5 NBA players poised for a breakout season

Each season, numerous players make the leap from being an intriguing talent into the NBA's star tier. Some players' star turns feel inevitable, while others come out of nowhere.

Here are five players that could be on the verge of a breakout season in 2020-21.

Christian Wood, Houston Rockets

While his per-game statistics don't initially jump off the page, Wood excelled when given the opportunity to occupy a larger role with the Detroit Pistons. In 11 starts over the final five weeks of last regular season, the UNLV product averaged an impressive 22.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.

Coming off a new three-year contract signed this past offseason, Wood should get significant minutes thrown his way as a starter for a revamped Rockets squad.

Consistency will be the key for Wood in order for him to take the next step in becoming a potential All-Star. However, if his per-36 numbers last season are any indication (22 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks per game), the 25-year-old is ready for a monster season.

Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets

Porter's minutes and production fluctuated throughout the regular season for a Nuggets team possessing plenty of wing depth. The rookie finally got his opportunity to shine in a larger role in place of an injured Will Barton, as he started in seven seeding games. Porter produced solid numbers while displaying an ability to score both off the bounce and as a spot-up shooter.

Porter inside the bubble

While his production waned in the playoffs, Porter still managed to gain valuable experience during his club's conference finals run. The 21-year-old, who should open the season in Denver's starting lineup thanks to Jerami Grant's free-agent departure, has his sights set on taking another big step forward.

"I went from DNPs to starting on a Western Conference finals team in the playoffs. I learned a lot in one year and (I'm) looking to carry that over to this year," Porter recently told reporters, including ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I want to make a really big jump. I've been working really hard in all the areas that I saw that I need to get better in the playoffs. I'm excited and I feel like I'm ready."

It's worth recalling the 6-foot-10 forward had the talent to get picked first overall in 2018, but he slid down draft boards because of a back injury that kept him sidelined for most of his brief tenure at Missouri. With that ailment now in the rearview, don't be surprised to see Porter emerge as the third star Denver needs to complement Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.

Coby White, Chicago Bulls

Kris Dunn's departure to Atlanta has opened the door for White to see consistent minutes as the Bulls' No. 1 option at the point.

White closed out last season on a scoring tear, registering 20 or more points in eight of his last nine contests. He also made history in the process by becoming the first rookie in league history to record back-to-back 30-point games off the bench.

If the UNC alum proves the last stretch of his rookie campaign was no fluke, we could be looking at an All-Star point guard in the making.

Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers

Sexton was emerging as one of the league's more exciting young scorers for the Cavaliers before last season's hiatus.

In his final 24 contests, the former eighth overall pick scored an efficient 24.1 points per game on 50.1% shooting from the field and an 86.5% mark from the charity stripe. Sexton also averaged 4.2 assists, 3.1 rebounds, and one steal over that span.

His season average of 20.8 points per game put him among some of the game's elite rising stars.

20-point scorers aged 21 or younger last season

Sexton is likely only going to get better as a scorer next season, but he must improve as a distributor to take the next step toward becoming an All-Star.

The former Alabama star's 14.4% assist percentage ranked in the sixth percentile last season among point guards, per Cleaning The Glass. Sexton's assist totals should trend upward if backcourt partner Darius Garland improves his offensive efficiency in Year 2.

Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic

Slowly but surely, Fultz is showing flashes of the promising potential that helped him get selected first overall in the 2017 draft.

While his jumper remains less reliable in the professional ranks than scouts anticipated, the 22-year-old is starting to consistently showcase impressive athleticism when finishing in transition and relentlessly attacking driving lanes. For a Magic team longing for reliable production at the point, Fultz's high-octane style should continue improving an offense that ranked bottom-five leaguewide in pace last season.

Rookie Cole Anthony appears to be Fultz's only competition for minutes in the backcourt with D.J. Augustin now in Milwaukee. Since first-year players of Anthony's ilk typically experience growing pains making the transition from college, expect a fully healthy Fultz to have a path toward significant minutes all season long.

He may not be the All-Star talent many anticipated, but Fultz is far from a finished product entering his fourth NBA season. If he starts to knock down his jumper closer to the rate he was during his college days, watch out.