Breakout stars are a norm every NBA season. From year-to-year, it’s fair to expect several players who’ve flown under the radar to make significant strides in their game. Last year, Clint Capela, Spencer Dinwiddie and Most Improved Player of the Year winner Victor Oladipo all surprised fans with career-altering breakout campaigns. Here are some of the players to keep an eye on for this season.
Aaron Gordon
The high-flying combo forward was also one of last season’s breakout players. His scoring average and three-point shooting both saw significant increases in the 2017-2018 season. Expect Gordon to make another jump in year four. Every year he seems to add something new to his game to complement his already impressive athleticism and defense.
Despite battling injuries throughout the season, Gordon flashed potential as a true number one option. He posted two 40-point games and one 39-point game last season. As he continues to improve his skills and grows into the role as “the guy” in Orlando’s offense, he’ll need to improve his efficiency. Gordon shot a pedestrian 43.4 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from three.
Orlando will trot out a younger rotation this year—with second-year forward Jonathan Isaac and rookie center Mohamed Bamba expected to log big minutes. The Magic will put more on Gordon’s plate in what could be an all-star campaign for the former fourth overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft
