Ranking: The Top 25 players under 25 in 2023-24
The NBA has arguably never been as talented from top to bottom as it is today, and a big reason for that is the number of elite young players being drafted into the Association recently.
Today, we’re going to take a look at the Top 25 players under the age of 25 for the 2023-24 season, a list featuring an MVP candidate and various All-NBA-level players.
With so many great guys to look into, let’s jump right into the action.
Brandon Miller (21)
2023-24 stats: 14.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.2 apg, 0.7 spg, 36.8 3P%
The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Charlotte Hornets swingman Brandon Miller entered the league with some pressure due to the fact he was taken one spot ahead of a consensus fan-favorite prospect in Scoot Henderson. Well, spoiler alert, Miller earned his way into a spot in this ranking while Henderson didn’t, so that should tell you how their respective rookie campaigns are going.
Miller has been one of the best rookie swingmen in the league, flashing a smooth game featuring off-the-dribble scoring, shooting and slashing abilities and an impressive three-point stroke. Miller, still just 21, has plenty of room to grow, too, which we fully expect him to do thanks to his prototypical size for the position and all-around great feel for the game.
For the latest Brandon Miller salary info and rumors, click here.
Naz Reid (24)
2023-24 stats: 12.7 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.6 spg, 40.0 3P%
A big man who almost plays more like a wing, Minnesota Timberwolves 24-year-old Naz Reid is one of the best bench players in the league thanks to the scoring punch and shooting prowess that he provides as a reserve center. Reid probably could start for a good number of teams but chose to sign an extension with Minnesota this summer much to the delight of Timberwolves fans and their coaching staff and front office alike.
Despite the Timberwolves having two elite centers already on the roster, Reid provides a far different look whenever he’s on the floor, possessing guard-like skills in a big man’s body and making a good impact during his minutes backing up Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns
For the latest Naz Reid salary info and rumors, click here.
Jalen Green (21)
2023-24 stats: 17.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.1 apg, 0.5 spg, 40.2 FG%
The situation for Houston Rockets 2-guard Jalen Green is an interesting one. On one hand, it’s a great thing he, at just 21 years old, has already cracked this ranking of the Top 25 players under 25 for 2023-24.
On the other, you would hope a former second-overall pick would be further along in his career by now where he’s not checking in at No. 23 overall in this exercise. What’s more, if anything, Green has either stagnated or taken a step back this season, with his points per game going from 22.1 last year to 17.3 so far in 2023-24 and his field-goal percentage at a career-low 40.2 percent.
Even more concerning is the fact the Rockets are 9.6 points per 100 possessions worse with Green on the floor this year, a huge, worrisome mark.
Green has all of the tools you’d want in a young 2-guard: he’s athletic, long and stands at 6-foot-4. But his feel for the game, which was never all that great, doesn’t seem to be improving.
We’ll see, though; it’s way too early to count out a player as young as Green and at least his advanced metrics have improved from last year (although they’re still bad).
For the latest Jalen Green salary info and rumors, click here.
Keegan Murray (23)
2023-24 stats: 15.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 46.0 FG%
Year 2 has been a just-all-right one for Sacramento Kings swingman Keegan Murray, who is averaging a career-high 15.9 points per game but who has seen his once-elite three-point stroke dip in efficiency. As a rookie, Murray hit 41.1 percent of his threes. This season, that number is down to a less-impressive 37.0 percent.
Even so, Murray is a great role-playing wing with two-way ability and who puts the team over his individual numbers, all signs of a winning player whom Sacramento will want to keep around for a very long time.
For the latest Keegan Murray salary info and rumors, click here.
Tyler Herro (23)
2023-24 stats: 22.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.2 spg, 42.0 3P%
Posting his best NBA season to this point, Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro, 23, is averaging a career-high in nightly points, rebounds, assists and steals as well as in three-point accuracy, an even more impressive feat considering how tumultuous his offseason was with rumors surrounding a potential offseason trade out of Miami for Herro.
Herro has always been a confident player but that confidence is being rewarded more than ever in 2023-24, as the former Kentucky standout has been deadly with his off-the-dribble midrange shooting and as a three-point marksman.
Herro has been a large reason why Miami is enjoying a much stronger regular season than it had last year and if he keeps up this level of play, the Heat will continue to be a very tough out come playoff time.
