Hey folks! Welcome back to the Hoop Ball Huddle. I hope that this article reaches you well and that you’re safe and healthy.

We’re in the midst of uncharted waters here – with real-life issues, a global pandemic among them, looming over our heads. Life as we know it has been altered by the absence of the NBA and fantasy basketball. It’s a tough pill to swallow and everyone’s been dealing with it in their own ways to keep our chins up, boost morale and look forward to a brighter tomorrow.

As things stand, I’m not holding my breath that the 2019-20 season will continue or that we will have a chance to properly resolve fantasy leagues all over. Still, I remain hopeful.

Part of what I’m doing to help keep up morale is thinking about 2020-21. Get excited about it, about drafting players – guys who are off a shortlist of hot targets. We all have one, that list I’m referring to, containing names of players whom we’re excited to roster next season. And with all that, the hype for their ownership in fantasy now is lit and fueled by eager anticipation.

And on that note, for everyone’s enjoyment and excitement, I’ve assembled a list of 10 players who I expect to come into the 2020-21 season with a lot of hype on their heels, following a successful or impressive, albeit shortened, 2019-20 campaign.

Brandon Ingram, SF/PF New Orleans Pelicans

In all transparency, I did not see Brandon Ingram coming in 2019-20. He was, at best, a marginal late-round flier pick in many a fantasy league. He turned the season into one helluva breakout party. So much so, I’d say he deserves the Most Improved Player of the Year Award, in case the NBA still plans to give those out. From obscurely lost youngster to a top-30 player in 9-cat – that’s a leap that’ll turn heads. Simply put, Ingram’s move to New Orleans via the Anthony Davis deal was a godsend for his value.

He emerged as a high-volume scorer, a reliable go-to guy on offense. Ingram put up points on the board and he did it well, quite accurately in fact. He shot .466 from the field on 18 shot attempts per game but with an EFG% of .534. He was a PF-eligible player who shot .858 from the line at 5.9 attempts per contest. Ingram also was making 2.4 treys per game, a monumental jump from his 0.6 makes in his final year with the Lakers. The counting cats don’t end there. He also was clocking in with 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.0 swipes per game.

Finally, and most importantly, Ingram managed to prove that he could still perform at a high level when Zion Williamson (we’ll talk more about him later) finally took to the court for the Pelicans. Ingram’s evolved into a fantasy-friendly stud and seeing him go in the top 40 to 50 picks in 2020-21 wouldn’t be much of a surprise.

Richaun Holmes, C Sacramento Kings

This one’s all sorts of special. For starters, Richaun Holmes is not only a Hoop-Ball special. We were on the mark eons ahead of the industry in scouting him. In the 39 games Holmes managed to play in 2019-20, Holmes proved to be a roto darling. When he stepped into the starting center role for the Kings a switch was flicked on and it started a fantasy machine that hummed as smoothly as you could imagine.

Holmes wasn’t about the big numbers or gaudy lines, but instead was a pillar of consistency and more importantly, efficiency. Yup, it’s hard not to fall in love with 12.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game at .654 shooting from the field and .800 shooting from the charity stripe at 1.3 turnovers per game. Solid, well-rounded, no drawbacks = a top-35 stud. Nuff said.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG/SG Oklahoma City Thunder

To those who saw the writing on the wall coming into 2019-20, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a player to target. Long story short, SGA did not disappoint one bit. In the season so far, Gilgeous-Alexander was a top-45 player in 9-cat based on per-game averages. The highlight of his sophomore campaign was a record-setting 20-20-10 triple-double, his only one for the season.

Beyond that, it was also clear that he was is something special. Playing alongside Chris Paul was a huge deal. The impact of that mentorship, on and off the court, is uniquely invaluable. What makes SGA a hype guy for 2020-21 is that his 2019-20 numbers of 19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 threes and 1.1 steals per game on .473 shooting from the field are just the tip his career’s iceberg. A progression towards the top-30, maybe top-25 zone is not outside of his box next season – being the likely face and core piece of a rebuilding-yet-competitive Thunder team.

Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF Orlando Magic

Unfortunately, a hyperextended left knee ended Jonathan Isaac’s 2019-20 season long before the Coronavirus did. What wasn’t unfortunate was how he finally broke out of his shell and emerged from the shadow of Aaron Gordon. Isaac staked his claim as a do-it-all defensive dynamo. We’re talking about 1.6 steals and 2.4 blocks per game, plus 0.9 triples to boot. Just those three stat averages alone are enough to make even the most discerning fantasy geek to drool with anticipation of what a fully healthy 2020-21 season would look like. “But wait… there’s more!”

Isaac is only 22 years young, so of course, there’s always more when it comes to Isaac. Along with those cash counters, Isaac also put up 12.0 points and 6.1 rebounds on .463 shooting from the field and a .767 clip from the line. People will be gunning after him in 2020-21 and you’d probably be lucky if you’re able to snatch him up in the third round of your standard-sized leagues. In 32 games, he put up numbers to warrant him being the 16th best player in the league in 9-cat scoring formats.

Zion Williamson, PF New Orleans Pelicans

Zion Williamson will be a divisive pick come 2020-21. You’re either a huge fan and expect great things or you were unimpressed by the 19 games he played in 2019-20 and the top-150-ish value he managed to put up. There’s likely no middle ground for fence-sitters to sit their butts on. I’m not going to talk about his knee injury. That’s been kicked around like a dead horse. What is worth talking about is that he’s still a one of a kind athlete, a so-called “freak of nature,” if you will.

