Comeback season, especially for NBA players, is exactly as it describes: players making progress and making a name for themselves in this league of many. Players who embark on comeback season grow and progress with their numbers and performances, take advantage of their roles and opportunities, and have an impact that is noticeable and felt in the NBA. While the season is a long one and players can come and go with their performance and consistency, here are five players whose progress and performance are on notice and watched as they journey through their comeback season.
5 NBA Players Embarking Comeback Season
1. Ja Morant- Memphis Grizzlies
Source: Spin.ph
After leading the Memphis Grizzlies to the post-season for the first time since 2017, all eyes were on point guard Ja Morant, as he turn heads with his gritty athleticism and leadership. This time, he's continuing to push the envelope with his game on both ends of the floor. Offensively, he's averaging a career-high 25 points a game, nearly six more points than last season, as well as shooting career-highs in overall field goal percentage (49 percent) and three-point percentage (36 percent). Morant is improving his shooting so much that he is the leading scorer in the restricted area this season. Morant also found a way to be effective defensively for Memphis by protecting the ball, averaging nearly two steals a game, a career-high.
2. Miles Bridges- Charlotte Hornets
Source: Atthehive
The Charlotte Hornets are becoming an emerging team in the NBA, which has a good group of young talent that can play nearly all positions at a high level. One of those players is Miles Bridges, who has changed his game completely to be a major contributor for the Hornets. The team is just second in points (112) in the league, with Bridges being the Hornets' leading scorer, averaging 21.6 points a game. Bridges taking that step of becoming a leader and one of Charlotte's best players has made an impact on the team's success so far, as they are 5th in the Eastern Conference.
3. Tyler Herro- Miami Heat
Source: CBS Sports
The 21-year-old point guard/small forward for Miami first broke out in the 2020 bubble season, as he was the fourth player in NBA playoffs history to score 30+ points (37) in an Eastern Conference Finals game before turning 21, and averaged 14.7 points in the NBA Finals. However, when the Heat was relatively struggling last year, Herro's three-point percentage dipped and people started to question if he could meet expectations as he did in the bubble. With the addition of Kyle Lowry and improvements from players such as Herro, Miami is now looking to be a contender in the East. He's averaging 21 points per game and shooting 39 percent from three-point range and 45 percent from the field, both career highs.The Miami Heat are 4th in the Eastern Conference with Herro being the team's second-leading scorer behind Jimmy Butler.
4. Jordan Poole- Golden State Warriors
Source: The Athletic
The Golden State Warriors that we know now as opposed to before has changed, as the core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green is getting older, and the team is now looking for other players to be bigger contributors for Golden State down the stretch to contend again in the West. Jordan Poole has taken initiative and contributed very well to the Warriors' success who is the best team right now in the NBA with a 15-2 record. Poole's numbers have dramatically increased, as he's playing nearly 30 minutes a game, averaging 18.4 points game. The Warriors are currently the best team in the NBA in points, field goal percentage, and points differential.
5. Kyle Kuzma- Washington Wizards
Source: Complex
Kyle Kuzma is emerging as a solid, fundamental Stretch 4 player with the size and strength to be an excellent rebounder and playmaker. While Kuzma looked to be the future of the Los Angeles Lakers, his last two seasons as a Laker (2019–21) have been deemed underwhelming, as he averaged just 12 points a game. For Kuzma, it has been difficult to truly mesh into a role, as when the Lakers brought Lebron James and Anthony Davis to turn LA into a championship team, he often moved from role to role, being the 2nd to sometimes the 5th option, Now a part of the Wizards, Kuzma can be a stretch 4 that can rebound and score, especially in big moments. While his numbers haven't changed much and have remained consistent, averaging 13.6 points and shooting 40% from the field, he is learning how to be a factor for the Wizards.Kuzma has shot two-game-winning shots for the Wizards, and contributes to Washington being a top-10 rebounding team thanks to Kuzma averaging a career-high nine rebounds.
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