Who Will Step Up?  Players To Watch In The 2025 -26 Season

I’m sure we’re all familiar with the “breakout candidate” lists that come out this time of year for NBA players. So I thought I’d attempt to identify who, in this upcoming season in the NSL, might be the breakout players or those who could define the season in the league. These could include:

• Players who’ve had solid careers but haven’t yet been fully acknowledged and are now primed for a breakout.
  
  

• Players whose roles are about to shift significantly, whether due to teammate injury, trade, roster shake-up, or coaching change, so their opportunity has increased.

• Players who have moved teams that could take a team up to the next level or over the top.
  
  

• or younger players (rookies, sophomores) who have the talent and the context to move quickly from potential to a real contributing factor.
  
  

Andrew Nembhard - Portland Trailblazers - Opportunity Led Breakout 

Andrew Nembhard has been somewhat underwhelming to this point of his NSL tenure, he has also been somewhat of a journeyman, failing to lock down a spot in the rotation across his first 4 stops in the league.  However, Nembhard has had some seriously impressive showings in the NBA postseason the last two seasons, more notably this last season where the Pacers made a run all the way to the NBA Finals.  

In my view, he’s been under-appreciated amongst the GMs of our league of. If you’ve watched him in the NBA, you see a guard who can defend at a high level and step up with big shots when needed on offense. He’s a “do-it-all” guard: someone who can manage the game, guard the ball, initiate the offense, and hit timely buckets.  

This year, he will have a much larger role in the NBA with the absence of Tyrese Haliburton due to injury.  I think he will be primed for a breakout, not only as a role player but as a centrepiece of this back court and likely the primary ball handler for large stretches, given the extra responsibilities and opportunity thrust upon him and in turn there is a large chance I will regret having traded him.

Isaiah Hartenstein - Los Angeles Clippers - Elevated Role on Contending Team

Hartenstein is a fantastic player on a good chunk of coin. He was scooped up in free agency last season taken right under the nose of the Los Angeles Clippers, most GMs around the league assumed that his pairing with that team was all but locked in. But GM Daz had a different idea, and here we are 12 months later with a trade that sends the big man from the Warriors to the Clippers.

Hartenstein doesn’t necessarily fit the classic “breakout” player label, but he is a player who is perfectly suited for the Clippers and should vault them into contention for a top 4 record in the Western Conference this season. He’s a toolsy big man: he rebounds with the best of them, blocks shots, and can even play-make a little. I suspect that when we look back in reflection at this season, that this trade is one that will be mentioned alongside the Clippers’ rise.

Alperen Sengun - Emerging Star 

Sengun is one of the hottest names floating around the NBA after his impressive opening night display vs the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder.  A performance like this, would leave GM Toby of the Boston Celtics licking his lips.  In a season that more than likely will not feature his superstar Jayson Tatum, Sengun looks more than ready to take that next leap into stardom.  He is an incredibly exciting watch, above average playmaking, crafty footwork and a great rebounder, he is often referred to as ‘Baby Jokic’.  If Sengun makes a leap in game this season and Tatum is able to return later in the season, the Celtics will cause some headaches down the stretch for some teams jockeying for positions. 

Evan Mobley - Milwaukee Bucks - Emerging Star 

Mobley is the reigning NBA DPOY, to this point of his NSL career has been solid, but this season if he can break out into a true two-way star he might just be the piece that takes the Bucks back to the promised land this season.  Evan has been much improved on the offensive end in the NBA, he’s now taking and making 3pt shots which is the key to unlocking the rest of his game.  On the defensive end, if he is lucky enough to get some love coming off his DPOY season in the NBA, the Bucks should challenge for a top 5 defence in the NSL 

Amen Thompson - Los Angeles Lakers - Opportunity Led Breakout / Emerging Two-Way Star

Amen is already one of the most exciting young talents in the league, not many players have his level of athleticism and explosiveness.  Amen’s breakout opportunity comes off the back of an unfortunate injury to Fred VanVleet.  Amen burst onto the season with his eye popping athleticism and physical tools, which quickly led to him getting an all defence nod in the nba and consideration for DPOY last season.  With him being so talented and now vaulted in a starting role in the Rockets rotation, he has the opportunity to really turn himself into a star player, this kind of development would be absolutely unreal for the already fearsome LA Lakers, who I suspect will be the leagues best defence this year if healthy.  

Honourable Mentions: 

Jimmy Butler

Shaedon Sharpe 

Brandon Miller 

Chet Holmgren