10 NBA Players Who Will Become Breakout Stars in 2010-11
I am not Nostradamus.
Let me just get that out of the way. Breakout stars are sometimes tough to foresee, although when they emerge we immediately think, “I guess I could have seen that guy breaking out like that.” A lot of these players are ones that are young, pretty well-known, and generally respected, but haven’t quite taken that next step to stardom.
Of course, I could be totally wrong and these players could remain just perfectly average during this year. So if there are some out there that think I’m over-rating or expecting too much of a few of these players – you’re fair to think so. However, these are the ten players that to me, under the right circumstances, could surprise some people this year.
10. Brandon Rush (Indiana Pacers)
1 of 10
This is my biggest stretch, I fully realize this. Rush is trapped in the small-market town of Indianapolis on the rather underachieving Pacers. However, he shoots well from outside (41.1%), is only twenty-six years old, and appears to have the full confidence of his coaching staff, starting sixty-four of eight-two games last year. Although his free-throw percentage is just dismal (62.9%), he’s six foot six and can be explosive when he wants to be.
With Danny Granger desperately searching for a wingman, Rush could be his guy this year. He just needs to be encouraged to shoot the ball more and take that extra step. He’s a fundamentally sound player, and now in a seemingly perfect situation for him to shine in Indiana, he could potentially become a 16-17 ppg player and one of the most feared outside threats in the league this year.
9. Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
2 of 10
The Memphis Grizzlies have a lot of young talent. There’s no denying that. Conley is one of those players who has underachieved his entire career, not living up to the lofty expectations that players picked number four overall usually face. Instead, he’s become an average, but not star guard in the league. One has to wonder if his time is coming though. Think about it, the Grizzlies got off to a monster start last season but eventually faded away. Now, with a full year under the belt and some powerhouses in the West getting significantly weaker this past off season, could the Grizzlies actually return to the playoffs?
Don’t be surprised if Conley is a huge reason as to why they do if the team remains consistently good throughout the year. He is a smart-shooter, quick on the open floor, but in order for him to take that extra step he needs to upgrade his defense (only 0.8 spg) and his assists (4.2 per game). Again, I’m no prophet, but there’s a reason this guy was picked number four in the 2007 draft. I’m going out a limb and saying he finally breaks out this year.
8. Taj Gibson (Chicago Bulls)
3 of 10
The biggest question that remains for Mr. Gibson is if he can make the successful transition from power forward to small forward if called upon. He started 70 games for the Bulls last year and showed flashes of defensive tenacity that would make any coach proud. However, Gibson is in a difficult spot seeing the Bulls brought in Carlos Boozer to bulk up the front-line, and the Bulls still have Luol Deng.
However, given Deng’s injury-plagued past and Kyle Korver’s one-dimensionality, Gibson could still succeed through playing the small forward spot and harassing the league’s best scorers. While he might not become an offensive beast, seeing his doesn’t have a three-point shot, he could become very well-known around the league for his defensive ability. Since the Bulls should be one of the league’s more exciting teams to watch this year, we could be hearing Taj’s name quite a bit soon.
7. James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder)
4 of 10
Harden went through the typical rookie year last year, showing signs of promise but also signs of youth and inexperience. His percentages were less than stellar but general manager Sam Presti is no dummy. Thabo Sefolosha is not the future shooting guard for this quickly rising Thunder squad – Harden is.
Will he take over at the two-spot this coming year? One has to think so seeing he was a top pick a year ago and the Thunder have to like the possibility of having a massive scoring backcourt beast in Harden, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Durant. Of course if this happens, Harden will be expected to step his game up and hit more shots at a higher clip than he did last year. To me, it’s either this year or next that this guy breaks out, and my gut is telling me it might be this season.
6. Mario Chalmers (Miami Heat)
5 of 10
Let me repeat – I am not a prophet. If there is one player that I could see getting massive complaints for me putting him this high, it’s Chalmers. I use the logic of Rajon Rondo taking off with the Boston Celtics when the Big Three formed. Chalmers has proven to be a shaky player during his first two years in the league, not really possessing the passing ability most point guards in the league have while in turn shooting a poor percentage from both inside and outside.
However, like Rondo, Chalmers has to be thrilled with two new stars coming to his team to make his life easier. When LeBron James especially decided to “take his talents to South Beach”, Chalmers had to be loving the fact that his assists average might triple this year seeing the amount of alley-oops he’d be hurling the King’s way this season. If Chalmers can develop his shot – the Heat are unbeatable. He’s the biggest X-factor for me.
