Any time that we reach the end of an era in the NBA, there is a sense of slight panic among fans about how the next wave of players will carry the league into the future. As things currently stand, players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry are undoubtedly heading toward the final stages of their careers. It is hard for fans to say goodbye to the players that helped raise them and birth their love for the sport. I am here to tell you right now that the NBA is in a better spot heading into the future than they have been for a long time.
Today, we will take a deep look into what the NBA will look like for the next decade as a new wave of players begins to make its presence felt across the league. These 23 players who are 23 years and younger have already begun to make a name for themselves as scorers, playmakers, defenders, and winners. You may notice that some of these players are already budding stars and superstars in the NBA. Although their stories are just beginning as professional basketball players, most of them have already shown that age is nothing but a number and has no bearing on their ability to help their teams win.
These are the top 23 NBA players 23 years old and under.
23. Shaedon Sharpe
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Just a couple of weeks ago, we named Shaedon Sharpe as the best 19-year-old player in the NBA for 2022-23. Sharpe took the court for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2022-23 and immediately made a resounding impression with his athleticism and high IQ. Sharpe had to earn his time on the court with Portland this season and ended up doing so by the end of the season with 80 appearances and 15 starts.
In those 80 games, Sharpe averaged 9.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.2 APG, and 0.5 SPG. Sharpe would shoot 47.2% from the field overall and 36.0% from three. His best game came late in March against the Sacramento Kings. Sharpe scored 30 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists in a blowout loss, but the league had finally taken notice of his ability to erupt at any given moment. Sharpe would record eight other games with at least 20 points on the season as well, all coming toward the end of the year in March and April to build momentum for what is sure to be an exciting sophomore season in 2023-24.
22. Trey Murphy III
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After a rookie season that saw him appear in 62 games for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2021-22, Trey Murphy found himself in a much bigger role for the team in 2022-23. Murphy was the 17th overall pick of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2021 and was traded to the Pelicans just one week later. Murphy had a slow and uneventful rookie season that saw him make 62 appearances but just 13.9 minutes of play, as he averaged 5.4 PPG and 2.4 RPG.
In his second season, Murphy rose above the fears of a sophomore slump and delivered for the Pelicans in a big way. Murphy would make 65 starts and 79 total appearances for New Orleans in 2022-23 and average 14.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 1.1 SPG on the season. He became just the fourth player in franchise history to knock down 200 or more three-pointers in a season and shot 40.6% from three on 6.3 attempts. Murphy showed exactly why the Pelicans value him so much as the future of the 3-and-D player in the NBA and is definitely a player to look out for heading into the future.
21. Jalen Green
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Jalen Green’s start to his NBA career is not as explosive as he once predicted, but he is certainly on the way there if he can shore some things up on both sides of the ball. He is a bona fide scorer, and there is no denying that, as he upped his scoring average to 22.1 PPG in 2022-23 compared to 17.3 PPG in his rookie season in 2021-22. Green was a killer in pick-and-roll sets, scoring the seventh-most points in the NBA in those situations, trailing only players like Luka Doncic and Ja Morant.
His downside happens to be two things. One, he is statistically one of the worst defenders in the NBA, with opponents targeting him on that end of the floor. He is also prone to taking unwarranted shots, and his efficiency is subpar, shooting just 41.6% overall in 2022-23. Of course, this isn't all Green’s fault. The Houston Rockets are a young and inexperienced team with a lack of leadership needed to grow young players’ games such as his. If Green can get the right guidance and tools around him, he is going to be one of the more explosive young players in the NBA for years to come.
20. Jaden McDaniels
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In his third year since being drafted by the Lakers and dealt to the Timberwolves in 2020, Jaden McDaniels made significant strides in his game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. In 2022-23, McDaniels was one of the anchors of Minnesota’s defensive effort. He recorded 76 blocks and 74 steals as the only player in the league with at least 75 blocks and 70 steals, showing his versatility both on the interior and perimeter as a defender.
On the offensive side of the ball, McDaniels had a career year as well. He averaged a career-high 12.1 PPG while grabbing 3.9 RPG and adding 1.0 BPG. McDaniels played in and started in all but three games for the Timberwolves this season and added an element they needed to their lineup that was missing Karl-Anthony Towns for most of the season and got an underwhelming first year out of Rudy Gobert. McDaniels can be a key piece for the future of Minnesota as they attempt to build a legitimate contender.
