Image via Complex Original
Iman Shumpert had the best game of his career in the Knicks' road win against the Spurs this week. The starter had 27 points and was especially clutch in the closing seconds when he hit a three-pointer and scored on a tip-in in the 105-101 win. It was a breakout game (for Marco Belinelli as well, who scored 32 points) but many expected him to have a breakout season. While 2013-14 Shumpert has been a disappointment with plenty of time to improve, there's plenty of other stars waiting in line to have a season's worth of break out moments in the next 11 months. That's not including Jameis Winston and Johnny Manziel, who both have bright futures, but already got a fair amount of shine thanks to a Heisman Trophy and a Drake co-sign.
There's plenty to look out for this year, including the next slugging sensation out of Cuba, a sometimes running back in the Jets, and two college basketball players you may have heard of. Check out who will be the Athletes Who Will Break Out in 2014.
Tomas Hertl
Sport: Hockey
Team: Sharks
Hertl would've been the rookie of the year had a December knee collision not knocked him out for potentially the rest of the season. The 19-year-old would've had a spot on the Czech Republic Olympic team, too. But a damaged MCL and PCL had other plans despite how Hertl had 15 goals and 10 assists at that point. So yeah, life is cruel, but look for Hertl to focus the newfound youthful angst on goalies' ankles whenever he returns (which is hopefully soon).
Neymar
Sport: Soccer
Team: FC Barcelona, Brazil national team
When Pele thinks you can be better than Lionel Messi, you damn straight better be getting ready for a breakout season. This year could be the year the 21-year-old switches from prodigy to certified star, because there's so much more at stake than just a legend's praise. Let's take the hopes of an entire nation for instance. Neymar isn't fretting though, although he had every reason to do so when Messi went down with thigh problems. The Brazillian has grown and has netted 11 goals, but the very big question is if the young talent will rise when it's time to rep his country in the World Cup, especially with a nation holding him to such a high standard. No pressure.
Jose Dariel Abreu
Sport: Baseball
Team: White Sox
Another year, another Yasiel Puig. This time he's named Jose Dariel Abreu, who signed a six-year deal with the struggling White Sox. The organziation hopes that he'll give the White Sox is more reasonable than the Cowboys' playoff hopes in December though. When you're looking through his numbers, your eyebrows will definitely furrow a bit when you see his 2010-11 Cuban National League campaign: A .453 batting average, .986 slugging percentage, and 33 home runs. It's a hard time getting those numbers even in a video game.
Eddie Lacy
Sport: Football
Team: Packers
The Packers rushing attack has been resurrected. After finishing at No. 20 last year, Green Bay's ground game ranks in the league's top 10. Lacy became the steady backbone to the Packers' offense and rushed for 1,000 in his rookie season. More running lanes should open since Aaron Rodgers is back in fine, holy-shit-did-that-really-happen form. Look for some big runs from Lacy (and backup James Starks) in the postseason and beyond.
Sheldon Richardson
Sport: Football
Team: Jets
In retrospect, Geno Smith was actually OK in his rookie season after finishing it off with a one rushing touchdown, no interception performance against the Dolphins. But when he wasn't OK, fellow rookie Sheldon Richardson was right there to keep New York in the game. He's arguably the strongest defensive rookie of the year candidate after the flashes of brilliance he's shown against the run and as a pass rusher, finishing the year with 77 tackles and 3.5 tackles. You could even stick Richardson in goal line situations; he's punched in two rushing touchdowns. If he watches out for mistakes like this, he should be straight.
Eric Bledsoe
Sport: Basketball
Team: Suns
You're usually not this good in your rebuilding season, but the Phoenix Suns stand at 19-12 under Jeff Hornacek with a reasonable chance of making it to the playoffs. A good part of that success is Eric Bledsoe's solid play. The point guard is a scorer with 18 points per game and a team-leading 1.5 steals. If the numbers don't prove how valuable he is to Phoenix, consider how general manager Ryan McDonough said the organization is will to pay him "whatever it takes to keep him." Will he still say that by season's end? Assuming the race for the final playoff spots stay tight, fans are going to be looking at Bledsoe to extend the Suns season.
Josh Gordon
Sport: Football
Team: Browns
Two of the few highlights of the Cleveland Browns' season were Brian Hoyer and Josh Gordon. Hoyer got taken out early in the season with a torn ACL to leave the wide receiver take more shine. And shine he did. Gordon led the NFL with 1,646 receiving yards despite being stuck with inconsistent quarterback play for the better part of the season. At the same time, you'd have to look at the fact that Gordon plays for the Browns, which means they lose a lot, which in turn means a lot of pass plays in comeback attempts. Cleveland's poor rushing attack definitely played a factor, too. If the Browns can somehow evolve into a competent team, and Gordon can keep those numbers to contribute to that consistency, he should be more visible to the national audience.
Jabari Parker
Sport: Basketball
Team: Duke
Andrew Wiggins's rival by graduating class and position is more than just that. He may not have met Kanye West like his Kansas adversary, but at least the kid has talent that he knows pretty well how to use. Parker is putting up an impressive 21.4 points per game with eight rebounds per game. Let's not forget those comparisons either. NBA analyst Grant Hill said, "I think he's having that Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant-type impact on the game. His versatility is through the roof. He can play multiple positions, guard multiple positions, handle the ball, post up, shoot from long range. Then there's the intellect. And the beauty of his game is his personality." He's a potential Player of the Year and No. 1 draft pick (more on that later), and that's no small accomplishment given how stacked his draft class is.
Marcus Mariota
Sport: Football
Team: Oregon
Marcus Mariota and the Oregon offense slipped out of the national conversation thanks to two losses at Stanford and Arizona State combined with Jameis Winston flourishing and Johnny Manziel Manzieling. But don't forget the level of dominance the Ducks displayed in the first seven weeks of the season, when they scored under 55 points just once. Mariota was splendid in that stretch. In one particularly dominating game against Tennessee, the sophomore quarterback burned his opponents with 456 passing yards.
Washington didn't have that much luck against Mariota either as he threw for 366 yards and rushed for 106 more. And as if critics weren't already convinced of his talents (which they weren't because he wasn't a Heisman finalist), Mariota rushed for over 133 yards in Oregon's Alamo Bowl over Texas. Mariota's most badass moment in a season full of them? Partially tearing his MCL before halftime and coming back to help the Ducks outscore UCLA 28-0 in the second half. They don't teach that level of toughness, but that level of toughness should teach folks not to sleep on the potential 2014 candidate.
Andrew Wiggins
Sport: Basketball
Team: Kansas
Wiggins had a lot of hype to carry as the Naismith High School Player of the Year, and him not crumbling under those expectations is an achievement in itself. He's doing this with a young Kansas squad as his supporters too. Although his 15.9 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game is solid without question, the obscene amount of athleticism he uses at times is something that numbers can't really speak to. The question is if he can actually exceed expectations rather than meeting them, especially when it's time for the big dance in March. Stars are made during March Madness (see: Trey Burke). His talent is extremely rare, but that talent combined with the clutch gene would catapult his stock to another level. If Wiggins shines during the tournament and somehow leads Kansas to a national championships, expect a few more Kanye West photos.
