Trash Players That Turned Into Superstars

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One of the most compelling things about the NBA and professional sports in general is seeing who ends up becoming the next big thing. Sometimes it's obvious, but for these guys, they came out of nowhere and became superstars. Despite showing some promise his rookie year with some filling appearances, Pascal was mostly forgotten by the Toronto staff, who placed him in the D-League to better hone his skills. As it turned out, the D-League had lacked the competitiveness a player of his caliber required, and as such he went on to win the D-League championship in 2017
Finally recognizing his potential, the Raptors quickly made moves to place him back on the team's roster as a valued off the bench contributor. Starting his sophomore year in the league, Pascal began providing much needed offense to the Raptors and scored a career high of 20 points against Golden State during the 2017-18 season. And while his overall performance was only marginally better than his rookie year, it was his playtime on the court that gave Pascal the chance to have his defensive presence put on full display. For this, it would be during his second year that Pascal was discovered to be a grossly underused asset for his defensive ability alone. That wasn't to mention his improvement in scoring we come to witness the following season. His third season was his largest breakout, averaging now 17 points a game with 7 rebounds a game. Coming at no surprise, it would be the 2018-19 season that he was placed as the team's starting power forward. His game was improved by practically every metric. His 3-point percentage had gone up 14 points to a respectable 36 percent and began showing greater confidence in his jump shot. He had additionally shown great promise in his ability to step up his game in the playoffs. During that season's playoff run, Pascal recorded 30 points along with 11 rebounds in a Game 3 matchup against The Magic. Now bringing us to this season, Pascal has put on a standout performance, averaging 24 points per game, 7 rebounds per game and a steal to match. Pascal was named the league's most improved player just prior to the league's hiatus.
Having already overcome his greatest obstacles in life as a kid as he battled constant homelessness, by the time Jimmy Butler had come into the league, he brought with him an obvious ability to conquer the odds. Selected by the Chicago Bulls at the bottom of the first round of the 2011 draft, Butler dealt with some issues early on with his shot selection and jump shot. On top of those concerns was also the fact Butler had joined the league during the 2011-12 lockout which shortened the season, making it difficult for any rookie during that year's class to make a name for themselves, let alone a bottom pick draft. Starting out with limited minutes, Butler's sophomore season seemed to be a repeat of his rookie season, until receiving an up in minutes and averages during the second half. It would also be the year that Butler appeared in his first playoff games, where he appeared in all 12 playoff games the Bulls appeared in. While he did just average a modest eight points a game that season, it would be a large part of his periodic breakout performances during games that ultimately justified his role on the team. An example of this took place during the game against the Toronto Raptors, where Butler scored a then career high of 28 points. Just two days later, and Butler was at it again when he scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against the New York Knicks. His career began to only take off from there. Two seasons later, and Butler had now fully established himself as the bull starting shooting guard. It would also be during the same season that he made his team starting lineup, and that he made the 2015 All-Star roster as a reserve. The moment marked a milestone for Butler, both from the perspective of those watching his game on the outside and to himself. With an All-Star selection under his belt, Butler had finally become confident in his ability to remain in the NBA for years to come. It would also be during his first All-Star selection that he was also named the league's most improved player of 2015 Despite missing out on All-Star selections throughout his subsequent years and even being placed on some tough rosters, Butler has since led a remarkably consistent career. His most recent season with the Miami Heat has seen him averaging 20 points per game, 6 assists per game, 7 rebounds per game, and nearly 2 steals to match. While most know him today to be one of the league's most talented forwards, this hasn't always been the case for Paul George. Coming into the league as a top 10 pick of the 2010 draft, George was picked up by the Indiana Pacers. Like many of the league's most improved, there were certainly signs of George's talents in his periodic breakout games his rookie year. Although they were few and far between, however, his defensive abilities became blatantly obvious during the team's run in the playoffs. During that run, George was one of two rookies that year to have made the starting lineup in the playoffs. Despite the placement, the Pacers still went on to lose in 5 games to the Bulls, finishing with season averages of 7 points per game, 4 rebounds per game, and a single assist. By the time the 2011 lockout season had come during his sophomore year play, George's expectations to grow had largely diminished. Defeating the odds, George had his most impressive game yet against the Mavericks, where he racked in 30 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and a block. It should also be mentioned that he had made good on 7 3-point shots that game as well. His performance merited his selection to be on the team's starting lineup, where he fulfilled that role fairly well. Coming into his junior season in 2012, George broke the pace record for most 3-pointers in a single game, where he made 9