19. Jalen Williams
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Jalen Williams was the 12th overall pick by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2022 NBA Draft, but nobody saw coming what he provided for them this season. Williams had one of the best rookie seasons in Oklahoma City Thunder history in 2022-23, earning a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, averaging 14.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.4 SPG. Williams made 62 starts as a rookie, which is more than former standout James Harden made with the team, and shot 52.1% from the field, which is far more than Russell Westbrook ever shot with the team as well.
There should be no doubt that Williams is headed for an All-Star career in Oklahoma City. Williams took home two Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards this season and recorded two 30-point games along with 15 other games with at least 20 points. Williams earned the respect and adoration of Thunder fans everywhere but also caught the attention of others across the league as one of the most promising young stars that the NBA has to offer.
18. Alperen Sengun
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There is an extremely high chance that Alperen Sengun, not Jalen Green, becomes the franchise player of the Houston Rockets moving forward. Sengun followed up an impressive rookie season with an even more impressive campaign in 2022-23 after working with former Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon last summer. Sengun showed off as a scorer and passer this season with an ability to have the entire offense run through him, much like it does in Denver with Nikola Jokic.
Sengun improved drastically as a scorer, ranking among the best in the NBA in finishing at the rim with great efficiency. His defense continues to improve with every passing game, and his court vision and passing ability have been tremendous. Sengun has the chance to be the player that Houston moves into the future with as their number-one option as he continues to improve and impress on both sides of the ball.
17. Bennedict Mathurin
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For a majority of the season, Bennedict Mathurin looked like a serious challenger to Paolo Banchero for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award. Mathurin came into the NBA with the utmost confidence in himself and his abilities, including telling LeBron James he has to show him that he’s better. Mathurin was the sixth overall pick of the Indiana Pacers in the 2022 NBA Draft but ended up being the second-best rookie by season’s end.
For a long stretch of time during the 2022-23 season, Mathurin led all players who came off the bench in scoring. Mathurin recorded two games with at least 30 points, including a 37-point game in October against the Nets. He also had 25 games with at least 20 points this season and ended up averaging 16.7 PPG on 43.4% shooting. He made 17 starts in 78 games played and has added some confusion to an already-loaded guard position in Indiana.
16. Walker Kessler
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When Walker Kessler was traded to the Utah Jazz as a part of the Rudy Gobert trade this past summer, nobody batted an eye at the unproven rookie being a part of that deal. By season's end, fans and media members alike were wondering if Kessler would have been the better choice for Minnesota, considering how much it cost to bring in Gobert. Kessler would provide the Utah Jazz with an equally impactful defensive season as Gobert had in Minnesota and, in many ways, was even more impactful on the court.
Kessler would finish fourth in the NBA in total blocks and blocks per game with 173 blocks and 2.3 BPG. Overall, he made 74 appearances with 40 starts and averaged 9.2 PPG and 8.4 RPG while anchoring Utah’s interior defense and becoming one of the best defenders in the NBA. Kessler recorded 11 games with at least 5 blocks and four games in which he recorded 7 blocks as well. Heading into the future after being named to the All-Rookie First Team, Kessler should be in the long-term plans for a Utah team that is rebuilding after trading away their franchise players just one year ago.
15. Keegan Murray
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The Sacramento Kings just had one of their best seasons over the last two decades, making the playoffs for the first time in 17 years and pushing the defending champs to seven games in the first round. A big part of their resurgence can be credited to the play of rookie forward Keegan Murray. Selected fourth overall by Sacramento, Murray showed his versatility on both ends of the floor to become the starter for the Kings for most of the season and throughout the playoffs.
Murray started 78 games with 80 total appearances this season. He averaged 12.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG on the year. He had 13 games with at least 20 points, including a 30-point game back in February in which he shot 64.7% from the floor. In the NBA playoffs, Murray started all seven games for Sacramento and averaged 9.7 PPG and 6.3 RPG, including a 23-point game in Game 4. Murray showed he can be relied upon even as a rookie in big spots, and that is something the Kings can build around heading into the future as they continue their quest for an NBA title.
