The 24 Best NBA Players 24 and Under

25.

NBA fans are going to look back and remember a moment when Luka Doncic's arrival was official for them.

It'll be different, of course, for every individual. Some might point to a play from his Rookie of the Year campaign two seasons ago when Doncic burst onto the scene. For others, it might be his buzzer-beating three in the bubble that downed the Clippers in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series. Doncic's signature step-back famously punctuated with a double "BANG" by the esteemed Mike Breen doing the play-by-play.

For yours truly, it'll be an early December game in Los Angeles when the then 20-year-old Doncic outplayed LeBron James and Anthony Davis, scoring 21 of his 27 points in the second half. The words of his coach, who has seen a thing or two after decades playing and coaching in the NBA, resonate 12 months later.

“He hit a couple of hellacious shots that only a small handful of guys in the whole world can hit,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after the Mavs surprisingly beat the 17-2 Lakers in Staples Center. “LeBron James is one of them. [Doncic's] one of them. Those step-back 30 footers it’s hard to describe how hard the shot is and how easy he makes it look.”

A million other ridiculous highlights and a bunch of triple-doubles later following that game against LA, nobody 24 or under in the NBA is on the 21-year-old Doncic's level. You really can't argue that. In just two short seasons, he looks like he's on his way to authoring one of those mythical careers where he's known simply by his first name. Watch Doncic—or Luka like the kids prefer—in person or on TV and it takes less two minutes to realize he's not a superstar already, but he's shaping up to be transcendent. And those guys only come along once or twice a generation.

Effusive praise for Doncic aside, we all know the Association is full of young ballers who will also dominate the league for the next decade and we felt it was high time to put them in some kind of subjective order. It's Doncic at the head of the table because it has to be, but more than a few players 24 and under sitting next to him are in the infancy of authoring their own legendary career.

Of note: we went with The 24 Best NBA Players 24 and Under because we're not afraid to swerve and doing it this way made it slightly harder on ourselves since we couldn't feature heavyweights like Nikola Jokic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Karl-Anthony Towns if the list was the more prototypical 25 Best NBA Players 25 and Under. We try and do things different. Now let the arguments begin.

24.Tyler Herro

Age: 20

2019-20 Stats: 13.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.2 APG

He still can’t legally drink yet, but Herro burst onto the scene like few other rookies this past postseason and the early returns on the 13th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft are extremely promising. His 37-point breakout performance against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals aside, Herro put up very good numbers for a first-year player (13.5 PPG and 38.5 percent on 3-pointers) and made the All-Rookie Second-Team). Herro has a ton of moxy, excellent athleticism, and a silky smooth outside shot that should keep him in the league well into his mid-30s barring the ridiculous. The Heat will be happy to have his services for years to come.

23.Michael Porter Jr.

Age: 22

2019-20 Stats: 9.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 42.2 FG3%

Denver’s going to need more out of Porter Jr. following the loss of Jerami Grant to the Pistons in free agency, but offensively Porter has all the makings of a future stud. He just needs to stay healthy, his troubling injury history the main reason he dropped all the way to Denver with the 14th selection in the 2018 NBA Draft in the first place. But when Porter Jr. is in the lineup and feeling it, like we saw in the bubble, he makes a bunch of other teams regret passing him over. He’s listed at 6’10”, hit 42.2 percent of his threes last season, and has the ability to light it up real quick like his teammate Jamal Murray. Defensively he’s a liability, but at only 22 you can live with those mistakes when he’s ripping the net.

22.Marvin Bagley III

Age: 21

2019-20 Stats: 14.2 PPG, 7.5 PPG, and 0.9 BPG

It hasn’t been the smoothest first two runs through the league, especially since he only appeared in 13 games for the Kings last season. But Bagley’s averages over a career 25.3 minutes per game are more than respectable. Just don’t let those averages cloud his overall player profile. There are defensive limitations and considering he was the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, he’s always going to be compared to the likes of Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander—all chosen after him. But the Duke product is far from a finished product, has shown an ability to rebound, and isn’t exactly in a spot renowned for player development in Sacramento. The potential is there. It’s about to be time to start delivering on it.

21.Collin Sexton

Age: 21

2019-20 Stats: 20.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.0 APG

The Cavaliers point guard can really score. We know that after the 8th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft averaged 20.8 last season in Cleveland. Like basically all of his Cavs teammates, defense is an afterthought for Sexton, but Cleveland didn’t draft him expecting elite perimeter defense. He was drafted to put the ball in the basket and all signs point toward Sexton being able to do that at an elite level for a long time to come.

