The 5 Best Players Under 25 Entering Next Season
I think the title is pretty self explanatory on this one. The 5 best players 25 years or younger entering next season. Who are the 5 best young players in the NBA? These players are the future of the league and it’s time to see who is the best right now. This isn’t a projection into the future because those are impossible to do and the arguments that follow go nowhere.
So today, I will be naming the 5 best players under 25 entering next season. These players have to be under 5 currently and when the season starts, they have to be under 25. For example, Donovan Mitchell won’t be on this list because he’s turning 25 before the season starts. Hopefully that clarifies things.
#5 – De’Aaron Fox
This one may surprise people but De’Aaron Fox has quietly become a very, very good player in Sacramento. It’s probably because he plays in Sacramento that he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. While the Kings are a sorry excuse for a franchise, Fox is trending towards being a perennial All-Star with his electrifying speed and burst. The Kings have their franchise star, whether they want to act on it or not.
Fox has improved every single year he’s been in the NBA. In 2020 he had a very good season, averaging 21 points and 7 assists on pretty good efficiencies. But he took yet another step up in 2021, earning a career season and making a case to be an All-Star.
Here’s what he did in 2021 that was so special;
25.2 ppg and 7.2 apg – 48% FG and 32% 3-PT
Fox improved his ppg, apg, FG%, and 3-PT% from the year prior. He shot his most 3-pointers ever and his percentage wasn’t terrible, it had been worse in prior seasons. That 3-PT shot is the next step for Fox, but he proved that he’s one of the most underrated players in the league and he’s going to be good for a while.
Fox has incredible burst and speed. His jumpshot is slowly coming along, adding to his sneaky good playmaking. Fox has quietly been great in Sacramento, a place that does not exactly give you the best attention, but he certainly deserves it. I really think with a jumpshot, he could be one of the best point guards in the NBA for the next decade. Too bad the Kings suck.
#4 – Devin Booker
Devin Booker has played 6 seasons in the NBA and he’s entering his 7th season. He’s currently 24 and he’ll start the 2021-22 NBA season with the same age. I’m a teenager and that makes me feel old. It’s weird to think of Booker as a veteran, but that’s what he is. The 2x All-Star is one of the best scorers in the NBA. Inspired by Kobe Bryant to “Be Legendary,” Booker has become an elite scorer and should continue to be just that for a long time.
This past season, he got his first taste of the playoffs and did not disappoint. Devin Booker is experienced but still one of the best young players in the league. He also dates Kendall Jenner. What’s not to love?
Since he was 21 years old, Booker has been a lethal scorer. For the past 4 seasons, from 2017-18 up to this point, Devin Booker has been one of the best at putting the ball into the basket.
From 2017-18 to 2020-21:
26 ppg and 5.6 apg – 47% shooting, 35% 3-PT, 89% FT
Since he was 21 years old, Devin Booker has been one of the best bucket getters in the league. He’s snagged 2 All-Star appearances in the last two seasons and he’s on the rise to becoming one of the best scorers of this generation. Not to mention he wasn’t too shabby in his first postseason.
Booker had some memorable games in his Finals run with the Suns, including the following games:
- In his first ever playoff game against the Lakers, he had 34-7-8 on 50% shooting from the field.
- In the closeout Game 6 on the road, Booker poured in 47 points on 68% shooting from the field while shooting 8/10 from 3. He sent Lebron packing in the first round for the first time in his career.
- He had 34 points and 11 rebounds in Game 4 against the Nuggets, completing a sweep in the 2nd round.
- In Game 1 of the Conference Finals against the Clippers, Booker had 40-13-11, a triple double, giving the Suns the win without Chris Paul.
- In the NBA Finals against the Bucks, Booker had back-to-back 40-point games. He had 42 points on 61% shooting in Game 4, a loss.
- He followed that up with 40 points on 52% shooting, unfortunately in another loss in Game 5 at home.
Booker had some incredible performances and the Suns are going to be contending again. Booker will be a big reason why as one of the best scoring guards in the league. He’s still young and has a lot of mileage to go. Should prove to be one of the best scorers the game has ever seen.
#3 – Zion Williamson
Zion was historically good last season and nobody really cared. He was in shape and healthy last year and you saw the results. If he can do that for his whole career, nothing is stopping from being a dominant force.
This is what Zion did last year. Get used to this type of stuff;
27 ppg and 7.2 rpg – 61% FG
Zion was just utterly dominant last year. He shot over 60% from the field when he averaged 20.3 points per game in the paint, leading the league. 97% of his shots were 2-pointers last year and his average shot distance was just 3.4 feet. You knew where he wanted to go at all times. He shot nearly all of his shots from the paint. But you couldn’t stop it at all.
Zion is going to be one of the most dominant forces in the league for a long time. Now, it’s on the Pelicans to get him help. This offseason wasn’t ideal in my opinion, but we’ll have to see how things work out. Zion is going to be a very, very good player for a long time. If he stays healthy, he could be a Shaq-esque force down low. Now it’s time for his poorly run organization to get him help.
#2 – Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum turned in his best season last year. When the Celtics struggled with Covid and injuries, Tatum was awesome, one of the few bright spots during a rough 2021 season. He scored very, very well from all 3 levels and he had some magnificent performances.
Here is what Tatum did last season;
26.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg – 46% FG, 39% 3-PT, 87% FT
Tatum was great. He scored more and did it more efficiently than his 2020 season. He was very, very good but he had a lot more big performances than his first 3 seasons in the league.
In his first 2 seasons, Tatum had 30+ points in a game just once. In his 3rd season, he did that 15 times. But in 2021, he took things up a notch.
In 2021, he had 20 games with 30+ points. He had 4 games with 40+ points. He had 2 games with 50+ points. He even had a 60-point game against the Spurs in April. He had more big games than ever and his big nights were coming more frequently. Not to mention that he had a 50-point game in the playoffs as well as a 40-point game.
Big game Jay was in full effect in 2021 and you have to assume those type of things continue in 2022. If he can improve as a defender/passer, Tatum could be an MVP candidate in years to come. Look out everybody, Jayson Tatum is the real deal.
#1 – Luka Doncic
I really don’t think this needs an explanation. We could be talking about players under 25 who have the most potential and Doncic would also (easily) be #1. He’s going to be one of the faces of the league for the next decade, so you’d better get used to seeing him up there in rankings lists.
Doncic won Rookie of the Year in 2018-19, but his last two seasons have been utterly brilliant;
From 2019-20 to 2020-21:
28.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 8.7 apg – 47% FG, 33% 3-PT, 75% FT
He has just been so, so, so good. He can score in any way imaginable. In the post, in the pick and roll, in isolation, getting to the rim, mid-range, 3-PT, etc. The one “knock” on Doncic is that he’s a inefficient 3-PT shooter. But if Doncic didn’t take such tough (and sometimes stupid) 3-pointers, his percentage would be a lot better.
Doncic is already a 2x All-Star and 2x All-NBA First Team Member. Expect a lot more of those over the course of his career. He is an incredible player and not to mention, he’s also pretty good in the playoffs.
In his 13 career playoff games (all against the LA Clippers), Doncic has done this;
33.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 9.5 apg – 49% FG, 39% 3-PT, 60% FT
Doncic scores and shoots better in the playoffs, when the stakes and pressure are higher. Can’t exactly say about every superstar, not to mention a 22-year old kid. It is going to be fun to watch this guy play for a long, long time. So the best thing we can do is sit back, relax, and watch the Mavericks completely waste his prime.
What Are Your Thoughts On This List? What Would You Change? Leave A Comment Down Below!
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