14. Franz Wagner
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After becoming the eighth overall pick of the Orlando Magic in 2021, Franz Wagner has shocked and surprised many around the NBA. Armed with a high basketball IQ and vicious stepback jumper, Wagner continues to improve upon being one of the most versatile young players in the game. It isn’t so much the amount that Wagner scores but the way he does it that has become so special to watch.
As a pick-and-roll handler, Wagner scored in the 75th percentile in 2022-23. As an isolation scorer, he was better than 95.0% of the league, and as an off-ball cutter, he was elite, landing in the 99th percentile. In his second season with the Magic, Wagner averaged 18.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.0 SPG. If things continue to trend in this direction, Wagner and teammate Paolo Banchero could end up becoming one of the top duos in all of the league. Can they be the ones to finally deliver the Orlando Magic a championship after all this time?
13. Scottie Barnes
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Many Toronto Raptors fans were baffled when the team selected Scottie Barnes with their fourth overall pick in 2021. Barnes quickly put the doubts to rest as he went on to win Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, averaging 15.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.1 SPG. Barnes showed the ability to do it all on the court, which included running the offense like a point guard at times and reigning terror in the paint at other times.
His second season was a bit of a disappointment amid high expectations after such a stellar rookie year. Barnes averaged 15.3 PPG once again, as well as 6.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, and 1.1 SPG. His playmaking improved slightly, while everything else seemed to remain the same while committing more turnovers. However, all the potential is still there for the 21-year-old out of West Palm Beach, Florida, and he could be the piece they decide to build around as the rumors swirl about a rebuild in the Land of the North.
12. Anfernee Simons
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Just three weeks shy of his 24th birthday, Anfernee Simons sneaks onto our list at number 11. After three seasons of riding the bench and barely seeing the court for the Portland Trail Blazers, Anfernee Simons had his breakout season in 2021-22. He appeared in 57 games and made 30 starts for a Portland team reeling from the loss of star point guard Damian Lillard. Simons would contribute 17.3 PPG and 3.9 APG on 44.3% shooting overall and 40.5% shooting from three.
Simons had big expectations set upon him for the 2022-23 season as Lillard returned to the lineup free from injury. Simons would make a total of 62 starts this season and improve his production across the board. He averaged 21.1 PPG and 4.1 APG on 44.7% shooting and 37.7% from three, even while sharing the court with Lillard. Simons can absolutely be the player they build around should Lillard finally decide to leave Portland, but can he finally get them to the playoffs in 2023-24?
11. Paolo Banchero
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I know it may be a bit abnormal to have a player with just one season of NBA experience so high on this list, but Paolo Banchero is that damn good. After becoming the number-one overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero set out to make the Orlando Magic relevant for the first time in over a decade. Banchero would make some noise and go on to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award, the first such win for the Magic since Mike Miller in 2000-01.
Banchero claimed a near-unanimous Rookie of the Year award with 20.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 3.7 APG. Banchero led all rookies with six games of at least 30 points scored and 34 games with at least 20 points on the season. With his size, athleticism, and complete skill set, the Orlando Magic and their fans have a great reason to be excited about basketball in Central Florida for the next decade and beyond.
10. LaMelo Ball
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Is the top 10 too high for a young man who just missed 56 games? I would say not when that player has the talent of LaMelo Ball. As a scorer, shooter, passer, and playmaker, nobody has the overall potential from the 2020 NBA Draft class that LaMelo Ball does. As a rookie, Ball shined with 15.7 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG, and 1.6 SPG to claim the Rookie of the Year award over players such as Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton.
In his second season, Ball built on his stellar rookie outing with his first All-Star selection. He averaged 20.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 7.6 APG, and 1.6 SPG while shooting 42.9% overall and 38.9% from three. In 2023, Ball was limited to just 36 games with a wrist and ankle injury. In those 36 games, he still averaged 23.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 8.4 APG, and 1.3 SPG. With a disappointing season from the Hornets, it remains clear who their franchise player is and will remain as they try to rebuild and make their way into the future.
