Who are the NBA’s best players under 25? With some of the NBA’s greats from the generation I grew up watching coming to the ends of their respective careers, there is no shortage of players ready to become the next great generation. There are still the perennial All-Star players who have been playing since before the year 2000 in the league and producing at a high level like Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Dirk Nowitzki as well other potential hall of famers like Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce. The production that these players have been able to provide for such a long time is amazing and we have been lucky to see some all-time great players over the past decade-plus. But with some of the old guard nearing retirement, who are going to be the players we talk about in the same vein ten to fifteen years from now? There will still be years to come of greatness from players like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Kevin Durant, but who under the age of 25 is going to be among the next great generation of hall of fame players? Here are five players who have the potential to be elite players for the next ten-plus years. (included are players who were 24 or younger at the start of the 2014-15 season)
NBA’s Best Under 25
1) Anthony Davis
Number one on this list is probably the most obvious choice. Davis is only 21 years old and already one of the top players in the NBA. He was an All-Star in just his second season in the league and is off to a great start this season. His scoring is now elite (24.8 PPG this season) to go along the great defense and rebounding he has always provided. In his one year at Kentucky, Davis led his team to the National Championship and was selected to be apart of team USA in the 2012 Olympics where he won a gold medal. During and after college there has been a ton of hype about Davis’s potential and he has lived up to it all so far in his brief NBA career. His number this season are reminiscent of Kareem and Olajuwon, and if he can stay healthy and continue his level of play he will have a hall of fame career.
2) DeMarcus Cousins
This is another young big man from Kentucky who is getting a lot of attention so far this season and might establish himself as the premiere power forward in the NBA the next few years. Cousins has always been a great talent with the potential to be a 20 and 10 player, however there have been reservations about his attitude and willingness to listen to coaches and teammates in the past. A summer playing for team USA at the FIBA World Cup this year has done wonders for Cousins, who has seemed to have matured greatly. So far this season he has played at the All-Star level (22.5 PPG and 11.8 RPG) everyone thought he could play at, but has also led Sacramento to a surprising 7-5 start. He has also played well in big match-ups against some of the elite big men in the league in games against the Clippers and Pelicans. As Cousins continues to mature and learn the game and if Sacramento can build a solid team around him, he will be an elite big man for years to come. Cousins vs. Davis will be one of the best match-ups in the NBA the next ten years.
3) Paul George
George looked like the next great two-way player in the league before his horrific leg injury he suffered playing for team USA this past summer. Despite missing likely all of this season, George is one of the promising young players in the NBA. He was the best player on a team that made it to the East Finals two years in a row. He is an elite defender who, when healthy, helps anchor what has been the NBA’s best defense. I still feel like he has a ways to go offensively, but has shown growth and been able to increase his scoring the past couple seasons (17.4 PPG in 2012, 21.7 last season). George’s biggest issue for me has been inconsistency. In Indiana’s two series against Miami, George was able to go toe-to-toe with LeBron James in some games and would disappear in others. If he can play at the high level he has shown he can play at consistently, he will not only be an All-Star for years, but can remain an All-NBA player.
4) Kawhi Leonard
The reigning NBA Finals MVP was put into an ideal situation to start his career off, getting to play with three hall of fame players and under the best coach in the NBA. Leonard has been the perfect complimentary piece for the spurs with his elite defense and rebounding at his position and his ability to hit three point shots. He has already played a key role for an NBA championship team and narrowly missed out on a second ring before the age of 25. He has a fantastic skill set for a young player and has been able to improve while playing for Popovich and with great players like Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. What will be interesting will be how he succeeds after the big three are gone from San Antonio. Will he be able to carry a franchise by himself? Will Popovich stick around to coach after the big three are gone and how would Pop leaving affect Leonard? These will be interesting to look for in the next few years, but right now Leonard is a key piece for a contending team and is one of the best young talents in the NBA who should be fun to watch in the years ahead.
5) Damian Lillard, John Wall, Kyrie Irving
To wrap up this list I have included a trio of point guards who have all been all-stars already in their young careers and who look poised to join the league’s group of elite point guards, if they’re not there already. Wall and Lillard have both already been to the playoffs and had some team success in the league, while Irving will be expected to help lead a team that has championship aspirations this season in Cleveland. It may take a few years for all three of these guys to surpass the likes of Chris Paul, Tony Parker, and Russell Westbrook, but they aren’t that far behind already. For sure, the point guard position will have no shortage of elite players for the next decade thanks to the likes of these guys.
Honorable Mentions: Jrue Holiday, Bradley Beal, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ricky Rubio, Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, Andre Drummond, Lance Stephenson, Eric Bledsoe, Kenneth Faried.
All stats via NBA.com
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