A year ago at this time, Jordan Hawkins was coming off a season in which he started just four games and averaged 5.8 points. Bryce Hopkins averaged 2.1 points during a disappointing freshman season at Kentucky before transferring. Olivier-Maxence Prosper was a role player and Kris Murray was in his brother's shadow.
Time is said to be a gift and to use it wisely.
Hawkins finished as a first-round pick and national champion with the UConn Huskies. Hopkins was a unanimous first-team All-Big East selection after averaging 15.8 points for the Providence Friars. Prosper averaged 12.5 points for the Marquette Golden Eagles and ended up as a first-round pick after impressing in pre-draft workouts. Murray followed a similar trajectory to his brother and put up 20.2 points and 7.9 rebounds for the Iowa Hawkeyes before leaving as a first-round pick.
There will again be breakouts this season, whether it's a transfer fitting in better at a new home, a former highly-touted recruit realizing his full potential or simply a freshman making a progression as a sophomore.
For the purposes of this list, we included only second-year players, so Miami Hurricanes guard Wooga Poplar -- who is generating rave reviews and even some NBA hype -- and Arkansas Razorbacks forward Trevon Brazile -- a projected second-round pick -- weren't included. We also didn't include players who started 30-plus games last season, which precludes Dillon Mitchell, Mark Mitchell, Adem Bona and others from making this list, even if they're primed for huge steps forward from a statistical perspective.
Donovan Clingan, UConn Huskies
Clingan has been earmarked for a breakout sophomore season since just about the moment he stepped on campus two summers ago. The 7-foot-2 Bristol, Connecticut, native backed up All-American Adama Sanogo last season, but showed very clear flashes of how good he could be with increased minutes: He averaged 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in just 13.1 minutes, with per 40 numbers of 21.1 points, 17.2 rebounds and 5.5 blocks, shooting nearly 66% from the field. Clingan played more than 20 minutes in two games all season and averaged 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in those two games. He's currently No. 6 in ESPN's 2024 mock draft.
What we're hearing: "There may be better returning low-post scorers in terms of upperclassmen that maybe produce higher points per game, but the thing about Donovan that makes him special is what he does vertically in the ball-screen game, the pressure he puts on the rim that creates 3s and driving lanes. And then his rim protection and running.