9. Jordan Poole
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After an abysmal performance during the 2023 NBA playoffs, I am ready for all of the smoke when it comes to Jordan Poole’s placement on this list. There is no way one bad playoff series can drive him down the list and outside the top 10. How quickly we can forget what Poole meant to the Warriors’ NBA championship in 2022. He averaged 17.0 PPG in the 2022 playoffs while shooting 50.8% overall from the field and 39.1% from three.
The 2022-23 regular season got off to a weird start for Poole as he and the team were reeling from one of the worst teammate fights in NBA history between Poole and Draymond Green. Poole seemed to not let it phase him as he had a career-high 20.4 PPG season on 43.0% shooting. Although he and the Warriors fizzled out in the playoffs, Poole should be able to bounce back in 2023-24 despite the calls for him to be traded or sent to China. Neither of those things will happen, and Poole will definitely be back next season for the Warriors.
8. Tyrese Maxey
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Watching Tyrese Maxey’s development over the last three seasons has been nothing short of exciting and special. Maxey made just 61 appearances with eight starts in his rookie season, averaging just 8.0 PPG and barely making any impact on the court. In his second season, he was thrust into the starting point guard spot after the whole dilemma with Ben Simmons unfolded and delivered in a big way. In 75 games, he averaged 17.5 PPG and dished out 4.3 APG on 48.5% shooting.
In 2022-23, Maxey benefitted from sharing the backcourt with James Harden. In 60 games, Maxey averaged a career-high 20.3 PPG while connecting on 43.4% of his three-point attempts. Maxey could arguably be considered Philadelphia’s best player in the playoffs for the Sixers as well, even as they were armed with the MVP. Maxey averaged 20.5 PPG on this year’s playoff run and shot 40.0% from three on 7.7 attempts. It was reported earlier this week that James Harden could be on his way out of town if Doc Rivers remains the head coach of the 76ers. Something tells me they will be just fine without him if Maxey has to step in.
7. Evan Mobley
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Based on what we have seen over the last two seasons, Evan Mobley has the opportunity to become one of the best two-way players in the NBA today. Mobley was the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and immediately, he let them know it was the right choice. He averaged 15.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 1.7 BPG as a rookie and was a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award that eventually went to Scottie Barnes.
To follow up his rookie season, Mobley stepped up his game on the interior with the Cavaliers. Mobley averaged 16.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 1.5 BPG in 79 games this season and earned his first selection to an All-Defensive Team. The Cavaliers once again qualified for the NBA playoffs but fell in the first round to the New York Knicks. If his offensive game can begin to match his defensive effort, Mobley will go down as one of the best big men in Cleveland Cavaliers' history.
6. Jaren Jackson Jr.
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For some reason, an anonymous Reddit user tried to diminish what Jaren Jackson Jr. did on the court this season, claiming that the bookkeepers for Memphis were altering stats in his favor. Having been disproven, it turns out Jaren Jackson Jr. is just that good. For the second season in a row, Jackson led the NBA in blocks with 3.0 BPG, a new career-high. As a shot-blocker and defender, Jackson was simply the best, as he earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and his first selection to the NBA All-Star Game.
Jackson Jr. also began to round out his offensive game as well. He averaged a career-high 18.6 PPG and grabbed 6.8 RPG, another career-high that he added in 2022-23. He shot 50.6% overall from the field and also connected on 35.5% of his three-pointers on 4.5 attempts. Jaren Jackson Jr. gets a ton of flack from fans simply for being a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. If fans could take their blinders off, they would realize they are watching one of the best young players in the game.
5. Darius Garland
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It may seem just a bit high to have Darius Garland kick off the top five for this list but let’s take a closer look. Garland was the fifth overall pick by the Cavaliers in the 2019 NBA Draft and struggled to adapt to the NBA over his first two seasons. Over the last two years, Garland has taken multiple steps forward with his game on both sides of the ball but particularly as a scorer and playmaker.
In 2021-22, Garland earned the first All-Star selection of his career as he averaged 21.7 PPG, 8.6 APG, and 1.3 SPG and helped Cleveland reach the playoffs for the first time since 2018. In 2022-23, he is considered one of the best passers and playmakers in the game despite struggling with a freak injury at the beginning of the season. In 2022-23, Garland averaged 21.6 PPG, 7.8 APG, and 1.2 SPG while shooting 46.2% overall and a career-high 41.0% from three. Garland and teammate Donovan Mitchell have instilled an energy that the Cavaliers’ fanbase hasn't seen in years but faltered during the NBA playoffs once again. I am willing to bet they make a lot more noise as we head into the future, and Garland continues to improve across the board.
