Even with aging stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant still hanging on, the NBA has always been a young man’s game. That has continued to be the case throughout the 2023-24 season. The league has seen a number of young, talented players start to emerge as bonafide stars. While some players were expected to have breakout campaigns others were a surprise. With the regular season starting to come to an end, let’s check out some of the top breakout stars of the 2023-24 NBA season.

Scottie Barnes

In many ways, this has been a rocky season for Barnes. He stormed off the floor before the end of a game, visibly showing his frustration at Toronto’s struggles. Barnes also suffered a fractured bone in his hand in early March. On the other hand, Barnes was named to the All-Star Team for the first time in his career, albeit as an injury replacement. After averaging 15.3 points per game in each of his first two seasons, Barnes took another step forward this season, averaging 19.9 points per game in his first 60 games before getting hurt. With the Raptors continuing to rebuild, Barnes is undoubtedly the face of the franchise right now after the former Rookie of the Year took his game to another level in his third season.

Paolo Banchero

There were high hopes for Banchero after he took home Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. But he’s met or exceeded all preseason expectations, proving that his promising rookie campaign was no mistake. Banchero is scoring more points, shooting a higher percentage, and has improved significantly as a passer in his second year in the league. He was rewarded with a trip to the All-Star Game and has become the focal point of an Orlando team that has a chance to win its division for just the second time since 2010.

Tyrese Maxey

Things may have fallen apart for the 76ers after the injury to Joel Embiid, but Maxey has ensured that this hasn’t been a lost season in Philadelphia. Keep in mind that Maxey had what most people would have considered a breakout year last season. However, the former Kentucky guard has taken things to another level. He’s gone from 3.5 assists per game last season to over six assists per game this season. Maxey has also improved his scoring average from last season by nearly six points. He was named an all-star this season and has become one of the NBA’s most dynamic guards.

Cade Cunningham

As a former first-overall pick, nobody should be surprised that Cunningham has blossomed into a star. However, his efforts warrant recognition, especially since he’s been easy to overlook on a terrible team in Detroit. After falling just short of averaging 20 points per game last season, Cunningham is averaging over 22 points per game this season. Plus, despite the pressure to do things himself on a bad team, Cunningham has the highest assist total of his young career and has improved his shooting percentages from last season, which hasn’t been easy for a player in his position.

Jalen Duren

In addition to Cunningham, the Pistons are also getting a breakout season from Duren. In his second pro season, the 6’10’’ center is still just 20 years old, which makes the fact that he’s averaging a double-double all the more impressive. Duren is currently averaging just under 14 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game. He’s able to handle more minutes than he did last season and has more than doubled his assist numbers from last season. Duren showed plenty of promise as a rookie, but he’s showing to be the real deal this season.

Jalen Williams

Williams has become a somewhat underrated key to Oklahoma City’s success this season, helping to turn the Thunder into a bonafide title contender. He was impressive while averaging 14.1 points per game as a rookie. But Williams is contributing 19.2 points per game this season. While his rebounding still leaves something to be desired, Williams is proving that he can score 15-20 points every night with consistency while also becoming a better passer. He may have been easy to overlook coming out of Santa Clara, but Williams can’t be overlooked anymore.

 

Looking ahead to the playoffs, Williams is the best example among the league’s breakout stars who could play a pivotal role in their team winning a championship this season. In fact, with the playoffs around the corner, now is the ideal time for fans to start getting involved in NBA betting. It’s as simple as finding the right sportsbook and becoming comfortable with the different types of NBA bets and betting odds.