25 Under 25: The 25 Best NBA Players Younger Than 25 Years Old
No matter what phase an NBA team may be in, it is always imperative to have young talent on the roster. Because if you don’t have youthful players with high upside, you’re going to be screwed in a few years down the line.
So, looking around the landscape of the league, who are the very best young players in today’s NBA?
*NOTE*: this list does not factor in potential, it is just a ranking of each player’s current abilities.
A Few Honorable Mentions
This list is so deep that there were some very talented players to miss the cut. D’Angelo Russell, Zach Lavine, Julius Randle, Jusuf Nurkic, and others are all very skilled and have bright futures. Unfortunately, though, the list is just too short for them.
#25: Steven Adams
Adams was excellent in the 2016 playoffs, and many people expected him to have a breakout year last season. Unfortunately, he disappointed. His production deteriorated from what it was against the Warriors in that infamous Western Conference Finals series. He’s still a good player, but many were awaiting his leap into becoming a great player and it simply never came.
#24: Lonzo Ball

Ball makes this list largely because of his transcendent passing ability and court vision. But aside from those two things, the #2 overall pick still has a ton of work to do to become a star. His funky shooting form makes it nearluy impossible to take any jumper that isn’t a 30-foot stepback. He needs to figure out how to score in other ways. He has fine athleticism, and showed good defensive instincts in Summer League, but his on-ball defense needs much improvement.
#23: Jayson Tatum
Tatum was one of the players in this draft class who was an overrated prospect. He isn’t a great shooter from deep, doesn’t fit with today’s style of NBA basketball, isn’t a great athlete or a good defender, and does most damage in isolation, a playstyle that is quickly fading away in the modern NBA. However, he was the most pro-ready player that wasn’t picked first, and he can be a contributor for the Celtics right away thanks to his knack for putting the ball in the basket.
#22: Jaylen Brown
One of Tatum’s partners on the wing in Boston, fellow #3 overall pick Jaylen Brown, had a very solid rookie campaign. He showed his improvement from college, and looks like a guy who will without a doubt become a fantastic two-way player. He’s on his way to being a premier perimeter defender, and his offensive game is making progress as well.
#21: Dario Saric
Saric is a very difficult player to figure out. He isn’t big for his position, lacks true athleticism, is a somewhat inconsistent shooter, isn’t any better than average on defense, and is still a very good prospect. He can force the ball into the bucket, grabs lots of loose balls, and is a magnificent passer, close to the level of Nikola Jokic. Him taking the next step depends on if he can go from a streaky shooter to just a good shooter. If he can be reliable from deep 82 games per year, the Sixers will have yet another young star on their hands.
#20: Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart is going to his contract year with a nice advantage- no matter where he goes, his role is already carved out- he’s a go-getter on the defensive end, a hustler who will always be a fan favorite. However, his skillset is becoming redundant in Boston with guys like Jae Crowder and Jaylen Brown on the roster. It’ll be interesting to see how the next few years of his career play out, because any destination seems possible.
#19: Ben Simmons

The NBA has two rookies with insane passing abilities. 2016 #1 overall pick Ben Simmons, who will finally debut next year after missing last season with a broken foot, dished out unbelievable dimes in college, and then went to a whole other level in Summer League last year. He also is a great rebounder with defensive potential. However, his shot is the concern. According to the videos he likes to post on his Instagram, it’s improving, but we’ll see how it really looks come October. This may cause him to struggle as a primary scoring option. Luckily for him, though, he doesn’t have to be the primary, or even secondary option in Philly, thanks to teammates Joel Embiid and Markelle Fultz.
#18: Clint Capela
Capela fits a coveted description: he’s an athletic Center who can catch alley-oops, defend the rim, and rebound all at a high level. He’s one of the more underrated bigmen in the league, and expect his points per game to go up now that he has two elite passers on his team in James Harden and Chris Paul.
#17: Markelle Fultz

Fultz has no weaknesses on the offensive end, which is a very rare thing to say about an incoming rookie. He can score with ease at all three levels. His jumper has already improved since Washington, and he’s adept at getting to the rim and finishing. His defense still needs some fine-tuning, but Markelle Fultz is on the path to becoming a superstar.
#16: Gary Harris
Gary Harris has always been an underrated player for the Nuggets, a young and steadily improving 3&D wing. His shot and defense continue to get better, and that will likely result in him getting a huge deal in free agency next summer. It’ll be interesting to see if the Nuggets decide to bring him back for a big price tag or not.
#15: Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond has had a very peculiar career thus far. He emerged onto the scene and looked like the next great bigman. He possessed unbelievably great rebounding abilities, and could protect the rim while also being a good shot-blocker. But then his defensive production dropped off entirely, and he never developed any sort of offensive game. Now his value has been very much diminished by his recent performance, and the Pistons are going to end up trading him for much less than they could have gotten a few years ago when he peaked.
#14: Devin Booker

