SEC Basketball: 5 biggest breakout players so far from 2021-22 season
By Matt Melton
2. F Henry Coleman III – Texas A&M Aggies
For a Texas A&M team off to an impressive start to the season, few players have impressed more early on for the Aggies than Coleman. Transferring from Duke in the offseason, Coleman was the likely candidate to replace the role from 2020-21 leading scorer Emanuel Miller who transferred in the offseason, and not only is he doing it, but is excelling on his way to a breakout sophomore campaign.
Starting in all six of Texas A&M’s game so far this season, Coleman is averaging 25.7 MPG for the Aggies where he currently ranks second on the team in scoring with 11 PPG, while also averaging 6.2 RPG on 56.1% shooting from the field. A breakout sophomore season from Coleman was key for the Aggies entering the 2021-22 campaign, and it certainly appears that it is indeed happening in College Station.
1. F Olivier Nkamhoua – Tennessee Volunteers
Undoubtedly the biggest breakout player in the SEC so far this season is Nkamhoua who has emerged as a prominent member of a deep Tennessee frontcourt. Averaging only a combined 2.9 PPG and 2.3 RPG across 54 games the last two seasons in Knoxville, the junior forward primarily played a reserve role for the Volunteers, but has already tripled his minutes this season compared to a year ago.
Seeing a starting role in all four of the Volunteers games so far, Nkamhoua currently ranks third on the team in scoring at 10.3 PPG, as well as leading Tennessee in rebounds at 8.5 RPG. Shooting an impressive 50% from the field and 66.7% from three-point range, the junior is well on his way to a breakout 2021-22 season.
As the SEC Basketball season continues over the coming weeks and months, look for each of these five players to continue their phenomenal starts to the 2021-22 campaign.