NBA: 10 candidates for breakout seasons in 2017-18

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10. Aaron Gordon

Up to this point in his career, Aaron Gordon hasn’t shown much, partially because he’s been played out of position as a small forward for so long, and partially because his rise to NBA stardom has followed the same path as most Orlando Magic draft selections over the last half-decade: brimming with potential, but ultimately falling short of reaching it.

Unlike some of those other picks, however, Gordon has a chance to amend the record entering his fourth season. He averaged a career-best 12.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game on 45.4 percent shooting last year, and though he still isn’t a stretch-4, he bumped his numbers up to 16.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game on 50.3 percent shooting after the All-Star break.

Aside from it being encouraging Gordon was able to overcome injuries and finish the season on a strong note, it was good to see him produce while playing at his true position of power forward. If he can carry that momentum forward into 2017-18, his two-way skill-set could make him a breakout star for a Magic team devoid of a franchise face.