Three Sophomores That Are Poised For a Breakout Season in 2023-24
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The 2022 draft class featured some very talented young players. It was no surprise to see first-overall pick Paolo Banchero have a wonderful season where he also won Rookie of the Year. Second overall pick Chet Holmgren had a season-ending injury last off-season before he could even play a minute of NBA basketball, but he is expected to have a great season as well. Perhaps the most intriguing part about last year's class was the several rookies who had surprisingly impressive rookie seasons as well. So, which second-year players should we be on the lookout for next season to have a breakout year?
Jaden Hardy
Jaden Hardy was a second-round pick for the Dallas Mavericks last year. This came as a shock to many people, as Hardy was viewed by most experts as a first-round talent. Hardy played for the G-league Ignite and was an excellent all-around scorer for them. Coming in to play with a ball-dominant guy like Luka Doncic, it was expected to be an up-and-down rookie year for Hardy. Despite all this, Hardy impressed with excellent production in limited minutes and a limited role off the bench. He averaged just under nine points per game and showcased his ability to score at all three levels in only about 15 minutes of playing time a night. He also shot just over 40 percent from three-point range and was a good secondary scorer for Dallas whenever he was on the court with Doncic. Hardy now gets to spend the off-season adding to his game and getting guidance from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Hardy should see a much bigger role next season as Dallas lost some scoring and shooting with the departures of Reggie Bullock and Christian Wood. Don’t be shocked if Jaden Hardy makes a case for sixth man of the year, and possibly even most improved player of the year next season.
AJ Griffin
AJ Griffin was drafted 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks last year. The talented wing played alongside Paolo Banchero at Duke and impressed scouts with his scoring and shooting ability. If not for some injury concerns, Griffin would have probably been a top-12 pick. Griffin played a solid role off the bench for Atlanta, particularly in the first half of the season. He hit a couple of game-winners against Chicago and Toronto and had several games with 20-plus points as well. Later in the season, he slowly fell out of the rotation due to the Hawks trading for Saddiq Bey and also bringing in new Head Coach Quin Snyder. Griffin still finished the season averaging over eight points per game and shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range. Griffin was also one of the most efficient players in the NBA in pull-up fg percent and floaters. To top it all off, Griffin was the youngest player in NBA history to shoot 39 percent or better from three-point range. With the departure of a few rotational guys such as John Collins and Aaron Holiday, expect Griffin to see a significant bench role and a breakout season.
Max Christie
Max Christie is a 20-year-old guard out of Michigan State who was drafted by the Lakers last year. He didn’t have much of a role for the Lakers last season, as he averaged only three points per game. However, Christie has been one of the most impressive players in the Summer League so far and has displayed his ability to shoot from all over the court and run an offense as well. Christie should see an increased role off the bench for the Lakers with the departure of Dennis Schroeder. Expect him to fill in as a backup guard and provide the Lakers with a scoring and shooting boost off the bench next season.
