With the NBA 2018-19, regular season over many sophomores has continued to make progress. The 2017 Draft class was filled with a ton of hype and expectations, and while some players have lived up to it and some have not. It’s been one of the more polarizing classes in recent history and also one with a ton of media coverage for many players like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, Jayson Tatum, and others.
With that said here are the five best sophomores of the 2018-19 season.
#5 Lauri Markkanen
Markkanen is playing a major role in Bulls offense.
Lauri Markkanen has been heavily slept on after missing the first couple of months of the regular season. He has quietly put up averages of 18.7 points, 9 rebounds and made nearly two and a half three’s a game. Him scoring in double figures since January was absolutely sensational and in February and March, he averaged around 26 points and 4.2 assists per game.
Most people remember the Bulls from their early struggles in the season when Markkanen was not playing but they are easily a way better team when the seven-foot power forward is on the floor. It would not be surprising if he averages more than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game next season and makes the All-Star team.
#4 John Collins
Collins dunking over an airplane in 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
John Collins is one of the most underrated players in the NBA because rookie Tray Young gets all the attention, but he and Young are bound to be the next dynamic duo in the league. At 6’10’’ Collins can jump way higher than players of his height and is more athletic than most of them at his age.
Averaging close to 20 points and 10 rebounds in only his second season on 56% shooting, drafted 19th overall Collins is certainly one of the steals of the 2017 draft. He’s very advanced for his age, and he’s also capable of stretching the floor shooting 35% from deep which makes him unstoppable.
#3 De’Aaron Fox
De’Aaron Fox has become the Kings franchise player.
Fox is proving why he’s capable of becoming a franchise player and he’ll be the face of Sacramento Kings and is a huge reason why Kings is somewhat relevant again for the first time in thirteen years. Averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 assists per game, he’s arguably the fastest player in the league, knows how to use his feet on the open floor, reverie poisoned mature went form an underachieving rookie season to be one of the most improved players in a year.
As humble a player there is it would not surprise anyone if Fox ends up being the best player of the 2017 draft class 15 years down the line. Excellent on both ends of the floor he always gets back on the defense after making a basket, the 21-year old is already making his teammates better and most importantly they are all having fun playing together unlike the Lakers.
#2 Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons playing for Team LeBron in 2019 NBA All-Star Game.
Simmons is the only sophomore to become an All-Star this season and rightfully so the regaining Rookie of the Year is putting up slightly better numbers this season with averages of 17 points, 7.7 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game. He has transcendent talent with all the physical tools as an all-time great but he has not made any significant improvement compared to the last season.
It’s incredible how he can drop 20 points shooting 57% from the field and has no jump shot. There are many people who still believe that Simmons is the second coming of LeBron James. He is already putting up triple-double caliber numbers on a daily basis and still cannot shoot the ball.
Almost 90% of his shots come within 10 feet of the basket and in today’s game three’s value more highly than ever. He’s not going to magically learn how to shoot overnight and if he does get a jump shot he can easily become a top 5 player in the game right now.
#1 Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell has led the Utah Jazz all year long.
Despite having some early sophomore slump Mitchell has turned it up a notch and with him averaging around 27 points in the last 35 games of the regular season Utah was able to make to the post-season. He’s more valuable to his team right now than Ben Simmons is to the 76ers.
Despite having a weaker supporting cast than Simmons it would not be surprising at all if Mitchell’s Jazz lasts longer than Philly this post season only because of Ben’s inability to shoot the ball and it will cost his team in the second round. The 22 years old Donovan Mitchell out of Louisville already has proven that he can take over in the post-season and has the ability to drop 40 points, single-handedly carrying his team offensively some nights.
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