For the latest Tyler Herro salary info and rumors, click here.
Jaime Jaquez (22)
2023-24 stats: 13.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg, 50.7 FG%
The only first-year swingman who’s been better than Miller so far is Miami forward Jaime Jaquez, the former UCLA standout posting an unexpectedly great rookie season for the Heat so far.
Jaquez went 18th in his draft class in part due to poor three-point shooting marks during his senior season at UCLA (31.7 percent) but also because of a perceived lack of upside, as the 22-year-old spent four years in college, making him look like he had tapped out on potential before even getting to the NBA.
That line of reasoning appears to have been debunked, however, as Jaquez has been a better three-point shooter (35.2 percent from beyond the arc so far) than advertised while his slashing, midrange-attacking style on offense has acclimated perfectly on a veteran Heat team with championship aspirations.
We’ll have to wait to find out ultimately what his ceiling is but for now, Jaquez has been one of the three best rookies in 2023-24, no easy accomplishment considering the crop of talented first-year players this season.
For the latest Jaime Jaquez salary info and rumors, click here.
Anfernee Simons (24)
2023-24 stats: 24.6 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.3 apg, 0.7 spg, 43.6 FG%
Averaging a career-high 26.1 points per game and leading the league in free throw percentage (92.8 percent), Portland Blazers guard Anfernee Simons is an explosive three-level scorer with great athleticism around the rim and off-the-dribble scoring prowess.
Although Simons has blossomed into a high-level bucket-getter, his impact to winning remains in question as the Blazers have been 5.5 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the floor this season. With the right team around him, can an undersized guard like Simons be a championship team’s best player?
Considering another similarly sized Portland star, Damian Lillard, failed in doing just that with the same franchise, we might already know the answer to that question. But we’ll give Simons the benefit of the doubt considering he’s 24 and still improving annually.
For the latest Anfernee Simons salary info and rumors, click here.
Jalen Williams (22)
2023-24 stats: 18.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.1 spg, 53.9 FG%
An efficient scoring wing who can play from the 2 to the 4, former No.12 overall pick Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder is one of the most promising young players in the league, flashing a scoring ability quite advanced for a 22-year-old in the NBA.
Not only is Williams shooting 52.8 percent from the floor, but he’s also hitting 43.5 percent of his three-pointers, giving the Thunder various deadly five-out lineups. The former Santa Clara standout is far more than a spot-up shooter, however, as he’s got a smooth midrange game and slashing ability off of the ball.
For the latest Jalen Williams salary info and rumors, click here.
Darius Garland (23)
2023-24 stats: 20.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 5.9 apg, 1.6 spg, 47.0 FG%
Based on his trajectory over recent years, it appears Cleveland Cavaliers star guard Darius Garland has hit his ceiling as an NBA player considering his stats have stayed around the same since 2021-22.
But if he has stagnated or reached his top level, it’s not like that’s a bad thing, as Garland is still averaging nearly 21 points and six assists per night. Garland has a smooth, slippery game, lacking in signature moves but keeping opponents guessing on a nightly basis thanks to his ball-handling, herky-jerky movements and spin moves.
Garland can also hit jumpers off the dribble, over good contests and with a high degree of difficulty, which is why he’s been able to meet this All-Star ceiling.
For the latest Darius Garland salary info and rumors, click here.
Jaren Jackson Jr (24)
2023-24 stats: 21.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.8 bpg, 46.1 FG%
A versatile, floor-spacing big man who can handle the ball and drive it from the perimeter, Jaren Jackson Jr. is also an elite defender thanks to his shot-blocking chops and quick feet on the less glamorous end of the floor.
Jackson remains a poor rebounder, though, and doesn’t look to pass it when he has the ball, both of which limit his efficiency and impact but overall, he’s consistently been a plus-player when he’s out there throughout his career, and just about any contender would be happy to have his services, as shot-blocking, floor-spacing big men remain a huge luxury in the Association.
Cade Cunningham (22)
2023-24 stats: 22.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.0 spg, 44.9 FG%
The No. 1 overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham has flashed plenty of moments where he displays why he was such a highly-thought-of draft prospect thanks to his tough-shot-making, playmaking skills in a 6-foot-6 package.