20.Myles Turner

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.1 BPG

We need to ask the question: is the Pacers’ center underrated? If you know then you know he’s one of the better defensive big men, certainly in the Eastern Conference, if not the entire league. The 2018-19 leader in blocks was 18th in defensive win shares last season—he was 7th during the 2018-19 season—and should find himself on an All-Defensive Team at some point in the next few seasons. He doesn’t light it up offensively since he’s only averaged 12.7 PPG for his career, but the Pacers don’t need him to score that much. And for a center he’s a pretty competent 3-point shooter (35.7 percent for his career). Yeah, Turner’s underrated.

19.Jaren Jackson Jr.

Age: 21

2019-20 Stats: 17.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.6 BPG

He might fly under the radar for the casual fan, but those that watch know the Grizzlies have something in JJJ, the second-year power forward/center who was a member of the 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie First Team. You’d like to see better rebounding numbers (4.6 RPG career) for someone listed at 6’11” and 240-plus pounds, but when you’re a rim protector with two straight seasons finishing in the top 10 of block percentage you’re inevitably going to lose out on some boards. Regardless, Jackson is part of the future with Ja Morant in Memphis and it sucks for the Grizzlies that they will be without the services of JJJ to start the season after he tore the meniscus in his left knee down in the bubble.

18.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Age: 22

2019-20 Stats: 19.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.3 APG

One of the brightest young point guards in the game, and inarguably one of the NBA’s flashiest dressers, SGA has future All-NBA written all over him. Everyone sings the praises of the Kentucky product, who made the 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie Second Team and averaged 19.0 PPG for the Thunder last season, and for good reason since he’s extremely poised and productive. With Chris Paul out of the picture, the Thunder is officially Gilgeous-Alexander’s team and the only thing holding him back from reaching elite status right now is his pedestrian mark from beyond the arc (35.4 percent).

17.John Collins

Age: 23

2019-20 Stats: 21.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 1.6 BPG

We'll forgive you if you're not a Hawks fan and forget how good John Collins is since Trae Young generally earns all the attention in Atlanta. But Collins deserves his respect since his numbers are way more impressive than people realize—take a look at his per 36 minutes averages or the 40.1 percent he shot from beyond the arc last season. The Wake Forest product is an offensive dynamo who also happens to be an excellent rebounder. What's holding him back from being considered among the best scorers 6'9" and above in the NBA are all the games he's missed over his three seasons—including the 25-game suspension the NBA handed him last November after testing positive for growth hormone. No other player on this list was drafted lower than Collins, 19th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, and you could argue few have a higher ceiling. He just needs to stay on the floor.

16.Deandre Ayton

Age: 22

2019-20 Stats: 18.2 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 1.5 BPG

The jury’s still out on whether the talented center for the Suns who was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft develops into a superstar big man. But Ayton’s career is off to a pretty good start in his first two seasons, including an appearance on the 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie First Team. He could take a leap offensively this upcoming season now that Chris Paul is running point. Don’t be surprised if Ayton-Paul develops into one of the most devastating pick-and-roll combos in the NBA.

15.De’Aaron Fox

Age: 22

2019-20 Stats: 21.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.8 APG

When you do the things Fox can do, you’re going to get paid handsomely for it and the Kings just gave their point guard a massive max extension worth $163 million. A borderline All-Star last season, the Kentucky product is a blur on the basketball court and a nightmare in transition. He needs to become a more consistent outside shooter, but he’s largely been surrounded by better ones during his three seasons in Sacramento. Fox is an excellent distributor, facilitator, and, most notably, among the NBA’s most adept and deadly when driving to the basket—just like a few other ultra-impressive young point guards on this list like Trae Young, Luka Doncic, and Ja Morant.

14.D’Angelo Russell

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 23.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.3 APG

You can’t question DRuss’s dynamism on offense because the southpaw can light up the scoreboard like the game’s best point guards. Now, has the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft lived up to expectations? Probably not since he’s been a bit of a nomad in his five seasons in the league, playing for four teams, and there are glaring flaws in his game (turnovers, middling shooter, plays ZERO defense). But let’s give Russell his props for making the 2019 All-Star team and for being a guy who can unquestionably get you buckets in bunches.

