games, he shot 40.1 percent on five attempts. That continued in the playoffs, where he shot 46.4 percent in their five-game first-round series against the San Antonio Spurs. That includes a 31-point explosion in Game 2 of the series—the only game the Blazers won. 

On top of the stretch of shooting from Henderson, he was one of the better defenders for the Blazers. While he was on the floor, Portland had a defensive rating of 109; that is 4.8 points better than when he was off the floor. 

If there is one possible obstacle to Henderson taking a leap this coming season, it might be the depth chart. The Blazers will get Damian Lillard back this season, just acquired Ja Morant and still have Jrue Holiday on the roster. That is a very crowded backcourt that might make it difficult for Henderson to see the court enough to actually take the leap.  

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Mo Dakhil spent six years with the Los Angeles Clippers and two years with the San Antonio Spurs as a video coordinator, as well as three years with the Australian men's national team. Follow him on X, @MoDakhil_NBA.