However, his finishing around the rim remains mediocre (55.8 percent accuracy from within five of the basket) and his outside shooting (he’s at 34.0 percent from three this season) is likewise not very good, both of which greatly hamper his impact and have prevented him from really hitting that superstar level that many believe him to have.
Until Cunningham cleans up those two areas, he won’t reach that All-Star level he so clearly has. Even so, the former Oklahoma State standout is just 22 and his supporting cast with the Detroti Pistons has been lacking to put it kindly, so it’s far too early to give up on the talented young guard.
For the latest Cade Cunningham salary info and rumors, click here.
Evan Mobley (22)
2023-24 stats: 16.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.7 bpg, 57.3 FG%
Another very modernized big man, Cavaliers center Evan Mobley can handle the basketball, shoot from the midrange, has a post game, can drive it and is a solid distributor as well. Unlike Jackson, Mobley is a solid rebounder, too, although his slight frame does hurt him a bit come playoff time against more physical opponents.
The main issue Mobley has is as an outside shooter, as he doesn’t shoot that many threes (204 career attempts from beyond the arc in two-plus seasons) and when he does let it fly, he’s not all that accurate (20.0 percent accuracy so far from three). For a big man who came into the NBA with many lauding his skill level, that’s just not good enough.
At the same time, he’s averaging a 16/10/3 in just his third season and already has one All-Defensive team to his name with more surely on the way. He’s still just 22, too, so he’s got plenty of time to continue developing into that All-Star that many believe he can be.
For the latest Evan Mobley salary info and rumors, click here.
Franz Wagner (22)
2023-24 stats: 20.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.1 apg, 46.7 FG%
One of the most promising young swingmen in the NBA, 22-year-old Franz Wagner is a slippery forward with great ability as a slasher and cutter to the basket and fantastic touch around the basket.
He does need to continue to work on his outside shooting, as Wagner is down to 28.8 percent from three this season. If he does get that at least to the league-average rate, Wagner could reach an All-Star level of play.
For the latest Franz Wagner salary info and rumors, click here.
Victor Wembanyama (20)
2023-24 stats: 19.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 3.3 bpg, 44.9 FG%
Already leading the league in nightly rejections, reigning first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama has hit the ground running in the NBA, already putting up 19 points and 10 rebounds nightly despite the San Antonio Spurs’ offense not running a ton of plays for him.
Wembanyama is an elite lob threat while also possessing a guard-like game in a 7-foot-4 package, a create-a-player type of talent if we have ever seen one. The 20-year-old big man also has good vision as a playmaker while having the ability to take on defenders one-on-one, shoot threes, drive to the basket and do just about anything in an insane physical package.
Look for Wembanyama to soar up these rankings as we continue to do them over the coming seasons.
For the latest Victor Wembanyama salary info and rumors, click here.
Zion Williamson (23)
2023-24 stats: 21.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.0 spg, 58.2 FG%
Another player who could see himself fly up this ranking by next season, former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson has done a good job this campaign of at least staying healthy, missing just six games so far in 2023-24.
When he has been out there, Williamson hasn’t been quite the explosive self that he showed earlier on in his career but at the same time, it’s tough to scoff at 22/6/4 stat line on 58-plus percent shooting. Williamson has looked more like an All-Star this season than the All-NBA-level player he’s shown he can be in prior years.
For the latest Zion Williamson salary info and rumors, click here.
Alperen Sengun (21)
2023-24 stats: 21.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.0 apg, 1.1 spg, 53.8 FG%
One of the players who has taken the biggest leap this season, Rockets big man Alperen Sengun is one of the most productive young big men in the league, averaging over five assists nightly from his center spot while also putting up 21-plus points and nine rebounds.
Sengun has a Nikola Jokic-like creative ability for a center and boasts a tough-to-stop post game replete with spin moves and two-handed finishing ability around the basket.
Among NBA players 21 years old or younger, only Sengun and the player who finished first on this ranking have put up a 21/9/5 stat line in NBA history, which speaks to the historical pace Sengun is on in just his third season.
For the latest Alperen Sengun salary info and rumors, click here.
