Breakout Ballers: Top five young players to watch next season

Derrick Favors (Utah Jazz)

Hard to believe that Favors – a 22-year-old forward/center – has already played three seasons in the NBA. This is because in those three years, he started a total of just 44 games, and only 21 in the three seasons after being traded to the Jazz from the Nets two and a half years ago. Favors, a talented defender in the post, was always limited in a backup role to Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap in Utah. Now, with Jefferson off to Charlotte and Millsap in Atlanta, the Jazz are in full tank mode and have handed the keys to the post to Favors and Turkish big Enes Kanter. There was a reason why the Nets made Favors the third pick in the 2010 draft: he had shown great flashes as a youngster in combining size, speed, and talent. Now, with all the opportunities ahead of him in a team where he’s finally assured of being a regular starter, he has the potential to finally show his worth.