NBA 2018-19: 5 sophomores poised to have a breakout season

The 2017 NBA rookie class might just go down as one of the greatest of all-time. Lined with talents like Jason Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Kyle Kuzma and many more, they have undoubtedly displayed enough of their caliber to become superstars in the not-so-distant future. They acclimatized themselves to the NBA and thrived, staying level-headed while doing so.

But what remains to be seen is how they can build on the launching platform from their rookie seasons. Most of them have exceeded expectations already and are aiming even higher for their sophomore season.

Whether it's a slight increase in the averages or a deeper run into the playoffs, the road only gets tougher from where they are right now.

Based on their promising performances in their first season in the NBA, here are my top 5 picks expected to break through and set the bar even higher this year.

#1 Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma was part of the 2018 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Lonzo Ball's arrival into the NBA landscape overshadowed any possible spotlight on the 27th overall pick, Kyle Kuzma. But as the season progressed, Kuz proved to be the crème de la crème of the young core running the Lakers franchise and eventually, the 2017 rookie class.

While everyone was busy tracking Zo's next move, Kuzma was stacking big numbers on a nightly basis. He averaged 16.4 points along with 6.1 rebounds (best among the rookies and his teammates), and the basketball microscopes had to make space for him on their Petri dishes by the time the regular season had wrapped up.

Though the Lakers finished 11th in the hard-fought Western Conference with a 35-47 win-loss record, Kuzma had set himself up well to build on his rookie year.

He could be looking at fewer touches and shots this year due to an obvious factor that was added to their roster during the summer, but considering the skill level he has exhibited, no ceiling is too high for this kid.

#2 Ben Simmons

The 2017-18 Rookie of the Year is ready to take off this season.

Many questioned Simmons' eligibility as a rookie last year, but the NBA rules treated him as one and going into his sophomore year, he's equipped to become one of the best. He bagged Rookie of the Year in a tussle with Donovan Mitchell that extended beyond the basketball court and into the infamous social media realm as well.

Adding to his already brilliant season averages of 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.7 steals, he passed Magic Johnson’s rookie triple-double total as well. He recorded 12 triple-doubles and 38 double-doubles during the regular season becoming just the second player in NBA history to record at least 1,200 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds in his rookie season.

The Sixers showed they were real contenders to top the East, as they finished with a solid 52-30 record, claiming 3rd position behind Boston & Toronto.

Considering his drastic improvement with every passing game and Embiid by his side, it won't be long until Philly makes it to the NBA Finals.

#3 Dennis Smith Jr.

Dennis Smith Jr. is the face the Mavericks franchise needed as Nowitzki nears his exit

Teams slept on DSJ during the 2017 draft and the Mavericks caught him at number 10. He has turned out to be the gift that keeps on giving. His lightning-fast drives followed by thunderous hammer jams on the rim is the stuff of dreams.

Although inclusion of the rookie phenom Luka Doncic might hinder his development in some way, if they learn to complement each other's style of play in time, it can truly be the resurgence Mark Cuban has been waiting on for so long.

He was not in the Rookie of the Year conversation as the numbers posted by his classmates eclipsed that of his comprehensively. Standing at just 6 feet 3 inches tall, he could only average 3.8 rebounds, but made up for it with his high-octane highlight plays down the stretch for Dallas.

One of the reasons that compelled me to include him in this list above a few others was the realization that he has not performed to his complete potential, but has displayed intermittent spurts of excessive talent and maturity, hence increasing the chances of an explosive breakout season this year.

#4 Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell won the Slam Dunk Contest in his rookie year.

Donovan Mitchell is explosive and clutch, to say the least. The unprecedented season he had has him poised to become a major star in the NBA.

His ability to bring down the house with backboard-shaking slams is well integrated into his fully-fledged point guard nature. He averaged 20.5 points per game last season and took almost all the experts by surprise. People expected him to be good, but just how good he ultimately turned out to be shocked most.

He has the attitude in place to reach the zenith of professional basketball, and all that separates him from prominent early success is a scot-free run by the Utah Jazz in the time to come.

He started 71 of the 79 games he played for the Jazz last year and shot 50% from the field. Surely, his window of improvement is slimmer than the others his age as he has already posted big numbers, but what remains to be seen is how far can he stretch the boundaries of his on-court dominance at such a nascent stage. Nevertheless, the sky is the limit for this prodigy.

#5 Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum posterized LeBron last year during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Even though he finished behind Ben Simmons & Donovan Mitchell in the race for the 'Rookie of the Year' last season, Tatum let the league know that he is not afraid to take charge when the clock's ticking and the season is on the line.

He unveiled nerves of titanium all throughout the regular season when his team was down double-digits, making clutch plays and maintaining a composure unseen in kids his age. Celtics' successful postseason run even without Irving & Hayward couldn't have been possible without this man's heroics.

He started all the 19 postseason games for the Celtics and averaged 18.5 points, giving LeBron a genuine scare in the East Conference Finals clash, falling one game short of the Finals.

The past summer saw him receiving post up coaching lessons from the Mamba, his childhood inspiration and the reason behind Jason aspiring to play in the NBA.

Tatum's cool, calm and collected in high-pressure encounters, and that's a trait which screams of a long and successful NBA career.