Paolo Banchero (21)
2023-24 stats: 22.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.1 spg, 45.8 FG%
The No. 1 overall pick in 2022, Magic forward Paolo Banchero is living up to the hype so far early on in his NBA career thanks to his high skill level in a 6-foot-10, 250-pound package, looking like a center but playing more like a face-up swingman.
Banchero has done a great job of improving on his one weakness, his outside shooting, thus far in 2023-24, nailing 37.5 percent of his triples in his sophomore year. If the former Duke standout is going to be that accurate from three, opponents are going to simply have a tough time slowing him down, as he’s physical enough to bully defenders closer to the basket, can drive the ball, create for teammates or do just about anything asked of the modern star forward.
Banchero is another player who can fly up these rankings over the coming years.
For the latest Paolo Banchero salary info and rumors, click here.
Scottie Barnes (22)
2023-24 stats: 20.7 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.7 apg, 1.4 spg, 48.1 FG%
In Scottie Barnes’ three NBA seasons so far, he’s been tasked with playing mostly power forward as a rookie to small forward last year to now basically starting at shooting guard this season, according to Basketball-Reference, showing a very unique level of versatility.
And after a bit of stagnation in his sophomore year after being named Rookie of the Year the campaign prior, Barnes has taken the next step in 2023-24, putting up a 21/8/6 stat line while averaging 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks nightly on a career-best shooting mark from three of 38.4 percent, clips that speak to his high level of two-way impact.
Barnes can do a bit of everything on the floor, be it run a pick and roll, run the floor in transition, create for teammates, defend multiple positions, face up and drive it, spot up and shoot it, act as a screener in the pick and roll – and much more – and he does so efficiently while averaging nearly 21 points nightly.
Considering Barnes is still just 22, it’s clear why the Raptors have signaled they plan to build around the former Florida State standout going forward.
For the latest Scottie Barnes salary info and rumors, click here.
LaMelo Ball (22)
2023-24 stats: 24.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 8.2 apg, 1.4 spg, 44.3 FG%
One of the flashiest floor generals in the game today, Hornets star LaMelo Ball would likely rank even higher on this list if he didn’t miss so much time both this season and last year due to injury.
Even so, when healthy, Ball is one of the most exciting young players in the league, a flashy passer and playmaker as well as a high-level scorer, a chaotic defender when jumping passing lanes and picking pockets and a good rebounder for his position. Ball also has a knack for being able to hit very tough shots over good defending, giving him that star quality that not many other point guards have.
It’s all about just getting and staying healthy for Ball at this point, as missing so much time due to injury has to be somewhat hampering his development, which is scary to think about considering how good he is even with missing so much time thus far in his NBA career.
For the latest LaMelo Ball salary info and rumors, click here.
Chet Holmgren (21)
2023-24 stats: 17.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.6 bpg, 40.9 3PT%
After missing what was supposed to be his rookie season due to a foot injury, former No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren has looked great in 2023-24, not only already one of the two favorites to win Rookie of the Year but also one of the best young players in the NBA, period.
Holmgren is a two-way force on the court, finishing at an elite level near the rim and possessing spot-up three-shooting prowess as well as a solid ball handle and great quickness that helps him blow by slower-footed foes. Holmgren is also already an elite shot-blocker and has the foot quickness to be able to defend opposing ball-handlers when forced to switch, a dynamic weapon on defense for Oklahoma City.
Holmgren ranks 21st league-wide both in Value Over Replacement Player and Box Plus/Minus, so his impact is being felt by the Thunder at a borderline elite level, according to the analytics.
For the latest Chet Holmgren salary info and rumors, click here.
Tyrese Maxey (23)
2023-24 stats: 25.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 6.6 apg, 0.9 spg, 45.5 FG%
Tasked with filling the big shoes left behind by former league MVP James Harden’s departure, 23-year-old Tyrese Maxey has done a magnificent job of filling those shoes and then some for the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging nearly 26 points nightly to go with over six assists per contest.
Maxey has been a huge reason why the 76ers haven’t skipped a beat in 2023-24, sitting at 23-12 and third in the Eastern Conference as we approach the All-Star break, festivities that we fully expect Maxey to take part in for the first time in his career.
The main question for Maxey going forward this season is: Will he earn All-NBA honors this season? Because All-Star seems like a lock for him in 2023-24. The answer could be yes if he maintains this elite level of guard play going for Philadelphia in the second half of the campaign.
