The 2021-22 NBA season is a few months away. This is the perfect time to field our predictions on who's going to be the next big star of the league. There are actually a lot. The NBA is home to the best athletes and the smartest individuals out there. It would be foolish not to expect a superstar will be born every season.
Without further ado, let's look at the three young prospects we feel are poised to have their breakout year this 2021-22 NBA season.
Jarrett Allen – Cleveland Cavaliers
Among the players in this list, perhaps Allen is the most interesting case. It's not just because he's sitting on a $100 million, five-year deal. It's mainly because fans and analysts haven't seen what Allen can truly do just yet. Yes, he can do the traditional big man duties effectively: Rebound, score inside the paint, and is a major defensive presence. But what makes him stand out from other big men who can do other things too?
Perhaps the answer lies in Allen's 51 games with the Cavaliers last season. He averaged 13.2 points (60.9 percent from the field), 9.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists. Yes, these are subpar numbers. But a look at some of his highlights might reveal how the Cavaliers intend to use him in the 2021-22 season. As for one, he is extremely good in pick-and-roll situations. He has developed that killer mindset—something that was not present (or something we rarely saw) in his Brooklyn Nets tenure. He's also a monster on the offensive glass, and once he snags it, he won't hesitate to slam it down with force.
Cavaliers fans may see Allen become a focal point of the offense more this season. He is one of those players that excel exponentially if you give him the ball and let him work. Wine and Gold officials are well aware of this that's why they gave Allen that hefty contract. And that's why we should keep a close eye on his 2021-22 NBA season.
Lonzo Ball – Chicago Bulls
Lonzo's career has taken some odd turns. From a highly touted prospect in his days with the Los Angeles Lakers to playing with LeBron James, then Zion Williamson, to now having a fresh start with the Bulls. We can say that this transfer from team to team could be one of the reasons for Lonzo not living up to his 2nd overall pick tag.
Now, Lonzo is part of a team that actually likes him. The four-year, $85 million contract was a tangible sign of this fondness. More importantly, he has teammates who actually complement his pass-first style. Upon his signing, fans were quick to fantasize about Lonzo's alley-oop connections with Zach LaVine and Lonzo's pick-and-rolls/pops with Nikola Vucevic. Regarding DeMar DeRozan, he's probably the most versatile offensive player on the team, and Lonzo could run all sorts of plays with him.
From the looks of it (at least at face value), things are finally aligning for Lonzo. He has teammates who will benefit from his game. This comes at a point where Lonzo's jump shot is right where he wants it to be. Bulls fans may see him launch a couple of step-back and pull-up jumpers here and there. An All-Star nod isn't a longshot this time around for Lonzo. From a team perspective, he may even guide the Bulls to a postseason appearance for the first time since 2017.
Michael Porter Jr. – Denver Nuggets
When Porter was selected by the Nuggets as their 14th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, there were qualms not just about his back injury (which forced him to sit out his first year), but also whether or not he'll find a role in Mike Malone's system. After all, the Nuggets had just become a serious contender in the Western Conference. The case for most contending teams is that they add more veteran role players to the fray. Rookies? Not so much.
But things took a turn when Malone started slowly integrating MPJ into the lineup. This development process received a major boost in the 2020 NBA Playoffs where Porter casually drained clutch shots over and over. Malone was smart (and even courageous enough) to include MPJ into the starting lineup last season. The 23-year-old's numbers improved to 19.0 points on 54.2 percent shooting from the field and 44.5 percent from deep and 7.3 rebounds per game. This remarkable development gained the attention of fans and analysts. Porter finished third in voting for Most Improved Player.
Fans are well aware of those who have either won the MIP award or became a candidate at least. Porter has all the tools to become a star in the NBA. The 2021-22 season could be the beginning of his rise.
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