NBA: 5 Players That Are Way Overdue For A Breakout Season

These five NBA players have the potential to become stars in the league, but just haven’t been able to break out yet.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Finding your niche in the NBA is something every player struggles with. Most players in the league have been a go-to guy at some point in their basketball career.

It isn’t easy to transition from No. 1 option to just another role player. Some players find their niche, while others strive to break out and achieve something more.

Rookies are faced with different challenges and situations upon entering the league. Few young players are fortunate enough to be given minutes from day one, as most are placed on a short leash battling for playing time off the bench.

With that being said, here are some young players who have all the potential in the world, but haven’t been able to break out yet.

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5. Victor Oladipo

The Orlando Magic drafted Victor Oladipo with the second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Oladipo showed a lot of promise in college at the University of Indiana. Scouts were pegging him as a future two-way guard with the potential to become an elite one.

Oladipo got off to a rocky start with the Magic in his rookie season. He was an inefficient, turnover-prone guard that couldn’t find his place in the offense. Since his rookie year, Oladipo has had just enough superstar-like performances to ask the question, “Why isn’t this guy considered a top-five shooting guard?”

On the other hand, there have been a number of games that makes it obvious why Oladipo isn’t in the same breath as the elite shooting guards.

The Magic didn’t exactly put Oladipo into a great situation to succeed. They rejiggered their offense, force-feeding the ball into Oladipo’s hands a little too much early on. The Magic wanted Oladipo to be the primary creator for the offense and the results weren’t pleasing. This led to a lot of poor passing decisions and turnovers.

Oladipo’s playmaking abilities and basketball IQ left a lot to be desired. Now, after being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Oladipo has to adapt to an entirely different situation. He has the opportunity to develop his game and play alongside the ferocious Russell Westbrook. How these two players will fit next to each other remains to be seen, but Oladipo will have an excellent chance this season to prove his doubters wrong.

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4. Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Milwaukee Bucks selected Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. He was arguably the rawest prospect to come out of that draft. Outside of his freakish length, Antetokounmpo didn’t have many basketball skills to hang his hat on.

Over the last three years Antetokounmpo has made small steps toward becoming a more complete NBA player. Milwaukee may have a mishmash of extreme length across their roster, but they hit a homerun with Antetokounmpo. He’s a strong finisher around the rim, able to create contact drawing fouls on his drives, and uses his ridiculous length to slash toward the basket in from the perimeter.

Kidd began to trust Antetokounmpo as the season progressed last year, placing him in situations as a ball handler. As a result, Antetokounmpo was able to mold himself into a point forward averaging 19 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists per game after the All-Star break.

Antetokounmpo can leverage his playmaking and scoring abilities by pushing the tempo and getting out in transition on fast breaks. He hit his stride down the stretch of last season, now he just has to do it for 82 games.

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3. Eric Bledsoe

The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted Eric Bledsoe with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft but later traded his draft rights to the Los Angeles Clippers. Bledsoe burst onto the scene in the 2013 season when Chris Paul sat out a number of games due to knee injuries.

Bledsoe delivered superb performances during that stretch, showing off his quickness, speed and explosiveness. Bledsoe’s elite athleticism, combined with his uncanny defense, led the Phoenix Suns to taking a chance on him the following year. Unfortunately, Bledsoe’s shining moments have been marred by injuries, and he hasn’t proved that he can stay healthy.

In his stint with Phoenix, Bledsoe has just one season under his belt playing 80 games or more. Bledsoe played in an underwhelming 43 and 31 games for the other two seasons. Injuries have plagued Bledsoe’s short career and it’s fair to wonder if he will ever be able to make any headway.

Bledsoe’s injuries have clouded people’s judgment and spectators seem to have forgotten just how good this guy is when healthy. The Suns roster is crowded with guards but a starting backcourt featuring Bledsoe and rising star Devin Booker has the potential to wreak havoc on the league.

Nov 7, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert warms up prior to the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

2. Rudy Gobert

The Utah Jazz drafted Rudy Gobert with the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. Gobert flew under everyone’s radar and the Jazz managed to snare a top talent late in the first round. Gobert’s length, size, and strength have always been enticing, but scouts doubted whether or not he would ever make the most of these qualities.

Gobert has progressed each season and is quickly becoming one of the most dependable defensive anchors in the league. He has sculpted himself into a defensive stalwart with his improving mobility and coordination. He can protect the rim, alter shots off of swift rotations from the weak side, and has shown a knack for snuffing out drives to the basket out of the pick-and-roll.

Gobert’s calling card is his defense, but he’s showed signs of being a capable scorer. Offensively, Gobert is a superior finisher at the rim and has been incredibly efficient year after year. Gobert will never be a volume scorer that hoists 20 shots per game, but averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds doesn’t look to be farfetched.

The Jazz have made several new additions to prepare themselves for a playoff run this season. Gobert has an excellent opportunity to display his talents and deliver with a breakout season.

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1. Bradley Beal

The Washington Wizards selected Bradley Beal with the third overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. Beal possessed a lot of potential coming into the league and has been able to add to his arsenal of weapons each season. He’s improved his passing abilities, tightened up his ball handling, and has increased his efficiency each season.

Beal operates in the Wizards’ offense primarily playing off the ball next to John Wall. Beal exhausts his defenders by relentlessly running off of screens, curls and pin downs. His defenders can’t afford to become gassed either. A few quick zigs and zags and Beal is left with a wide open jump shot.

Beal has had some big moments in his first four years with the Wizards, none of which may be bigger than his playoff series against the Hawks two seasons ago.

Wall missed three games that series due to a hand injury. During those three Wall-less games, Beal averaged 24 points, eight assists, and five rebounds with 3.7 turnovers per game, stepping up his game on the biggest stage.

Beal has proven he has another gear in the playoffs but he just hasn’t been able to find any consistency throughout the regular season. Injuries have certainly played their part, but perhaps Beal will come back with a chip on his shoulder and break out with an All-Star-caliber season.