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5 NBA players having breakout 2016-17 seasons

By Roje Smith

ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 20: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors dunks against Pero Antic #6 of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on February 20, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - FEBRUARY 20: DeMar DeRozan #10 of the Toronto Raptors dunks against Pero Antic #6 of the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on February 20, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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The 2016-17 NBA season is only a couple weeks old and these five players are already having breakout seasons.

The 2016-17 NBA season has been underway since Halloween and we’ve been witnesses to great performances. Some of the performances are not surprising, such as Russell Westbrook already having three triple-doubles. We all knew that he would go absolutely berserk after the departure of Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors.

It’s also not surprising that James Harden is putting up astronomical numbers in Mike D’Antoni’s offense. After all, D’Antoni had a player like Raymond Felton putting up All-Star numbers when he coached him. Therefore, one can only imagine what Harden, a player who is significantly better than Felton, would do in that high-powered offensive system.

Additionally, the incredibly strong start for Anthony Davis is not a surprise either since we’re all aware of his other-worldly talent. The only question with him is his durability for the entire season.

Along with seeing individual performances that were expected, we’ve also seen some that are totally unexpected so far. Certain players are having excellent starts to the season and surprising critics. One of them is a well-known name that is taking his game to new heights so far. The others are lesser-known players that are receiving the chance to show what they can do and taking advantage of their opportunity.

Out of all of the players currently experiencing breakout seasons, there are five that stand out the most. Let’s take a look at who these men are.

5. Dennis Schroder – PG – Atlanta Hawks

Dennis Schroder is a name that is well-known in Germany and is on his way to being a familiar name in the NBA. His professional career began when he was 17 years old in the German professional league. After spending three successful years improving his skills and winning a few awards, Schroder entered the 2013 NBA Draft. Due to his length and playing style, he received strong comparisons to Rajon Rondo. As a result, the Atlanta Hawks selected him with the 17th overall pick in the draft.

Schroder’s career didn’t take off early due to Atlanta already having Jeff Teague as their established point guard. However, it wasn’t a total disappointment since he put up good numbers while averaging only 18 to 20 minutes per game. He is finally receiving his chance to be the starting point guard this season since Teague was traded to the Indiana Pacers. There were expectations for Schroder to have a breakout season due to a significant increase in minutes. The result so far has been impressive.

Schroder is currently averaging 16.3 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game. This is easily his breakout season and he is only going to get better. When you consider the fact that he’s about five years away from reaching the prime of his career, this is just a taste of what the young German can do. The future is definitely bright for him and it’s great that we’re seeing the beginning of what should be a stellar career.

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