Booker showed what he can be capable of when he dropped 70 (SEVENTY!) points on the Celtics last season. He has the potential to become an elite scorer, largely thanks to his shooting stroke. But he needs to improve defensively, because he simply isn’t good on that end yet. However, if he can become a solid defender and improve as a playmaker, he will be a top-tier wing in the NBA for a long time.
#13: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
KCP still has work to do, but he has the framework of a prototypical 3&D starting guard. His defense is already at a very high level, if he can become a consistently good shooter, he’ll have his meal ticket for many years to come. Playing alongside Ball in LA on a one-year contract gives him the opportunity to prove himself as a truly great player. Getting to share the backcourt with a passer like Lonzo should give him every chance to maximize his potential, and then re-hit the free agency market and get paid the big bucks.
#12: Nerlens Noel
Nerlens Noel was ripped off in his time in Philadelphia. He was never given the chance to prove himself as the starting-caliber player that he clearly is for a long period of time. The fact that they consistently gave Jahlil Okafor more minutes than Noel shows how uncommitted they were to his development. Assuming he ultimately will remain with the Dallas Mavericks for the foreseeable future, he can be a big part of their future. Because in his prime, he will be capable of anchoring a championship-level defense. And he was traded for a bag of peanuts.
#11: Otto Porter, Jr.
The former #3 overall pick finally had his long-awaited breakout season last year, earning him a four-year max contract with the Wizards. He was a fantastic shooter last season, and is making strides on the defensive end. But in order for the Wizards to become contenders in the East, he’s going to need to become a very good defender, not just okay. Okay doesn’t get it done against Gordon Hayward, DeMar DeRozan, and, of course, LeBron James.
#10: Jabari Parker
Parker was also breaking out last year, until he tragically tore his ACL for the second time in as many years. It’s unclear how good he’ll be able to be when he returns sometime mid-season next year, but the player we saw last year was getting it done on the offensive end. He could improve on defense, and his shot could get a bit better, but this guy just knows how to get the ball in the hoop.
#9: Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins came into the league billed as a tremendous athlete who was going to immediately be an elite defender. But the opposite happened- Wiggins, who has been a huge pleasant surprise on offense, has been one of the league’s worst defenders, which would seem impossible given his athletic tools. His shot also needs work, especially if the partnership of he and Jimmy Butler is going to work.
#8: Myles Turner
Myles Turner could very well be the most underrated young player in the game. He has it all, and may end up being the savior Pacers fans need after the Paul George debacle. He is an elite defensive presence down low, is a solid rebounder, can score inside, and is a solid shooter for his size.
#7: Kristaps Porzingis

Porzingis’ year last season was pretty disappointing. But, it’s not even remotely his fault- the blame falls on the shoulders of many, but not him. Playing with Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose is a death sentence for the progression of any young up-and-comer. He had to deal with the side-show of Phil Jackson’s 24/7 idiocy, Rose disappearing before a game and constant rumors of Anthony involved in trades, and the constant negativity from the Knicks organization about ‘Melo. Luckily, Rose is gone and Anthony seems on his way out as well, so we’ll see what Kristaps is really made of in year three.
#6: Bradley Beal
Beal’s 2016–17 season was an incredibly important year. He was just awesome, averaging a career-high 23.1 points per game. But where the biggest bright spot came was his health. Everyone knows how good of a scorer he can be, but him being able to play 77 games was a very big deal. He’s always been hampered by injuries, but if he can continue to stay healthy and score at will, the Wizards have an unbelievable backcourt for many years to come.
#5: Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic was the biggest surprise of the 2016–17 season. He set the league on fire with his unbelievable passing out of the post, while also becoming a great rebounder and capable shooter. At the beginning of the year he was coming off the bench, just a second-round pick who looked like a role player. But by year’s end, he has captivated the hearts of many basketball fans.
#4: Karl Anthony-Towns

Karl Anthony-Towns is on the path to becoming a player than can lead a team to a championship. But first, he needs to become a good rim protector. It’s his only weakness- he can score with ease inside and out, is a great athlete and an equally great rebounder. But if he can’t become a good defensive player, he will never reach his potential. However, he’s still very young and has a lot of time to do so.
#3: Joel Embiid

Yes, Joel Embiid has only played 31 games in 3 years. Yes, there is absolutely zero certainty he’ll be able to stay on the court consistently. Yes, he has more tweets than minutes. But these facts don’t change just how good he was. Before we get into the unprecedented stats, consider these facts- Embiid had not played a competitive basketball game in about three years, after spending all of that time on the shelf with various injuries. And something that can never truly be quantified with major statistics is defense- and Embiid was by every advanced metric, one of the very best (if not THE best) interior defenders in all of basketball. Embiid only played 25.4 minutes per game, and still left a huge mark on every game. He averaged 20.2 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, while also swatting 2.5 shots each night. He did so effeciently, even though he was the only true scorer on his team, shooting over 46% from the field and nearly 37% from downtown. “The Process” got to the line at an incredibly high rate, even in his limited playing time. Per NBAMath.com, the 28–54 76ers played at the level of a 48 win team when Embiid was on the court, while only performing like a 20 win team when he wasn’t. Embiid is the real deal, and he will take the Sixers to a championship someday.
#2: Giannis Antetokounmpo

If I could pick any player in the entire NBA to start my franchise with, I’d pick Giannis Antetokounmpo with no hesitation. He is already an elite player who keeps on improving, and is primed for an MVP run next year. Here’s the catch- he’s still only 22 years old. He is close to seven feet tall with the athleticism and court vision of a small guard, who can score in almost any way possible, defend, pass, and rebound. His shot is still a work in progress, but it’s rapidly improved in the last few years. There’s no doubt that he’ll soon become a good shooter, and that is when he will take over the basketball world.
#1: Anthony Davis

Davis has proven himself to be every bit as good as he was billed to be coming out of college, perhaps even better. No matter what the aspect of basketball you look at, he’s elite in it. He has not a single weakness, and if the New Orleans Pelicans decision-makers can finally learn how to surround him with the proper talent, he can take them all the way. However, there is a concern with him, and that’s injuries. He’s never missed a crazy amount of games in a season, but he seems to always have multiple lingering injuries. But assuming those concerns smooth themselves out, the youngest superstar in the league will only get better.
The NBA is a league that makes its money off of superstars, and this list shows just how stacked the NBA is when it comes to young talent in the pipeline ready to pursue the throne that has belonged to LeBron James for the last decade.


