Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA: 10 Players Making The Leap In 2015-16

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 3, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) high fives guard Reggie Jackson (1) during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 3, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) high fives guard Reggie Jackson (1) during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 11
Next
NBA
Nov 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic (44) before the first half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Nikola Mirotic

In the first four games of the season, Nikola Mirotic looked like a frontrunner for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award. With head coach Fred Hoiberg giving him the green light and moving him into the starting lineup, the league’s second best beard posted 18.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in his first four games while shooting 46.8 percent from the floor and 46.4 percent from three-point range.

But ever since then, Mirotic has come crashing back down to earth, making the cries for Joakim Noah to be inserted back into the starting lineup even louder. In the Chicago Bulls‘ last three games, Mirotic is averaging 3.7 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while going 4-for-24 from the field and 1-for-13 from downtown.

That being said, Mirotic is clearly intrinsic to his team’s success, since the Bulls went 3-1 in those first four games and have gone 1-2 since. Once he’s able to shake off this early season shooting slump, Mirotic will prove he’s ready to break through in just his second NBA season.

Next: No. 8