Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 takeaways from 2018-19 season opener

2. Cedi Osman’s strong start

Apart from winning at least a few games, teams without serious championship expectations seek to check off other boxes throughout a season. For Cleveland, finding an up-and-coming star sits high on the task list.

Hopefully one of their many bright-eyed youngsters blossoms. Early indications show Osman is ready to make that next step.

The 23-year-old was aggressive from the tip, penetrating the paint and sticking outside jumpers. He poured in a cool 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, bagging 10 rebounds while delivering four assists. He looked the part of a serious building block, comfortably navigating the floor while barking out orders to his teammates.

It’s probably fair to view Osman as a long shot. He’s never been a household name, even among NBA fans, and he doesn’t posses the traditional European, stretch-big man makeup that seems to do so well in the association.

Reminder, Osman was nearly a first round pick after Cleveland nabbed him with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. His overseas career was extremely successful, as he earned FIBA Europe Under-20 MVP competing against guys like Lauri Markkanen and Nikola Mirotic.

Osman isn’t a pushover. He showed flashes of serious potential last year. The most positive takeaway from game one was his performance, a promising sign for the future.