The NBA returned to normality last season following the coronavirus pandemic. With the return of fans, a full 82 game schedule and all teams playing on their home floor. And the league truly returned to normality at its conclusion, as the Golden State Warriors, who reached five straight NBA Finals before the covid outbreak, claimed yet another championship.

With the return of NBA basketball just hours away, we decided to look at the five players most likely to have breakout seasons in 2022/23.

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‍5. Jalen Green- Guard- Houston Rockets:

Jalen Green is only entering his second year in the NBA, but he was one of the most exciting rookies in 2021/22 and could take a serious jump in year two.

The 20-year-old was named to the All-Rookie First Team last season, having averaged 17 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists, while making an impressive 50% of his 2pt shots. Green had a strong finish to the season, scoring 30 points in six of his last seven games, becoming just the 2nd rookie since 1997 to score 30+ points in five straight games.

Green has the athleticism, flash and scoring to be a star in this league. Growth in his playmaking, an improvement in his 3pt shooting efficiency (34% in 21/22) and he’ll be one of the most exciting players to watch in the NBA.

The only reason Green won’t be an All-Star next season is that no matter how good he is, the Houston Rockets will still be one of the worst teams in the league.

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4. Franz Wagner- Forward- Orlando Magic:

Franz Wagner was quietly one of the best rookies in the NBA last season, despite basically having to be a one-man wrecking machine in Orlando.

Despite a complete absence of playmaking around him, Wagner averaged 15.2 points, while shooting 51% on his 2pt attempts and 35% on his threes. His 17 games scoring 20 points or more ranked him 3rd amongst rookies, as he was named to the All-Rookie First Team.

The 21-year-old spent the summer with Germany, playing at FIBA EuroBasket 2022. Where he averaged 15 points and 4 rebounds, while shooting 58% on his two pointers and 46% on his threes. Showcasing impressive step back moves off live dribbles as well as an effective pull-up game.

With the return of Markelle Fultz and the addition of rookie Paolo Banchero, Wagner is poised to thrive in his second season in the NBA as a stellar building block, alongside Banchero in Orlando.

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3. Tyrese Haliburton- Guard- Indiana Pacers:

The former no.11 overall pick is preparing for his first full season in Indiana and if his end to the season as a Pacer is anything to go by. Watch out!

Haliburton was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline in February. In 26 games for the Pacers, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.6 assists and 1.8 steals, shooting an impressive 56% on his two’s and 42% on his threes. During that time, he scored 20+ points in 11 games and notched 10+ assists in 12.

The 22-year-old has everything you could possibly want in a point guard, including great size for the position, as he stands at 6’5. He ranks in the top 10 percentile in all the major statistical categories and will only get better from here on in.

The Pacers may not be ready to compete in 2022/23, but Tyrese Haliburton is ready to pop, and nobody is going to stop him.

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2. RJ Barrett- Guard/Forward- New York Knicks:

RJ Barrett has shown steady growth year on year since entering the league in 2019 but this season feels like the year where he really makes his mark on the NBA.

The 22-year-old had a good season last year, averaging 20 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3 assists, becoming the youngest Knick to average 20+ points per game. He also became just the seventh player in NBA history to amass 3400+ points, 1100+ rebounds and 550+ assists before turning 22, joining the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant & Luka Doncic.

Barrett has shown the ability to be a two-way threat in the NBA, regularly guarding the opponents most potent offensive player. At 6'6 he has great size for his position, and it provides him with the standing to guard multiple positions on the floor. He is a career 36% three-point shooter and that will only get better from here, along with his overall offensive game.

During the off-season Barrett signed a 4yr/$120 million extension with the Knicks, becoming the first player to sign a multi-year extension after their rookie deal with New York since 1999. This shows the belief the Knicks have in Barrett to be a star and the believe RJ has in himself to be the man in a city of bigwigs.

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1. Anthony Edwards- Guard- Minnesota Timberwolves:

If you haven’t heard of him yet, you will after this season. Anthony Edwards has been compared to the likes of Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant since entering the league and this is the season he shows why.

Ant averaged 21.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 steals, while shooting an efficient 53% on his two-point shots and 36% on his threes. He had the same number of 40-point games (3) as LeBron James & league MVP Nikola Jokic, setting a career high with 49 points in a win over the San Antonio Spurs. He also showed a glimpse of what the future holds in the playoffs. Averaging 25 points per game on 51/40 shooting splits as the Timberwolves went down in six games to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The 21-year-old is heading into his third NBA season, the traditional jump year for NBA stars. Last season, Ja Morant (also in his third year) won most improved player after going from averaging 19.1 points per game to 27.4 points. Expect Edwards to have a similar jump in production.

Anthony Edwards has the drive to be the best player in the NBA, with the skills and athleticism to achieve it. The addition of Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves line-up should also provide a ground for Edwards to excel similar to Donovan Mitchell. (Gobert’s former teammate in Utah, who became an All-Star and averaged over 25 points per game playing with the center.)

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(PHOTO CREDIT: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports)

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