With the NBA All-Star week right around the corner, this seems like the perfect time to reflect on what we have seen so far this season. There have certainly been plenty of surprise performances – both good and bad throughout the year so far – and we have narrowed down the list to focus on the biggest of them. Here is a look at the five most surprising players in the NBA this season.
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Did anybody actually believe that Curry could top his performance last season when he won NBA MVP and an NBA championship? Well, that has certainly been the case this year as he has cemented his reputation as an elite NBA superstar while already sparking debate about where he deserves to be considered among the best of all-time. Curry has averaged 5.6 more points per game while improving both his field goal and three-point shooting percentages along with his already incredible range. That’s mind-bending when you really think about it as he was already the best shooter in the league and people had already been talking about him as potentially being the best shooter of all-time. We all knew Curry would have an outstanding season. However, the fact that he has been better than he was in his MVP year has been the biggest surprise so far this season.
James Harden, Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets were considered a legitimate NBA championship contender a year ago because Harden was playing the best basketball of his career. And then remember the Rockets added point guard Ty Lawson in a move the was supposed to put them over the top. Well, that hasn’t been the case at all so far this season as the Rockets have really struggled.
There were reports that Harden showed up at training camp out of shape. Whether or not that’s true, he has posted a career-low shooting percentage from three-point range and the lowest field goal percentage since his rookie season. Most importantly, Houston is just 26-25 and battling for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Perhaps expectations were too high to begin with for Harden and the Rockets, but either way, they have surprised for all of the wrong reasons so far this season.
Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks
Who would have thought when he was being booed at the 2015 NBA Draft that Porzingis would be a star in his rookie season? Knicks’ fans are certainly happy with the pick now as the 7’3’’ center has been a rookie sensation and shown flashes of his ability to truly become an elite big man in the NBA. It’s hard to fathom that he’s still just 20 years old. Porzingis has averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game while making progress with every passing month. There is no doubt he has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NBA this season.
C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers
McCollum isn’t a rookie but he had played sparingly for the Trail Blazers since arriving as a first-round pick in 2013, so expectations weren’t exactly high when he was moved in to a starting role this season. However, McCollum has shattered those benchmarks as one of the biggest surprises in the NBA. The 24-year-old guard has averaged 20.9 points, 4.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game this season while helping Portland stay in the mix for a playoff spot and there is no doubt that he deserves a spot on this list. The Trail Blazers are optimistic about their future as McCollum and Lillard give them a solid backcourt to build off of.
Chris Bosh, Miami Heat
A year ago, Bosh’s NBA career was in jeopardy because of a serious blood clot on his lung that sidelined him from the NBA trade deadline to the end of the season. The condition threatened his life and the Heat were unsure if he would ever play again. Fast-forward to this year and Bosh has absolutely thrived as one of the biggest surprises of the year. The 31-year-old has averaged 19.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game and he has clearly been one of the bright spots in the NBA so far this season.
