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As mentioned in Ian Eagle’s profile of potential breakout players, many people have different definitions of the term “breakout.” For some, anyone who goes from a role-player/secondary figure into a household name is worthy of the label, while others are of the mindset that only players who are still in their infancy in the league can truly be “breakout” stars, leaving perhaps “most improved” as a moniker for those in the former camp.

Coach Mike Fratello falls mostly into the second category, so when we asked him to name a few players he felt were most primed for a breakout season, it was no surprise that his choices were a rookie, a second-year man, and a younger “veteran” who is ready to make the leap from “supplement” to superstar.

No. 1: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland
“I know he’s young, but I already think Irving is destined to be one of the future stars of this league; he’s really a talented player, and doesn’t mind the responsibilities of being a point guard and being a star on a team and looks forward to that challenge.”

No. 2: Anthony Davis, New Orleans
“As I mentioned in when I talked about the rookies to watch, Davis was in another class at the collegiate level, and his experience with USA Basketball was huge. I know a lot of people are probably anxious to see how he performs at the next level.”

No. 3: Andrew Bynum, Philadelphia
“If you’re a veteran, you’re a good player, and you’ve probably had a breakout season already, right? I don’t see any veterans who are going to jump from say 18 to 30 points this season, but moving to a new team gives Bynum a chance to shine because he doesn’t have Kobe there and other guys who need shots.”

Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroYES