FanSided’s HoopsHabit, which covers the NBA writ large, has released a list of the 10 players most apt to break out in 2018-19. Taurean Prince of the Atlanta Hawks was included as an honorable mention.
The Atlanta Hawks have made a lot of changes this offseason, but one player who is still a big part of the team – and likely will be for at least the short-term future – is Taurean Waller-Prince.
HoopsHabit, an imprint of FanSided (which also happens to be our home), recently released a list of the top 10 players who are poised for breakout seasons in 2018-19. Many of the usual suspects are there, and the honorable mentions is also resplendent with big-name players.
One thing the piece seems to get lost in is draft pedigree. While it’s certainly viable to believe that Brandon Ingram, Markelle Fultz, D’Angelo Russell and Aaron Gordon will have breakout years next season, all of those players were drafted in the top 4 of the lottery.
While others on the list, like Myles Turner (drafted 11th overall) don’t quite have the same draft clout, this HoopsHabit list seemed to skew towards past draft position, rather than what a player has done on the court.
Of course, we are an Atlanta Hawks blog, so we have a rooting interest, but it seems reasonable to believe that Taurean Prince deserves a slot in the Top 10.
In his two seasons in the league, he has started a playoff series and also dropped big-time scoring explosions down the end of last season – a time in which he really seemed to come into his own as a scorer, playmaker and leader on the court.
It seems likely that The Prince That Was Promised will be the best player on the Atlanta Hawks if (or when) Kent Bazemore is traded.
That being said, his production and all-around skill set should’ve at least given him the edge over more proven players such as Tobias Harris and Otto Porter, who have probably already had their breakout season, on the HoopsHabit list.
Keep it locked to Soaring Down South for all your Atlanta Hawks news and updates.