Like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, the process of transforming a prospect into a bona fide NBA rotation player requires nurturing, time and patience—much more for some than for others.
Karl-Anthony Towns? He was practically a star for the Minnesota Timberwolves from day one. He improved, though, as the 2015-16 season went along until he was not only the runaway Rookie of the Year favorite, but also one of the top performers at his position.
The same goes for Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and any number of other stars among today's elites.
But there are those in that group who needed time to find their respective games at the highest level.
Paul George became an All-Star in his third year. Ditto for Chris Bosh. DeMar DeRozan waited five years for his showcase debut. His backcourt mate, Kyle Lowry, went eight years and played for two other teams before he found his rhythm with the Toronto Raptors.
The following 10 youngsters—three oft-injured honorable mentions and seven others drawn from the last three drafts, all listed in alphabetical order—might never reach that level in the Associ ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Josh Martin
Young NBA Prospects Who Must Turn Potential into Production in 2016-17
July 27th, 2016 by Josh Martin Leave a reply »
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