2026 NBA Playoff Breakout Stars: Fantasy Basketball Rookies to Watch in the 2026-27 Season
With the 2026 NBA Finals tipping off on Thursday, basketball fans are in for a thrilling clash of emerging squads as the Oklahoma City Thunder face off against the Indiana Pacers. Both teams boast a potent mix of youthful talent, defensive discipline, and high-octane offenses, making for a highly anticipated matchup that is sure to reshape the basketball landscape. Beyond the team narratives, this postseason has ignited several basketball stars and role players who could be poised to take the next step heading into the 2026-27 season. Let's spotlight those who played deep into the playoffs and made notable jumps in Fantasy Points Per Game (FPPG), along with first-round standouts who proved their worth despite early exits.
As a perennial early-round pick, Mitchell reminded us what his peak powers looked like while Darius Garland recovered from a foot injury throughout the playoffs. Mitchell took a significant jump from the regular season to the postseason, going from 39.5 to 46.2 FPPG. He scored 30+ points in seven of his 10 games and averaged 2.1 steals despite seeing a slight dip in efficiency in 3s and free-throw percentage. Depending on what the Cavs do in the offseason, I expect Mitchell to return to the 25/6/6 player he was before his injury.
Andrew Nembhard - PG/SG, Indiana Pacers
As Indiana made its way to the Finals, Nembhard proved pivotal for the Pacers for the third year in a row. His +4.7 FPPG gain (from 24.3 to 29.0) came from a slight bump in usage with more minutes (34.1 compared to 29.0 in the regular season) and improved efficiency. Nembhard's 3-point shooting skyrocketed to 50.0% in the postseason after being a 30% shooter from deep in the regular season. He's an ascending player in the league given his knack for stepping up in the playoffs, and I can't help but think he's an underrated player on the cusp of a breakout, similar to Jalen Brunson's days with the Mavericks.
Aaron Gordon - SF/PF, Denver Nuggets
Gordon's production and poise in the clutch earned him a spot on the risers list. His increase to 38 minutes per game led to more scoring and rebound opportunities, resulting in Gordon having a +4.5 bump in FPPG from the regular season to the playoffs (from 26.5 to 31.0 FPPG). If not for the nagging injuries in the regular season, Gordon would've been flirting with top 100 status. The Nuggets could use another shot creator, but Gordon's chemistry with Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray is too strong for him not to be effective in fantasy next season.
Julius Randle - PF/C, Minnesota Timberwolves
The Thunder made it difficult for everyone in the Western Conference finals, although Randle was the Wolves' most consistent player through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Randle's gain was modest (from 34.6 to 36.0 FPPG). However, he finally looked comfortable as a secondary playmaker who also found his shooting touch at the right time. Randle shot 40% from 3-point range, took nearly three more shot attempts per game, and hit 89% of his free throws, raising his scoring average from 19
