Sometimes rookies need time to develop. Sometimes rookies are stashed on the bench to learn. Here are three sophomores that will garner opportunity in 2022 and will take advantage.
Jonathan Kuminga (Golden State Warriors)
This is probably the most obvious case. Jonathan Kuminga was playing on a championship team. It’s hard for any rookie to get an opportunity in that situation, but he did manage to earn nine starts and average 16.9 MPG. Kuminga was impressive with his rare blend of athleticism. He is so good in transition (95th percentile) as a finisher. He was also impressive on the defensive end, ranking in the 70th percentile after struggling mightily in the G League. His ceiling is high because of these traits on top of an impressive handle at 6’8”. The Warriors have one of the better sophomores on their hands. You can follow NBA live scores on Flashscore.
2022-23 Stat Predictions: 14.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.3 APG
Joshua Primo (San Antonio Spurs)
The Spurs cleaned out the backcourt this offseason. They let Lonnie Walker go and traded Dejounte Murray. The one with the most to gain in this is Joshua Primo. Primo is expected to start this season and the Spurs’ leading scorer and assist man is gone. It’s all setting up for Primo to take over. He was primarily a role player with spot-up shooting and strong defense in college. He did have underrated ball-handling because of his limited role that he was able to showcase in workouts, but that was what he did. Then this past year with the Spurs, he spent time as a lead guard, creating off the bounce and showcasing that there’s more to his game. The Spurs are finally trusting the rebuild and Primo has much to gain because of it.
2022-23 Stat Predictions: 13.4 PPG, 4.1 APG, 1.2 SPG
Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets)
The youngest ever Turkish MVP displayed a great level of skill in his first season. Of all of the sophomores, no one put up numbers like Alperen Sengun in limited time. His soft hands allow him to thrive as a roller along with great patience to dominate in the post. His IQ is tremendously high for a 20-year-old. Whether it’s his passing, defense, or scoring, his IQ is consistently on display. The Rockets traded Christian Wood this offseason, which allows Sengun to step into a starting role. In his sophomore season, expect the narrative to change around the big man. That Alperen Sengun is a key building block to the Rocket’s future.
2022-23 Stat Predictions: 13.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 3.3 APG
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