Last year we were introduced to San Antonio’s George Hill who kept the Spurs on life support following the team’s rash of injuries or even Memphis’ Marc Gasol who has shed the stigma as “Pau’s younger brother” by coming out of the shadows and into the realm of basketball relevance.

This NBA season won’t be immune to surprises so here’s a glimpse at some names to familiarize yourself with before they sneak up on you this winter.

Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City Thunder

The 6’10’’ center saw limited action at the onset of last season but head coach Scott Brooks saw the value in the young Brazilian big man and handed Ibaka a heavy workload in April in May.

Ibaka’s effectiveness at the end of last season gives hope that the 21 year old center will increased minutes. In the final month of the season Ibaka’s efficiency was among the elite centers in the game per 36 minutes as Ibaka totaled nearly 15 PPG, 10 RPG, and 2.5 BPG.

Jeremy Lin, Golden State Warriors

Okay, this one may be a stretch in large part because Lin may not see the floor for some time in the Golden State, but his talent isn’t what has the bay area buzzing.

More importantly, Jeremy Lin becomes the first Harvard graduate to suite up for an NBA roster since Ed Smith for the 1953 Knicks. As the fourth Harvard grad to ever make an NBA roster, Lin will bring to the table an Ivy League basketball IQ that ranked him as the only player in league history to accrue 1,450 points, 450 rebounds, 400 assists, and 200 steals.


DeMar DeRozan, Toronto Raptors

The former USC Trojan will now headline the show in Toronto following the departure of franchise center Chris Bosh.
Following a January 24th switch to insert the 21-year-old forward into the starting lineup, DeRozan responded by scoring in double figures 17 times over the remainder of the season.

Toronto fans will have to be patient with the Compton native, but his high ceiling and rampant athleticism will shine through.

Nicolas Batum, Portland Trailblazers

The Frenchman will get the nod as a starting forward for Portland playing alongside high profile big men like LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden.

A debilitating shoulder injury limited Batum to only 37 games but the Blazers are excited about the intangibles the 22-year-old bring to the floor.

An effective shooter, Batum shot over 40% from beyond the arc while chipping in double-digit scoring efforts in only limited action. A healthy season of Batum is enough to have Blazers fans giddy.

Joel Anthony, Miami Heat

Anyone not named James, Wade, or Bosh may seem irrelevant for fans of the Miami Heat. Enter Joel Anthony.
A fourth-year player from UNLV will enter the season as the starting pivot alongside Bosh in the post.

Anthony will play a role similar to Kendrick Perkins in Boston with a handful of scores and a respectable rebound total. The Quebec native should see minutes totaling in the mid-20’s and will also reign in a handful of blocked shots.

J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers

Even with centerpiece Lebron James, young J.J. Hickson still saw plenty of opportunities to claim his role as part of the supporting cast.

At only 21, Hickson started in 73 of 81 games and should see plenty more action now that he slides in behind point guard Mo Williams and fellow forward Antawn Jamison as a legitimate scoring threat.

At the end of last season, Hickson contributed a near nightly double-double. Now that Lebron has taken his talent (and shot attempts) down to south beach, it’s not unreasonable to expect a big jump in production from the young Hickson.

Brandon Rush, Indiana Pacers

As the Pacers look to fill out the supporting cast around All-Star Danny Granger, it seems apparent that off guard Brandon Rush might be just the man to do it. Rush’s minutes spiked last season as the 25-year-old logged over 30 minutes per game and appeared in 82 team games.

As a starter, Rush shot the ball remarkably well netting nearly 40% of his three point attempts and pulled down nearly 4.5 rebounds per game. With another season under his belt, Rush seems poised to cement himself alongside Granger as the Pacers look to restore basketball dignity to the Hoosier state.

Anthony Randolph, New York Knicks

Our followers will recognize this name from an article we published earlier here. Randolph has all the makings to be a household name in coming years.

Randolph was the prize acquisition in the Knicks David Lee trade with Golden State. Warriors’ management maligned the young Randolph because he lacked the strength and his inability to body up on a nightly basis among stronger low post players.

Look for the Knicks to use the young 6’11’’ forward on the wing which will allow him abundant shots over smaller defenders. Under head coach Mike D’Antoni the Knicks will ratchet up the tempo and the 21-year-old Randolph will be a beneficiary of the fast-tempo offense.


Anthony Morrow, New Jersey Nets

Sneaking under the radar of summer transactions was 6’5’’ Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Anthony Morrow. Acquired in July, the Nets inked the 25-year-old to a three year deal worth in excess of $12 million.

Morrow is a key cog in the Nets rebuilding efforts and newly appointed head coach Avery Johnson will give the young guard plenty of room to grow. Don’t be surprised if Morrow carves out a niche for himself as one of the NBA’s premier outside shooters.

Jason Thompson, Sacramento Kings

In recent years the Kings have stockpiled a smorgasbord of young talented players. Thompson is no exception.
Last season Thompson was a workhorse and proved to be the Kings only low post presence.

Now that Thompson has rookie DeMarcus Cousins playing alongside him, look for Thompson to flourish as the Kings complementary option to Cousins.

The Rider University alum will look to build on his impressive rebounding numbers, pulling down 8.5 RPG last year, and ultimately be a consistent, steadying force for a long time to come in Sacramento.  

Written exclusively by Conor Gereg. Conor is a lifelong sports fan who can tell you Shawn Kemp’s career field goal percentage or even Jeff Blauser’s home run total but fails to remember where he left his keys.