4. LaMelo Ball
For LaMelo Ball, this season was less about breaking out and more about building on top of the foundation that has primed him for superstardom since he was a teen.
The youngest of the Ball brothers has long been touted as the best prodigy of the bunch since his youth. From being the flashy Chino Hills point guard, shooting ill-advised shots near half court to reality shows and playing in multiple pre-NBA leagues.
He was drafted into the NBA and solidified that the hype was as advertised with the Rookie of the Year award, two play-in games, and an eventual All-Star selection. Sadly, injuries halted his momentum. And this season was no different.
Ball started off the year on a tear, upping his offensive career averages from 19.9 points and 7.4 assists per game to 24.7 points per game and 8.2 assists. This came with a bump to 44.3 and 38.8 percent field goal and three-point shooting to go with a slight dip in rebounds (5.5) and steals (1.4).
Seven out of fifteen games, saw Ball score 30 points or more, with four in a row before an ankle injury burned him again. Thankfully, it happened early enough in the season that he can restart the momentum.
Name recognition, through family and his Puma deal with the skill to back it up (10 career triple doubles) is a recipe for superstar success.