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Every few years or so, there are a handful of NBA players who make the transition from being an established star to an undeniable superstar of the league. For example, 2020 was the year when draftmates Luka Dončić and Trae Young established themselves as true superstars in the league, capable of winning the Most Valuable Player award in a few years' time. Last year, it was Nikola Jokić who has proven his status as a transcendent player.
NBA players set to make the superstar jump
For this piece, we forecast star players who can elevate their game to that of superstar levels. These can either be All-Stars, fringe All-Star players, or any bright, up-and-coming players who have the potential to ball out so well that they start showing MVP potential.
With that in mind, let's get into this season's potential breakout superstars.
Jaylen Brown
With Jayson Tatum having already established himself as an undoubted superstar, it's time for the other half of the Boston Celtics pairing to make the same statement this season.
Except for a rather disappointing 2018-19 season, Jaylen Brown has continuously been improving in almost every statistic. From only about 7 points a game in his rookie season to almost 15 in his second, Jaylen eventually made it all the way to 20 points per game in his fourth year. He was snubbed from the All-Star Game that season, unfortunately.
JB did not let that happen again the following season, raising his scoring average to almost 25 to finally get his deserved All-Star nod.
It's looking like his upward trajectory is just going to continue. He's currently averaging almost 26 this season, with a career-high 46 points to start the season off.
Jaylen Brown could very well establish himself as an outright NBA superstar this season after almost being labeled as an outright bust of a third overall pick. Watch out for the Boston duo; they can become even bigger stars than they are today.
Bam Adebayo
Despite naysayers deeming the center position obsolete, it's alive and well today. Players like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokić have proven that centers are more than capable of producing MVP-type numbers. This season, it may very well be Bam Adebayo's time.
The 6'10” forward-center has made huge strides in his game after rather anonymous showings in his first two years in the league. From averaging just about 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, his stats jumped up all the way to 16, 10, and 5 in his third year. He'd also make the All-Star Game that season and finish second in Most Improved Player voting to Brandon Ingram, making the All-Defensive Second Team in the process.
Bam would actually increase his scoring to 19 the next season but would get snubbed from the All-Star Game.
All signs point toward Adebayo having a revenge 2021-22 season, with him currently on pace to average 20 points and 12 rebounds. If all goes well, this will be the season that the Miami Heat standout elevates himself to levels akin to those of Jokić and Embiid.
DeMar DeRozan
The most controversial entry on this list.
Some would say that DeMar DeRozan is already an NBA superstar; he is, after all, a multiple-time All-Star who has been averaging 20+ PPG for almost a decade now. He's one of the best Toronto Raptors of all time, and he's the player who people cite as the guy closest to Michael Jordan himself in terms of offensive playstyle.
However, he has not really ever gotten the respect that the likes of other “superstar” players have. The likes of Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, and others are looked at quite differently than DeRozan. Perhaps it's the lack of Playoff success, particularly in his Toronto Raptors days, or the fact that he has not been an All-Star since the 2017-18 season.
That doesn't mean that he hasn't been posting up star numbers since then, though. He has still been a consistent 20+ PPG scorer with the San Antonio Spurs; the team success just wasn't there for Coach Greg Popovich's side.
With the Chicago Bulls, however, DeRozan has found himself once again at the top of the Eastern Conference. Not only that, but h's also leading this young and talented team in scoring with more than 25 PPG.
The last time we saw a veteran joining a young, up-and-coming team was just last season when Chris Paul led his Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals. With the amount of talent on the roster, would it be too much of a stretch to say that DeRozan could do the same?
He and the Bulls might very well pull off the same feat, with DeRozan finally getting rid of his Playoff demons and getting the long-overdue superstar plaudits. This might just be DeMar DeRozan's all-out superstar season.
LaMelo Ball
Hype and charisma are huge factors in a player's superstardom. LaMelo definitely has both of those and more.
Last season, all eyes were on the youngest Ball brother in terms of rookies, despite him going third overall below Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman. After a famed amateur career and a promising stint in Australia's National Basketball League, Melo went into the league with all the hype in the world. It could have gone horribly wrong for him like so many overhyped prospects before him. He didn't have the best start in his NBA career, though, shooting poorly from the field in pre-season and the first few regular-season games.
The 6'7” guard would adjust very well, however, going on to average 15.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, good enough to win the highly-contested NBA Rookie of The Year award.
Does Melo's inclusion in this list mean that we're predicting a Luka-like jump for him? Not exactly, since there's no one quite like Luka. Nevertheless, Ball is more than capable of reaching similar heights with a big jump this year. This may be the season that LaMelo Ball shows that he'll be a viable MVP candidate in the near future.
Best NBA superstar candidate: Ja Morant
The most likely star to make that NBA superstar jump this season.
Ja Morant just looks and feels the part for a superstar player, the one cornerstone piece for a franchise. He's got a good underdog story, he fills up the stat sheet, and his game is marvelous to watch. His flair shines through with his flashy passes and audacious dunks.
His stats have been improving year after year as well. From 17 PPG in his first year to 19 in his second, Ja is currently averaging a remarkable 27 PPG this season to lead the league in scoring.
If Ja sustains or even increases his production, then his first NBA All-Star appearance is surely on the horizon. Not only that, but he may very well blossom into a full-blown superstar in the league, at the level of fellow generational talents Luka Dončić and Trae Young.
The former no. 2 overall pick is well on his way to justify or even eclipse the Russell Westbrook comparisons. Watch out, world, Ja's time is soon to come.