4. Tyrese Haliburton
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If anyone believed that Tyrese Haliburton was not going to be a good fit with the Indiana Pacers, they can be clear about it now. I am talking to you, Wally Szczerbiak. Haliburton broke into the NBA with the Kings back in 2020, where he spent the next year and a half averaging 13.6 PPG and 6.3 APG for a team desperate to get into the NBA playoffs. Once he was traded to the Pacers in the middle of 2021-22, everything changed.
In 26 games with the Pacers last season, Haliburton averaged 17.5 PPG, 9.6 APG, and 1.8 SPG. His entire repertoire as a point guard finally opened up, and he had been handed the keys to the offense. In his first full season in his new situation, Haliburton thrived and became an All-Star for the first time. He averaged 20.7 PPG, 10.4 APG, and 1.6 SPG in 56 starts and injected life into a Pacers fanbase that seemed all but dead. Some are still sleeping on his abilities, and that’s okay, but I expect the coming years to make people regret not getting on board earlier in his career.
3. Anthony Edwards
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Anthony Edwards has leapfrogged almost every young star in the NBA since entering the league three years ago. It was clear Edwards was going to be a star from just his first few games in the NBA as he turned in a rookie season with 19.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.1 SPG. In 2021-22, Edwards became a 21.0 PPG scorer and helped the Timberwolves advance to the NBA playoffs by way of the play-in tournament.
The 2022-23 season was Edwards’ best yet as the 21-year-old became an All-Star for the first time. In 79 starts for Minnesota this season, Edwards averaged 24.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.6 SPG. He also got far more efficient shooting the ball as he connected on 45.9% of his shots overall and 36.9% from three, both of which were by far his best shooting percentages. Edwards is undoubtedly the man that Minnesota needs to center their team around moving forward, but will it be Gobert or Towns who is the cap casualty as a result?
2. Ja Morant
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Regardless of how you feel about his off-the-court issues going on right now, Ja Morant is clearly the most talented player aged 23 or younger. Morant could be looking at a lengthy suspension to start the 2023-24 season, but let's not let that take away from the special player he is when healthy and out of trouble. Morant began his career as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2020, averaging 17.8 PPG and 7.3 APG.
In 2021-22, Morant became an All-Star, MVP candidate, and the NBA’s Most Improved Player after having the best season of his young career. He averaged 27.4 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, and 1.2 SPG in 57 starts for Memphis and looked ready to take the reins as their franchise player. In 2022-23, amid off-court drama, Morant was still able to have a successful season individually with 26.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 8.1 APG, and 1.1 SPG. The only thing holding Ja Morant back from taking the leap into superstar status is Ja Morant. I am confident that this can be resolved, and he will learn his lesson after missing out on some serious paychecks in the suspension process.
1. Zion Williamson
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Despite injuries and issues with fluctuating weight, I still fully believe in Zion Williamson. Maybe it is the fact that I am a big Duke fan, or maybe it is the fact that I have seen what he is capable of and am not as quick to write a player off as everyone else appears to be. In his four seasons in the NBA, Zion has played just 114 out of a possible 328 games. Obviously, that is not a good look for any young star, but he will certainly bounce back.
If you can look back in your memory banks to just three seasons ago in 2020-21, then you will remember the historic season Zion put forth in his one healthy campaign. He averaged 27.0 PPG on over 60.0% shooting from the field and was named an All-Star at just 20 years old. Now, at 22, Zion has an opportunity to erase these early career struggles he has had with injuries and self-discipline. Just as a reminder, do you remember who else had nagging foot injuries cripple him for the first four years of his career? This year’s MVP, Joel Embiid. When healthy, Zion is the clear most talented member of this age group and Morant may end up missing more than half of the 2023-24 season due to a suspension. Both Zion and Morant seem to have ongoing issues preventing them from playing full seasons but when healthy, I would take Zion 10 times out of 10. For this reason, Zion remains the number-one player in this age group.
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