For the latest Tyrese Maxey salary info and rumors, click here.
Ja Morant (24)
2023-24 stats: 25.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 8.1 apg, 0.8 spg, 47.1 FG%
2023-24 will go down as a very forgettable season for Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant, who missed the first 25 games of the campaign due to suspension, only to return for nine games, show that he’s still one of the best players in the league and then injure his shoulder, causing him to miss the rest of the league year.
Morant is one of the most explosive players in the NBA, possessing the ability to finish over just about anyone near the rim, but also knowing how to use his elite speed and quickness well, accelerating and changing direction with ease to make defenders’ lives miserable when they have to guard him.
When Morant returns in 2024-25, he’ll do so as one of the best all-around players in the league regardless of age.
For the latest Ja Morant salary info and rumors, click here.
Tyrese Haliburton (23)
2023-24 stats: 23.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 12.5 apg, 1.1 spg, 40.3 3PT%
Perhaps the best pure point guard in the NBA right now, at least depending on how you view the top player in this ranking on the positional scale, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton is leading the league in nightly assists in 2023-24 at 12.5 while also chipping in over 23 points nightly and shooting 40-plus percent from three, despite an unorthodox release on his jumper.
Thanks to Haliburton, Indiana sits at a healthy 21-15 on the season and came within a game of winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament behind a torrid stretch of play out of the elite playmaking point guard.
With Haliburton at the helm, the Pacers have a bright future ahead and will need to just continue building around the do-everything floor general, who creates as well as anyone in the NBA today but can also pick up the scoring load, hit threes at a high clip or score near the basket thanks to his quickness and finishing ability.
For the latest Tyrese Haliburton salary info and rumors, click here.
Anthony Edwards (22)
2023-24 stats: 26.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.4 spg, 38.5 3P%
A 2-guard in the mold of the elite shooting guards of yesteryear, explosive 22-year-old Anthony Edwards is athletic, long, has prototypical size for the position and tough-shot-making ability, all traits that have helped him blossom into being widely considered as one of the two best 2s in the NBA today, along with Suns star Devin Booker.
Edwards can do a bit of everything on top of scoring at a high level, including rebounding, creating and causing havoc on defense by playing passing lanes well, and knowing how to poke the ball away from opposing ball-handlers.
Edwards has his Minnesota Timberwolves looking like legit title contenders this season, too, as Minnesota sits at 26-10, first in the Western Conference, thanks in large part to the leap made by the former No. 1 overall pick in 2023-24.
Still just 22, the sky is the limit on Edwards’ potential, and it’ll be exciting to see how he continues to develop in Minnesota. One thing is looking very likely, though, and that’s that when we do this exercise again next year, Edwards should be the best under-25 player in the NBA, with the next player in this ranking set to age out of the exercise in the coming weeks.
For the latest Anthony Edwards salary info and rumors, click here.
Luka Doncic (24)
2023-24 stats: 33.6 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 9.1 apg, 1.4 spg, 38.0 3PT%
Even in today’s NBA where huge statistics are more commonplace than they were even five years ago, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic stands out with his production, putting up over 33 points, eight rebounds and nine assists per contest.
Just for reference, Doncic would be the only player in league history to put up a 33/8/9 stat line if he continues on this pace for the rest of the campaign, an astronomical feat for the Slovenian star.
Doncic has been an All-Star and a 1st Team All-NBAer each of the past four seasons while showing no signs of slowing down, thanks to a rare ability to read the game at a savant level as a playmaker. That’s on top of Doncic also being an elite scorer, using his size, strength, ball-handling and shot-making chops to put up huge scoring totals nightly. Doncic also rebounds extremely well for a guard, showing basically no weaknesses besides one-on-one perimeter defending.
Besides winning league MVP, all that Doncic has left to do in the NBA is to win at a high level, although the Dallas Mavericks have been to the Western Conference Finals in the Doncic era, albeit while missing out on the playoffs entirely last season.
All in all, though, Doncic has been one of the best players in the NBA since arriving from Real Madrid and will be remembered forever for putting up the huge numbers he did before even hitting 25 years of age.
For the latest Luka Doncic salary info and rumors, click here.
