Every new NBA season offers players the opportunity to affect their standing among their peers in the league. Sometimes, rising young talents assert themselves as bonafide stars. Other times, role players see their playing time go up and increase their production in the process.

Whatever the case, every year showcases a handful of exciting stories about players emerging to a new, exciting stature in the league.

The 2024-25 season should be no different.

Plenty of budding young talents in the league should be itching for the chance to showcase their growth as a player. Before anyone realizes it, the NBA will have new household names in the fold.

Every year, more established players are also given opportunities to show the world something new. Whether it be a change of scenery or less competition for playing time, these players find their way into expanded roles and thrive in the process.

The coming season will surely have plenty of talent vying for the chance to be deemed one of the latest names to be seen as a breakout player. Perhaps, for some of these players, an opportunity for the Most Improved Player award will even be in the cards.

The names that follow are just some of the premier candidates for that esteemed label.

Before jumping into the list, a few honorable mentions should go out. Players like Dereck Lively II , Dyson Daniels and Naji Marshall should all be positioned with an opportunity to have their breakout campaigns in the upcoming 2024-25 season.

5 Andrew Nembhard (Guard – Indiana Pacers)

Nembhard should benefit mightily from his Olympic experience

Andrew Nembhard will be heading into his third season in the league. He would have been a popular breakout candidate before the beginning of last season, and he will retain that status going into this campaign.

While Nembhard failed to make the leap last season, there should be optimism about why this year will be different. Although the sample size was small, Nembhard showed some major flashes of readiness in the 2024 NBA Playoffs .

Tyrese Haliburton had his series against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals cut short due to injury. In his absence, Nembhard stepped up for the Indiana Pacers .

Going up against the talented Celtics’ defense, Nembhard rose to the occasion in Games 3 and 4 of the series.

Despite the Pacers’ losses, Nembhard posted impressive averages of 28.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the two tight games.

The case for Nembhard likely has less to do with his talent and more to do with his role and opportunity. The Pacers would be wise to use Nembhard’s Eastern Conference Finals display as motivation to carve out a bigger role for him next season.

Nembhard should also be returning to the Pacers having received a boost from his Olympic experience. He is sure to play a key role for Team Canada in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games .

The opportunity to practice with his country’s best talents should help Nembhard return to the Pacers as an even better version of the player they saw last season.

Practicing against the tough defense of players like Luguentz Dort , Shai Gilgeous-Alexander , Dillon Brooks and RJ Barrett is sure to bring out the best in anyone willing to rise to the challenge.

This is all before mentioning the boost he should receive from playing in the Olympic tournament.

Nembhard should be primed to return to the Pacers as one of the league’s biggest breakout candidates. From there, it is on the Pacers to maximize his opportunity to showcase his improvements.

4 Keyonte George (Guard – Utah Jazz)

A rebuilding Jazz team will give George every chance to continue to grow

Keyonte George had a promising rookie season with the Utah Jazz . When the dust settled, George had performed well enough to earn himself a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

The biggest problem that George struggled with was efficiency. However, this is not an uncommon issue for young guards entering the league.

There should be plenty of optimism that his efficiency will round into form in due time.

The biggest reason George is an excellent breakout candidate is opportunity.

The Jazz are among the few teams in the Western Conference that will not involve themselves in the bloodbath for the playoff race. They are in the midst of a rebuild that does not look to be rushed along any time soon.

If the Jazz can be successful in their reported plans to trade guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton , this should clear up plenty of playing time for George. Not only that, but he should also be featured to a fair extent on offense.

As far as opportunity goes, the world should be George’s oyster with his current setup in Utah.

3 Christian Braun (Guard/Forward – Denver Nuggets)

Braun will look to fill the void at the starting shooting guard spot in Denver

This one should be pretty simple.

The Denver Nuggets just lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency. He chose to sign with the Orlando Magic instead of returning to the 2023 NBA Champions.

Christian Braun should be the player who will slot into the Nuggets’ starting lineup after Caldwell-Pope’s departure.

Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth has pretty much confirmed that is the plan moving forward.

Braun is heading into his third season in the NBA. His per-36 numbers from last season have his adjusted scoring stats for the year at 13.1 points per game.

Having an expanded role beside three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is a fantastic opportunity to have a big year. Jokić has done far more with less talented players than Braun.

Playing alongside the best player in the NBA and one of the best passers of all time should make his ascent a pretty reliable one to bank on.

2 RJ Barrett (Forward/Guard – Toronto Raptors)

Barrett’s 2024-25 season could rehab his image

When the Toronto Raptors acquired Barrett as part of the trade that sent OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks , there were murmurings of him being labeled as a toxic asset.

Barrett is already trending towards shedding that label, and 2024-25 could be the nail in the coffin that puts that to bed.

The fit of Barrett and Julius Randle in New York was not seamless for either player. Randle and the Knicks performed better once Anunoby took Barrett’s place in New York.

However, Barrett similarly thrived in his new setting in Toronto. Barrett’s efficiency, in particular, skyrocketed in the 32 games he played with the Raptors last season.

If Barrett can build on that production in the 2024-25 season, he has a chance to live up to the potential many saw out of him as a young talent in the 2019 NBA Draft.

His environment with the Raptors should give Barrett the chance to be a star and contend for the Most Improved Player award in the upcoming season.

1 Brandon Miller (Forward – Charlotte Hornets)

A second-year leap from Miller feels like a safe bet

Brandon Miller and his great rookie year were overshadowed last season by the more impressive campaigns of Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren .

Those who watched Miller, though, would know he is poised to be an absolute star in the league.

Miller oozes potential whenever he steps on the court. He has spoken in the past of how much he admires Paul George as a player. His game on the court closely resembles that of his role model.

Some have even compared him to Kevin Durant . That alone should speak volumes about Miller’s ceiling in this league.

Miller’s upside as a two-way superstar should have the Charlotte Hornets and their fans incredibly excited about what his second season could look like. The return of LaMelo Ball should pay major dividens to Miller’s rise.

Ball has proven himself to be an exciting young talent in his own right with his standout passing. Miller thrived in his rookie season as an off-ball player around lesser talent.

Having Ball back in the lineup to consistently find Miller open looks on the perimeter could mean a massive scoring explosion for the rising star in his sophomore season.

Stats are courtesy of Basketball Reference.

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