New stars emerge every season in the NBA. Take last year, for example. Pascal Siakam suddenly transformed into a star-calibre player and was a major factor in the Toronto Raptors winning their first championship in franchise history.
The likes of Jamal Murray and De’Aaron Fox also took significant steps forward as they helped defy the NBA 2019 odds of their respective teams last year.
So who will those young up-and-comers be this upcoming season? Let SBOBET offer up five potential candidates to emerge as legitimate stars in 2019-20.
Dejounte Murray, San Antonio Spurs
An inclusion on last year’s list, Murray had the misfortune of missing all of last season due to a torn ACL. Luckily for the Spurs, Derrick White emerged as a more than capable stand-in at point guard as they once again made it into the playoffs.
However, Murray is still three years younger than White and has significantly more upside to become a legitimate star. He already showcased his tremendous defensive potential during his first two years in the league. He was also all set to unleash his reworked jump shot, which no one got to see due to the injury.
The big question upon his return will be whether his offensive game has caught up to his defence. I believe it has and that Murray will finally get that belated breakout season for the Spurs.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Although Chris Paul is still a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, it’s just a matter of time before he gets traded. OKC have clearly pushed the reset button after trading away Paul George and Russell Westbrook, and they’re ready to rebuild.
That rebuild is already off to a good start after they acquired Shai Gilgeous-Alexander back from the Clippers in the George trade. The 21-year-old shares similarities with Murray in terms of being an extremely large point guard with potentially elite-level defence.
SGA still has some way to go as an offensive player, but he more than held his own as a rookie for a competitive Clippers team as he averaged nearly 11 points on 48 per cent shooting in just 26.5 minutes per game.
Gilgeous-Alexander will get to play big minutes this season with the Thunder and has a good chance of putting up the numbers and the performances that will scream ” star.”
Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
Like SGA, Ingram is another youngster sent packing from LA in a blockbuster trade for a superstar.
Ingram spent three seasons with the Lakers, and although he put up some impressive numbers last season — 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds — there was still a sense that he wasn’t quite living up to his full star potential.
It also didn’t help that he suffered a scary blood clot that prematurely ended his season. Luckily, indications are that his condition isn’t serious and that he’ll make a full recovery.
That’s certainly good news for the Pelicans, who have been desperately in need of wing production in recent years. Despite all the hype surrounding Zion Williamson, Ingram has the ability to steal the show and can become a dynamic scorer this season.
If Ingram can finally add more consistent shooting to his arsenal, he should finally blossom into a star in New Orleans.
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
Jaren Jackson Jr. was one of the few bright spots in what was a tough 2018-19 season in Memphis. The Grizzlies big man had an impressive rookie year as he averaged 14 points, including 36 per cent 3-point shooting in just 26 minutes per game. Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to injury.
Still, JJJ was able to showcase all the tools (shooting, athleticism, versatility on defence) that make him the perfect modern-day NBA big man. Jackson still has weaknesses he needs to fix– rebounding, interior scoring — but he figures to have a perfect complement moving forward in rookie Brandon Clarke, who impressed in Summer League.
The sky is the limit for Jackson, who doesn’t turn 20 until September. He will get every opportunity to prove himself to be the Grizzlies’ next big star, and after his impressive rookie season, it’s not a stretch to think that he knocks on the door of stardom as soon as this season.
Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento Kings
Despite being the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, Bagley flew under the radar for most of the year. That was in large part because Luka Doncic and Trae Young were grabbing headlines with their impressive rookie campaigns.
But after a somewhat slow start, Bagley finished his debut season on a high and showed just why he went so high in the draft. He ended up with impressive numbers of 15 points and seven rebounds per game, not to mention several NBA 2019 highlights.
This year, though, Bagley should get even better. Luke Walton is in as the Kings’ new head coach, and with his penchant for running and pushing the pace, the immensely athletic big man could find himself in the perfect situation to succeed.
After Fox made the jump to impending stardom last season, there’s every chance that Bagley follows in his team-mate’s footsteps and establishes himself as one of the best young big men in the league.
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