Rookies get all of the spotlight, it seems. They are the fresh, new players in the NBA and everyone wants to know what they’re made of. But second-year players deserve just as much attention, if not more.
There are a number of prominent second-year NBA players in the league who are experiencing rapid success during the sophomore campaigns. These players are proving capable of making the leap to the next level of play.
Which second-year NBA players are having breakout seasons this year?
Some of the young guns play for teams that were already championship caliber. The contributions of the second-year players are helping to guarantee a trip to the playoffs, perhaps more.
Other players don the jerseys for teams that are struggling through a bad season or struggling through a rebuild. These second-year NBA players are giving fans of those teams hope for the future.
Not every second-year player is lucky enough to see the fruits of their labor start to come into focus. Some sophomores hit the seemingly-inevitable wall, while others find themselves caught between the NBA and the G League, or out of American professional hoops altogether.
Many of the game’s current superstars are likely to be on their way out soon. As impressive as LeBron James and Chris Paul still are, they can’t keep up their current abilities forever, try as they might.
A new crop of superstars must rise to take their place. Some are already here – looking at you, Ja Morant – but more are coming from the sophomores.
Here are the top 5 second-year NBA players experiencing a breakout campaign.