He was able to pass the eye test and flashed some jaw-dropping brilliance. The truth of the matter is, his free throw shooting (.654) could be something overlooked down the road and his less-than-ideal showing in his rookie year can be chalked up to his knee injury slowing him down.

Yes, the knee will be a dark cloud that could haunt him throughout his career, but with it is the silver lining of a generational talent shining his brilliance upon us, for everyone to enjoy. Hype!

Kyle Kuzma, PF Los Angeles Lakers

Got ya! I was just checking if you were still paying attention and didn’t wander off to the cabinet and grab that “In case of emergency” bag of Doritos, or to the fridge for the 23rd time today. That said, we could all use a good laugh and I’ve heard somewhere that “Laughter is the best medicine.” LMAO.

Jayson Tatum, SF/PF Boston Celtics

The departure of Kyrie Irving opened up doors for Jayson Tatum. He improved his numbers across the board and showed that he’s also a talented two-way player. He shined during the multiple-game absences of Kemba Walker and thrived as the Celtics’ go-to scorer. His stock shot up this season, catapulting him to first-round standard-league value. Tatum, his well-rounded game, and his overall appeal will make him one of the hottest second-round targets come 2020-21.

Assuming Tatum can keep up with his momentum and trajectory from 2019-20, his averages of 23.6 points. 2.8 threes, 7.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals at .448 shooting from the field could very well be just another stepping stone to even greater heights in 2020-21. Hype it like he’s hot!

Bam Adebayo, PF/C Miami Heat

Seriously, what’s not to love about Bam Adebayo? Yeah, well aside from his 69% shooting from the free throw line. He’s a double-double machine. We’re talking “39 out of the 65 games he played resulted double-doubles.” Not only that, he’s also a triple-double threat, especially on nights when his usual 5.1 assists per game spike and eclipse 10. He’s not all points-boards-and-passing though, unlike, say, Domantas Sabonis – an honorable mention on this list, by the way. Bam is not shy on D, chipping in 1.2 and 1.3 steals and blocks per night, respectively,

If I had a dime for every time I saw a Bam Adebayo GIF flexes with the caption of “BAM!!!” in one of my league chats in 2019-20 – well damn, I’d have a heck of a lot of dimes. People just love him. He’s fun to watch both in real life and in the box scores. Count me as someone who’s expecting a jump from his top-40 ranking in 9-cat this season.

John Collins, PF/C Atlanta Hawks

For a moment, let’s set aside the games John Collins missed due to his suspension. Let’s just take a look at his numbers. Through 41 games this season, Collins has been a top-10 value guy. He’s a 20-10 player, who chips in 1.6 blocks per game along with smooth shooting efficiency from the field (.583) and the line (.800). Collins is also playing for the young, up-and-coming Hawks. The improvement in his defensive numbers (0.8 SPG) this season helped launch his value into the stratosphere, allowing Collins to touch enter the echelon of fantasy’s elite.

With former fantasy stalwarts like LaMarcus Aldridge reaching the twilight of their careers and finally showing some fade in games played, Collins represents the new breed of ultra-efficient big men. He’s no Karl-Anthony Towns, that’s for sure, but he’s not too bad of a consolation if you snag him late in the first round of drafts.

Trae Young, PG Atlanta Hawks

One good Hawk deserves another, as they say, and by “they” I mean “me.” Trae Young once upon a time (as if it was that so long ago) drew comparisons to Stephen Curry, something I scoffed at, for obvious reasons. I now retract said scoff, not because I see similarities, even though there is a handful, but because I can see that Trae can be is a legitimate elite talent, both on the real hardwood court and in the arena of fantasy basketball. Young is still a rising star at this point in his career, but is also a Hall-of-Famer in the making (no, it’s not to early to call).

In 2019-20 Trae has been a top-20 stud, flirting often with 20-10 games (points-assists) and of course, lighting up the scoreboard with a bucket load of threes along the way. He’ll be a hot commodity come draft day and late first-round reaches wouldn’t be too much a stretch of creative imaginations here.

Luka Doncic, PG/SF Dallas Mavericks

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is my all-time favorite basketball player. Bar none. I’m willing to go on a limb here and now, and say that I think Luka Doncic will be second on my all-time favorite list come 2020-21. That’s how much I enjoy watching him play. That’s how much I enjoy seeing his numbers when I look at the box scores. One thing’s for sure, I am not alone. Maybe others will not be as enamored as I am, but for certain, there’s a healthy slice of NBA fandom out there that loves Luka almost, if not as much, as I do.

He’s still young enough to work on his .752 shooting clip from the line and his 4.2 turnovers per game, arguably the only two things holding him back from being a top-10 player in 9-cat scoring formats. Everything else is poetry – 28.7 points, 2.9 treys, 9.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Bold prediction, he will be the next player since Russell Westbrook to be able to average a triple-double in a single season. Book it.

Luka’s amazing. He’s magical. And I want to own him in as many fantasy leagues as humanly possible in 2020-21. Don’t you?

Honorable mentions: Devin Booker, Kelly Oubre Jr., Ja Morant, Fred VanVleet, Domantas Sabonis, Lonzo Ball, Hassan Whiteside