13.Domantas Sabonis

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 5.0 APG

After making his first All-Star team last season, Sabonis has established himself as one of the best all-round forwards in the NBA and the franchise player for the Pacers. A rebounding machine that can also defend (he finished 11th last season in defensive win shares), Sabonis does it on both ends, including setting up his teammates. His offensive improvement over his four seasons in the league is what stands out the most and, like almost every big man, once he develops a consistent outside shot he’s going to be scary.

12.Jaylen Brown

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 20.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.1 APG

Overshadowed by the brilliance of his running mate Jayson Tatum, the 24-year-old Brown’s game took a big step up this past season, his fourth with the Celtics. Brown averaged career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals while starting every game he appeared in for the squad that took him with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 draft. He also morphed into one of the most indispensible, and dare we say underrated, sidekicks to a superstar in the league. Brown had a reputation as a defender and Swiss Army knife type of player before the start of the 2019-20 season, but he blossomed into an ultra-steady second or third scoring option for the Celtics who already brings it defensively making the extension Boston inked him to in 2019 look smart and prudent. Brown’s going to be well worth the $26 million he’ll make on average per campaign through the 2023-24 season.

11.Zion Williamson

Age: 20

2019-20 Stats: 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG

Please stay healthy. It sucks that’s the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but when Williamson’s feeling good he is a basketball freak who is as entertaining to watch as anyone in the league. While it feels like Williamson is destined for a life of load management, when the Pelicans forward is allowed to go full-throttle he’s a force that’s incredibly hard to stop, especially when he breaks out that explosive second hop following an offensive rebound. The outside shooting will improve, but any doubts about Williamson’s sleight of height (he’s only 6’6”) holding him back from beasting in the NBA have already been put to bed. After an ultra-impressive 24 games during his rookie campaign, the only thing holding back Williamson from superstar status are his knees.

10.Ja Morant

Age: 21

2019-20 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 7.3 APG

The Grizzlies point guard gets the nod in our rankings over Williamson because he rightfully earned Rookie of the Year honors this past season and he’s already worthy of being in the discussion as one of the game’s top 10 point guards. Plus, he’s way more durable. The No. 2 pick in the 2019 brought it every single one of the 67 games he played in last season and proved that despite his slender frame (6’3”, 174 pounds), he isn’t afraid to drive to the basket and posterize any defender who dares to underestimate his absurd athleticism. It will be a major upset if Morant, who turned 21 down in the bubble, isn’t a perennial All-Star in a few short seasons.

9.Brandon Ingram

Age: 23

2019-20 Stats: 23.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 4.2 APG

The No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft is starting to live up to expectations and because of that Duke product got PAID by the Pelicans. New Orleans rewarded Ingram with a five-year supermax extension for his 2019 All-Star nod and the promise he’s shown in one season balling in the Big Easy. With a freakishly long frame and a smooth jumper, the improvement in Ingram’s game over his four seasons has been stark—he’s morphed from a pencil-thin rookie averaging 9.4 PPG to a slightly more defined scoring threat who was good for 23.8 PPG and 2.4 3-pointers a night last season. Pairing up a potential elite scorer with Zion Williamson and some other vets means the Pelicans are going to be dangerous in the West for years to come.

8.Jamal Murray

Age: 23

2019-20 Stats: 18.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 34.6 FG3%

The debate between whom you’d rank higher between Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, and Murray has no right answer. They all bring something unique to the table. However, Murray's run down in the bubble was eye-opening and the kind of extended coming out party Mitchell and Booker haven’t blessed the masses with yet. Murray, who was the 7th selection in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, scored 30 or more in five playoff games in Orlando—including a few 40-plus points performances and two 50-point outbursts. While there are times Murray can disappear, there’s a reason the Nuggets gave him a max extension in 2019 because he can get Klay Thompson hot and absolutely demoralize a defense when everything he launches rips the net.

7.Trae Young

Age: 22

2019-20 Stats: 29.6 PPG, 9.3 APG, 36.1 FG3%

One of the most exciting young players in the game is the epitome of being a walking bucket. Honestly, is there a shot Young can’t hit once he enters in the gym? He might be tiny and he may never play a lick of defense, but what Young lacks he more than makes up for in his absurd ability to score, distribute to his teammates at an elite level, and prove to be the Hawks’ franchise player despite barely being 6’1” and 180 pounds. He’s already a top 10 point guard in the NBA and if he stays healthy he’s going to win a scoring title or three before he hangs ‘em up. We could go on and on about Young, but only those wearing blinders would downplay his present and future.

