With each team closing in on roughly 41 games played, the NBA season is officially at its halfway point. There have been many storylines for the outstanding successes (or lack there of) of teams as a whole, such as the Warriors and Spurs dominating the league, and the Rockets, Bucks, and Pelicans failing to meet expectations. With all of the media attention surrounding team performances, there are also many individual players who are having phenomenal seasons, yet they’re not getting nearly as much national attention as they deserve. Last year it was Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside who took the league by storm, putting together seasons that no one saw coming. This year, there are many worthy candidates to be discussed, but only a few players stand out among the rest. Without further ado, let’s analyze the top three players who are enjoying career years in 2015-16.
2015-16 First-Half’s Break-Out NBA Stars
C.J. McCollum – McCollum is a no-brainer to make this list, as he is averaging 20.5 points, 4.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.5 threes per game, all of which are career highs. After losing four of five starters this past offseason, the Blazers have been able to give more minutes to their young players, and McCollum has certainly taken advantage of that. To put in perspective how special this season is for McCollum, last year he averaged just 6.8 points per game while seeing an average of 16 minutes each night. The combo guard was never given consistent playing time during his first two seasons in the NBA after being drafted 10th overall out of Lehigh. Now, McCollum has emerged as a go-to option for the Blazers, combining with Damian Lillard to produce one of the most prolific and talented backcourts in the NBA. Not to mention, Portland was expected to be towards the bottom of the standings with the Timberwolves and Lakers, but instead they find themselves just 1/2 game out of the final playoff spot in the West. Much of the Blazers’ team success can be attributed to McCollum’s emergence as a dynamic scorer and offensive threat.
Andre Drummond – Drummond is another former lottery pick who has turned into a star during the 2015-16 campaign. After two straight solid seasons in which he showed flashes of his potential, the 6’11”, 279 pound center has finally put all of his tools together in 2015-16. Drummond is averaging 17.6 points, 15.5 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game, a statline that has certainly helped many fantasy teams this year. Drummond is an absolute beast in the paint on both ends of the floor, and he is the closest player to resemble the physical dominance that Shaquille O’Neal did since Dwight Howard was in his prime with the Magic. With the type of season Drummond is having, he should undoubtedly be on his way north of the border for the 2016 All-Star Game next month, which would be his first appearance. He has helped lead the Pistons to a 22-19 start, putting them on pace for 44 wins in the surprisingly competitive Eastern Conference. Just 5.5 games separate the third seed and the twelfth seed in the East, so there is no telling as to whether Drummond’s improvement will definitely lead Detroit to a playoff berth. Regardless, Drummond’s evolution has helped Stan Van Gundy create a team much like the team that went to the NBA Finals in Orlando, with a roster full of shooters surrounding a dominant center (Dwight Howard in Orlando, and now Andre Drummond in Detroit).
Will Barton – Barton probably flies under the radar more than the previous two players on this list. He is quietly having a terrific season for the Denver Nuggets, providing a jolt of youth, athleticism, and excitement in what appears to be a third consecutive losing season in the Mile High City. After getting drafted in the second round by the Blazers in 2012, Barton spent two and a half seasons in Portland before being dealt to the Nuggets at last year’s trading deadline in the deal that sent Arron Afflalo to Portland. Barton never averaged more than 4 points per game as a Trailblazer, but once he came over to the Nuggets last year, he finished off the season strong, scoring 11 points per game in 28 games. In 2015-16, Barton has taken his game to a new level, averaging 15.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 threes to go along with an impressive 85% clip from the charity stripe. Considering that Barton has come off the bench for every game except one, he should be a serious contender for the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Will Barton should be a key piece moving forward as the Denver Nuggets continue to rebuild their roster.
