Fantasy Basketball Breakouts: Year 2 Players with Potential

Performing at a high level in the NBA as a rookie can be very challenging, as, for the most part, the talent level is so much higher than any player has ever faced in their life previously. However, many players often see an improvement in their production during their sophomore campaigns as they become acclimated to the league and have a full offseason under their belt. A key factor in a breakout season is opportunity, so all the following breakout candidates are at least projected to start for their team next season. Finally, I won’t be choosing any rookies who had an outstanding season in 2023-24. So, while Victor Wembanyama could very well join MVP conversations next year, he won’t be on my breakout candidates list.

Fantasy Basketball Breakouts

Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons

DET

Thompson missed the final 19 games of 2023-24 with blood clots but is expected to be ready to go for the beginning of 2024-25. In the 21-year-old forward’s 63 regular-season appearances, including 38 starts, he averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks in 25.1 minutes. While Thompson established himself as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders already, he also mightily struggled with his efficiency, posting 48.3/18.6/59.7 shooting splits. Thompson’s outside shooting is particularly worrisome, but his ability to crash the glass and impact the game on the defensive end at such a young age should continue to earn him extended minutes. Unlike his twin brother Amen in Houston, Ausar is expected to earn a starting spot for Detroit this season, which should allow him to continue to stuff the stat sheet. Don’t expect huge scoring outputs from Thompson, but it wouldn’t be surprising for him to appear on All-Defensive Team ballots.

Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors

GSW

Podziesmki was selected 19th overall by the Warriors in the 2023 NBA Draft and surprised many with his contributions right out of the gate. As a rookie, he averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 26.6 minutes across 74 appearances, including 28 starts, leading to an All-Rookie First-Team selection. The 21-year-old also…

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Author : RotoWire.com

Publish date : 2024-09-24 08:21:00

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