The upcoming 2014-15 NBA season is expected to be full of drama and excitement, and there are plenty of teams that could make a championship run. There are plenty of stories for the media to pay attention to throughout the course of the season, and the overall talent level around the league is going to be fun to watch as well. Obviously teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls are going to be placed above the field, but there are other teams out there that can definitely compete with them and beat them in a seven-game series.
All of that being said, there are quite a few individual players to keep an eye on this coming season as well. There are a lot of talented young players and veterans who are poised to have breakout seasons and take the next step in their careers. This is going to be one of the most action filled seasons that the NBA has seen in a few years.
Needless to say, there are certain players in particular that are going to break out this coming season. There are more than five players, but for the sake of time that is all that we will take a look at.
So with all of that being said, which five NBA players are poised to have major breakout seasons in the 2014-15 season?
1. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are heading into a completely new era of basketball in 2014-15 under new head coach Stan Van Gundy. Andre Drummond is coming off of a very good season last year, and also was able to play with Team USA this summer. All of that experience is going to be big for him, and he will be a much better player this coming season with the Pistons.
Van Gundy has a great track record with athletic centers, and he will do the same with Drummond this season. He has a very quick point guard in Brandon Jennings, who will be able to get to the rim and set Drummond up in places to succeed. Drummond also is an extremely good rebounder who will get quite a few easy buckets off of putbacks. Last season with the Pistons, he ended up averaging 13.5 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Detroit is going to be a much better fit for Drummond this season than they have been in years past. Van Gundy knows how to put his players in positions for them to succeed, and he will figure out the perfect role for Drummond to have. Expect to see his numbers go up this coming season, and for him to be one of the most improved players in the league.
2. Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Bradley Beal was one of the biggest surprises from last season, and he is primed to have a big season for the Wizards. He became a deadly scorer and has continued developing as an all-around player as well. There is still more work for him to do before he reaches his full potential, but he is going to have a huge season and be a much improved player in every aspect.
Beal ended up averaging 17.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game last season, and saw his shooting numbers rise across the board. He shot 41.9 percent overall from the floor and drilled 40.2 percent of his three-point shots. The Wizards are going to need him to step up once again this season, and he is going to have the green light offensively.
It’s extremely obvious that Beal has the potential to be one of the next big rising stars in the league, and he already was towards the end of last season. Don’t be surprised to see him make the All-Star game in the East. Beal is poised to break through this season and become the dominating presence that he has the potential to be.
3. George Hill, Indiana Pacers
This choice isn’t one that many people would make, but George Hill is going to have a big season as one of the main options for the Indiana Pacers. Indiana will be without Lance Stephenson and Paul George, both of who were huge pieces of the offense last season. Hill has had a rough past couple of years trying to fit into the system as a point guard, but will now be asked to pick up some of the scoring slack.
There is no doubt that Hill can step his game up and become one of the leading scorers for the Pacers this season. He has shown flashes of being a legitimate scorer, and is also a very underrated defender. Hill is going to be given the keys to the offense, and he will take that role and run with it.
Hill averaged just 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last year, and simply wasn’t engaged nearly all season. Now that he will be given a larger role, that should change. Expect to see a much more aggressive version of Hill, and to see his numbers take a major jump. His ability to get to the rim, shoot the three-pointer, and everything in between will be a nightmare for opposing defenders.
4. Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic selected Indiana guard Victor Oladipo with the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, and they were very happy with what they saw from him last year. He has great athleticism to go along with a great work ethic and all-around skill. His potential is through the roof, and he is expected to take a huge step this coming season.
Oladipo ended up averaging 13.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game last season, and did a lot of that work coming off of the bench. He will take on a starting role this season, and will have more consistency with his minutes. There is no question that the Magic are going to begin building around him for the future, and he has the potential to become one of the better players in the league in the next few seasons.
All of that being said, the Magic are expecting to see a star in the making this season. He may not be an All-Star, but he does have the talent to at least make people consider him for a spot as All-Star weekend approaches. Oladipo’s offensive game needed some work last season, but he is such a hard worker that he is expected to make those improvements this offseason.
5. Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans
This selection may surprise a few people due to the fact that Anthony Davis already had a big season last year, but he is going to take yet another step this season. Davis has the potential to be one of the NBA’s best players this season, and he will prove himself and all of his supporters right this season. New Orleans has a lot of talent on the roster, but Davis is going to have to carry the team on his shoulders in order for them to reach the playoffs in a very difficult Western Conference.
There have been some question marks surrounding his health, but he has been an absolute statistical monster when on the court. He has been working hard this offseason and had a very successful Team USA experience. Davis proved himself to be an extremely productive all-around player, and was probably the most consistent player on the U.S. national team.
Davis averaged 20.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game last season, and you can expect to see those numbers rise even more this season. He is going to be the number one option in New Orleans obviously, and he has worked hard on his game this offseason and become an even more dangerous all-around player. The Pelicans could very well have the NBA’s next superstar this season, and he could lead them to a playoff appearance.
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