I do think he will emerge as a star the way Rondo did these last couple of years. It might take a chunk of the season but once Chalmers gets familiar with his guys, I think he could get a massive amount of attention seeing his job is distributing and directing the ball for arguably the biggest super-team ever assembled.
5. Trevor Ariza (New Orleans Hornets)
6 of 10
I hear you. “Oh come on! Everybody knew how good he was with the Lakers back a couple years ago!” While this is true, he was known as a solid role player who was the perfect small forward for the Lakers during the 2008-2009 season. Now, after a setback season with the Houston Rockets last year, Ariza has a chance to become a true star for the New Orleans Hornets.
Think about it, he was so perfect whenever he got set-up for wide open corner threes that burned teams at crucial stretches with the Lakers. Now with the league’s best passer in Chris Paul by his side, you can make a case that Ariza’s game could evolve to elite status. He’s a good shooter inside and out, he’s a pest on defense, and his athletic ability has already been fully documented.
The West is going to be very interesting this year, and much like the previously mentioned Memphis Grizzlies, the Hornets could easily be fighting for a playoff spot this coming year, and adding Ariza is what will propel them to face this prospect.
4. Jrue Holiday (Philadelphia 76ers)
7 of 10
I have watched a lot of Sixers basketball during this past decade. I have never been this excited about the team’s playoff chances as I am right now. Jrue Holiday’s maturity into an on-court leader is a huge reason why. He’s only 20 years old but the team apparently feels confident enough to give him the duty of starting at the point guard position this year.
Last year Jrue proved to be a capable defender and a feared perimeter shooter. This season will be fascinating in the sense of seeing him try to become a better passer and ball distributor, and not just an occasional shooter trying to bring it up the court and hand it to Andre Iguodala and hope he does something with it. Jrue showed promising signs last year, and now with more minutes and a strong coach in Doug Collins help direct him, I’m very confident that Holiday will become a breakout star during this coming year.
3. Nicolas Batum (Portland Trail Blazers)
8 of 10
While he will definitely have his work cut out for him beating out newly-signed Wesley Matthews, I still believe Batum can be the perfect defensive and athletic complement to mid-range shooting expert Brandon Roy. Batum has lengths, big hops, and is only 21 years old. Now, already in his third year in the league and already being a fan favorite, Batum could easily become a breakout star this coming year for the up-and-coming Blazers.
He quietly shot well from both the field (a scorching 51.9% for a guy at his position) and outside (40.9%) last year, and he seems primed to become a massive threat on the floor this coming year. His length is coveted by any general manager, he’s efficient during the time he’s on the floor, and he comes across as a kid eager to learn. With a now revamped team focused on character and winning the right way, Batum could prove to be a key piece to the Blazers success in the future.
2. Thaddeus Young (Philadelphia 76ers)
9 of 10
The Sixers small forward/shooting guard situation is definitely a little hectic right now. You could see Iggy starting next to Thad, or rookie Evan Turner starting next to Iggy with Thad coming off the bench. Whatever situation he’ll be put in this season, one has to think Thaddeus Young is ready to take off at some point soon – quite possibly this year. How could you not want this guy on your team? He's a six-foot-eight, 220 pound small forward who can play the two, three, and four spots, and who hustles on both ends of the floor while providing shooting from the perimeter and who can also open up the court with his quick penetration.
I really believe the Sixers are going to surprise some people this year. They have too much talent that can be overlooked due to their recent struggles. If Thaddeus can really take his game to the next level and become a corner three-ball threat as well as one of the league’s better perimeter defenders, the Sixers might be a sleeper out East. As is the case with most of these players in this list, it might take a bit for them to finally ignite, but once they do, you should be hearing about them quite often.
1. Paul Millsap Utah Jazz)
10 of 10
While not the most surprising pick for this kind of list, Millsap looks to be the clear-cut favorite to emerge as a bona fide star in this league this season. Throw in the fact that he averaged 18/8 during the playoffs, he could very well find himself starting over Mehmet Okur this year (seeing Al Jefferson will be taking over the starting center spot, I think Millsap beats out Okur for the starting spot).
With the “Boozer or Millsap” question finally answered (Boozer going to Chicago, as previously mentioned), Millsap has to feel more confident seeing that the Jazz are apparently trusting him to make up for a fair share of what they lost when Boozer skipped town. Although he’s undoubtedly undersized at his position, Millsap is a workhorse who gets offensive rebounds and scores at an envious clip (career 52.7% from the field). With the numbers he put up during last season’s playoffs, you can tell that he’s a star in the making, and if the Jazz provide him with the minutes he rightfully deserves, the Jazz won’t be missing Boozer as much.
