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The 2021-2022 season is almost over, and while the final chapter has yet to be written, many of the themes from the past five months are all but finished

One of the main storylines this year was the emergence of sophomores. Several two-year players came out of nowhere and turned average freshman seasons into All-American campaigns. Wisconsin's Johnny Davis and Iowa's Keegan Murray were both First-Team All-Americans after coming into college as unheralded recruits who averaged less than eight points per game as freshmen.

Purdue's Jaden Ivey had a solid freshman season but turned into a bonafide star in his sophomore year. He was a Second-Team All-American and played his way into a high lottery pick in the NBA draft.

Out west, Arizona's Bennedict had a similar story to Ivey, building off a solid rookie season to earn a Second-Team All-America selection and a spot in the NBA Lottery.

The sophomore jump is a known phenomenon in college basketball, but it usually does not occur as suddenly and profoundly as it did this season for so many players. None of the four players listed were considered NBA Lottery picks prior to the season (some weren't on any scouts' radars), but now they all appear to be locks for high picks and solid NBA careers.

Tamar Bates is a candidate to make a similar jump in his second season and play his way to stardom. Bates played 14.5 minutes per game last season, buried behind veterans in the backcourt, but does not lack talent. Bates finished 34th in the Rivals150 as a high schooler after playing his senior season at IMG Academy.

There were certainly flashes of excellence scattered across the season despite his limited playing time. Bates scored 13 points in the Big Ten opener against Nebraska -- a moment that felt like it would spur him to further success. Instead, his minutes began to decrease in the thick of Big Ten play.

The story of Bate's season was one of patience. Although he wields a great deal of talent, shooting inconsistencies along with typical freshman mistakes made opting for seasoned veterans in key games an easy choice.

Bates' skill set is admirable. He feels comfortable handling the ball and can score off the dribble with relative ease in addition to spotting up. Defensively, he proved to be ahead of most freshmen. Bates ranked in the 81st percentile of Division I defenders across all categories per Synergy Sports.

Given his obvious ability, many fans wondered why Bates didn’t see the floor more than he did. Trust is dramatically underestimated as a factor coaches use to pick their rotation. it is arguably the most crucial thing in the minds of most coaches, and while Bates was often promising or exciting, he was rarely trustworthy. Shooting numbers of 33.8 percent from the field and 29.8 percent from three clearly illustrate the freshman's shortcomings in year one.

However, there is reason to believe a full offseason of development can build that trust. Extra time in the gym learning Mike Woodson's system and furthering his skills could prime Bates to become one of Indiana's best players next season. That, of course, hinges upon the revolving door that is the college basketball offseason and the transfer portal but is still a safe bet to make.

Bates has a good chance of earning a starting spot, and his pairing with incoming five-star Jalen Hood-Schifino should make for a dynamic young combo that is strong in playmaking and scoring --- two things that Indiana desperately lacked on the wing last season.

Woodson's player development skills will be on full display, and if Bates puts in the work, there is no reason he cannot be the next breakout sophomore in college basketball.

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