Jeremy WooChris Herring 16d

NBA breakout players: Hits, misses and 5 picks for 2025-26

NBA, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, LA Clippers

As the 2024-25 NBA season enters its final weeks, it's a good time to look back at how the breakout players we forecasted in October have fared this season -- both the predictably good and the surprisingly underwhelming.

In the preseason, we projected outcomes for 11 breakout players, including how Evan Mobley could emerge as the centerpiece of the Cleveland Cavaliers' offense, but didn't anticipate Golden State's Brandin Podziemski taking a step back in efficiency.

Let's look back at some of the hits and misses on how those players fared, and with insights from ESPN's Chris Herring, paint a Way-Too-Early look at the players who could take leaps ahead in 2025-26.

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Breakout hits | Breakout misses
Way-Too-Early picks for 2025-26

Looking back at the hits

Evan Mobley

Cleveland Cavaliers
Center

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