The break between the 2008-09 and 2009-10 NBA seasons has seen a huge number of transfers between teams, but all the major players have stuck with their old teams. Here are some faces to watch out for in 2009-10, going by their scintillating performances over the past few seasons.

#5 - Carmelo Anthony. Carmelo Anthony, small forward for the Denver Nuggets, has been recently voted one of the starters in the 2010 NBA All-Stars game in February. Partnering beautifully with the point guard Chauncey Billups, he has scored 19 points in a single quarter twice this season. In November, he scored over 50 points in a game where Billups scored 30 - giving them the status of Third NBA duo to score over 50 and 30 points in the same game.

#4 - Dwayne Wade. Wade is one of the fulcrums of the Miami Heat team. He, like another great basketballer of this NBA era, is a shooting guard who can also play point guard. Standing at 6 feet 4, he does not let his size deter him as he is now one of the fastest players on the NBA, and possibly the single toughest to guard. With an average of 6.7 assists per game, it shows that Wade's game is more about the team than the individual.

#3 - Kobe Bryant. One of the legends of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant really needs no introduction. At 31 years and 151 days, he has recently become the youngest player to reach 25,000 career points - a huge achievement for someone who is predominantly a shooting guard. One of the biggest scorers in the NBA, Kobe can create a shot out of anywhere - three pointers from twelve, and what have you.

#2 - Kevin Durant. Also a small forward - for the Oklahoma City Thunder - Kevin Durant is one of the fastest rising talents in the NBA. At hardly 22 years old, he is the backbone of the team, with a PPG and RPG of 29.3 and 7.30 respectively. With only 2 years of professional basketball under his belt, Durant may well be worth watching for over a decade to come.

#1 - LeBron James. Also a small forward, LeBron James is the unquestioned king of the 2010 basketball season. Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he has led them to the top of the Eastern Conference Table. With a player rating of 95 on the NBA website and a nomination for the NBA All-Defensive Team back in 2008-09, he is often compared to legends such as Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.

There, you have it. Five players to watch out for in the 2010 season. With Shaquille O'Neal having left and Kobe Bryant injured, it looks somewhat unlikely that the Lakers will breeze through this NBA. The season is shaping up to be an absolute cracker by the time April arrives!