There is an immense amount of young talent in today’s NBA. The NBA is set for decades with the number of young players and the skill they provide. Although players like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis are under 25 years old, this list doesn’t include them. This list includes players that are not yet superstar talent. It consists of young players who are about to take the next step in their careers.
The Top Under 25 Players In the NBA
#5 – Jamal Murray
The Denver Nuggets‘ point guard had an outstanding season this year. Averaging 18.2 points and 4.8 assists is a hefty feat for a third-year guard out west. Jamal Murray managed to top himself in the 2018-19 playoffs as well. He averaged 21.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 1 steal. Murray was one of the key contributors and top scorers for the Nuggets’ run. Murray helped lead the Nuggets to a Western Conference Semifinals appearance this year. The Nuggets ended up falling short to Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in a close Game 7 loss.
#4 – Jayson Tatum
The Boston Celtics‘ sensational forward had himself a great run to the end of the 2017-18 season. Analysts were dubbing Jayson Tatum the breakout star of the year for the 2018-19 season. Although he didn’t make as big of a leap as most people would’ve liked him too, Tatum is still a monster. His numbers are up across the board from the previous year, averaging 15.7 points, 6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals. With Kyrie Irving and Al Horford leaving to go to the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers respectively, Tatum could step up his game tremendously. Newly acquired star point guard Kemba Walker will be paired alongside him, creating one of the best scoring duos in the league.
#3 – Devin Booker
Devin Booker has to be one of the most underappreciated players in this league. Playing for the Phoenix Suns doesn’t get him a lot of attention, so his numbers fly under the radar. This year, Booker averaged 26.6 points and 6.8 assists with an effective field goal percentage of 52.1. Put Booker on a winning team, and he is arguably an MVP candidate. If the Suns can develop their young core and solidify their lineup and coaching situation, Booker could finally see winning days. Booker has the talent to be a respected superstar in this league, he just first has to be on a respected team.
#2 – D’Angelo Russell
Although D’Angelo Russell has lower raw statistics than Booker, take a look at the advanced statistics from the 2018-19 season. Russell beats out Booker in Win Shares (5 to 3.5) as well as VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) with Russell’s 3.3 topping Booker’s 1.6. Russell earned his first All-Star appearance this year. He led the Nets to a six seed in this year’s playoffs. In free agency, he earned a max contract with the Golden State Warriors via sign-and-trade. Russell has yet to prove that he can lead a team past the first round, but all signs point to greatness for the young guard.
#1 – Donovan Mitchell
No surprise here. Donovan Mitchell led the Utah Jazz to the playoffs as a rookie last year. He increased his numbers and led the Jazz to the playoffs again this year. This year, Mitchell averaged 23.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals. Although Mitchell hasn’t made an All-Star game as Russell has, Mitchell has proven that he can make it past the first round. In the 2017-18 NBA postseason, he led the Jazz past the superstar pairing of Russell Westbrook and Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder. He stepped his game up by averaging 24.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. In this year’s playoffs, he still averaged 21.4 points, 5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. Mitchell is no doubt one of the top five players under 25. If he keeps developing, Mitchell could soon be one of the faces of the league.
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