10 young NBA players in need of a breakout season in 2018-19

Heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, here’s a look at 10 younger players who are in great need of a breakout season to start living up to expectations.

The NBA revolves around superstar talent, but not many players are lucky enough to come crashing out of the gates and take the league by storm from day one. For many, it’s a gradual rise to prominence that starts with a very promising, but very flawed young player.

For fanbases of the non-contenders, part of the joy of a lost season is identifying those talented youngsters and watching them grow from high-upside rookies into fully realized potential.

Unfortunately, not every high draft pick or tantalizing young player turns out to be an NBA superstar. There’s also the depressing alternative where expectations are never reached, and players who once seemed like future franchise pillars struggle to even earn playing time.

Heading into the 2018-19 NBA season, there are plenty of youngsters who were recently drafted but haven’t panned out just yet. With only a couple of years under their belts, it’s far too early to give up on them … but it’s also important they start making definitive strides entering the new season.

Whether it’s due to their contract situation, a diminished role in the rotation, how long they’ve been in the league already, their inability to stay healthy, the expectations they face to be a franchise savior, or all of the above, it’s time to take a look at 10 young players who are in real need of a breakout season in 2018-19.

Honorable Mentions: Henry Ellenson, Zach LaVine, Jahlil Okafor, Elfrid Payton, Marquese Chriss, Skal Labissiere, Cody Zeller, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Denzel Valentine, Alex Len, Tyus Jones, Trey Lyles, Thon Maker, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Otto Porter Jr., Noah Vonleh, Cameron Payne, Nik Stauskas, Sam Dekker, Jerian Grant, Patrick McCaw, Ivica Zubac