6.Bam Adebayo

Age: 23

2019-20 Stats: 15.9 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 5.1 APG

The ceiling for Adebayo, a first-time All-Star last season, kind of feels limitless after the 23-year-old had himself a monstrous breakout 2019-20 campaign for the Heat. It was sad seeing Abebayo miss two Finals games because he absolutely could’ve made that a different series, but when the Kentuck product is healthy he’s going to be a problem for the next decade. Miami rewarded the 14th pick in the 2017 draft with a massive $163 million extension that kicks in next summer because they believe the forward, who is an awesome rebounder and defender that’s only going better offensively, is a foundational piece.

5.Donovan Mitchell

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 24.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.3 APG

It’s still hilarious that Mitchell actually thought he wasn’t going to be a first-round pick when he entered the draft out of Louisville in 2016. But the Jazz made him the 13th selection and he’s going to turn out to be one of the best steals of the late lottery in recent memory. The progression of Mitchell’s game over his first three seasons has been remarkable, but let’s also not forget how hot he came out of the blocks when he averaged 20.5 PPG as a rookie. All he’s done over the following two seasons is become a more consistent shooter and one of the best young shooting guards in the game. An All-Star last season for the first time, Mitchell has a lot of Dwyane Wade in him. While that’s not a new observation, it aln’t hyperbole.

4.Devin Booker

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 26.6 PPG, 6.5 APG, 35.4 FG3%

Lot of Kentucky guys on this list…There’s about 10 teams that would like a do-over on the 2015 NBA Draft since they passed on Booker who went No. 13 to the Suns. And all he’s become is one of the deadliest shooting guards. Booker could’ve been the MVP down in the bubble after he helped lead the Suns to a perfect 8-0 record and brief flirtation with the playoffs—the “award” went to Damian Lillard—but what Booker showed in Orlando is he is no longer just a scorer on a bad team. He’s on the verge of being a full-fledged star that will be expected to help lead Phoenix back to the postseason for the first time in ages. Truthfully, Booker’s offensive game is worthy of being in the discussion of top 5 status, but it’s the lack of playoff experience and a signature performance on the biggest stage that’s holding us back from putting Booker higher.

3.Ben Simmons

Age: 24

2019-20 Stats: 16.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 8.0 APG

Jump shot, jump shot, jump shot. Yeah, we all know Simmons’ kryptonite, but the rest of the Sixers point guard’s game is elite. Soon enough, Simmons will morph into more of a scoring threat—I mean, we’ve all seen the videos on social media of him stroking smooth threes in practice—but even without a jumper Simmons can dominate because he’s an elite distributor, a superb defender, and a freak for the point guard position since he’s 6’10” and 240 pounds. The 2017 Rookie of the Year is a two-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive First Team last season. Simmons, the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has more accolades than any other player under 25. He also might have the highest ceiling.

2.Jayson Tatum

Age: 22

2019-20 Stats: 23.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.0 APG

We all thought Tatum would be pretty good coming out of Duke when the Celtics made him the third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft because Danny Ainge usually knows what he’s doing up in Boston. But if you saw Tatum elevating his game to All-NBA status in three short seasons you need to play the lottery because Tatum really burst onto the scene last season. After averaging just 15.7 PPG during the 2018-19 campaign, Tatum exploded into a budding superstar last season, averaging 23.4 PPG as the Celtics’ top offensive threat and deservedly made his first All-Star team and earned a spot on the All-NBA Third-Team. It’s overly simplistic to summarize him this way, but Tatum isn’t going to be a problem for the next decade-plus—he’s going to be a god damn nightmare.

1.Luka Doncic

Age: 21

2019-20 Stats: 28.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 8.8 APG

Can’t argue with our top choice. The Slovenian sensation is already a perennial MVP candidate—he’s actually the top choice to win the MVP this season at some sportsbooks. Doncic’s an offensive maestro with a killer stepback 3-pointer, he’s awesome in the pick-and-roll, proven to be a clutch scorer while also being a gritty rebounder and an incredible passer—he’s a walking triple-double. The 2019 NBA Rookie of the Year has the kind of talent that you see once every few decades and other than Giannis Antetokounmpo, Doncic is probably the player the majority of NBA executives and fans would hypothetically pick to start a franchise.