By NBA Insiders | ESPN, 2024-12-02 21:09:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
哪些年轻的NBA球星拥有最光明的未来？
随着卢卡·东契奇(Luka Doncic)因年龄原因不再符合这份榜单的评选资格，五年来第一次出现了一个新的名字位居榜首。继去年在新秀榜单中排名第三后，文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)能否登顶？冉冉升起的新星安东尼·爱德华兹(Anthony Edwards)和保罗·班凯罗(Paolo Banchero)又如何呢？经常受伤但才华横溢的拉梅洛·鲍尔(LaMelo Ball)和锡安·威廉姆森(Zion Williamson)又将排在什么位置？
ESPN NBA内部人士蒂姆·邦坦普斯(Tim Bontemps)、鲍比·马克斯(Bobby Marks)、凯文·佩尔顿(Kevin Pelton)和杰里米·伍(Jeremy Woo)着手解答这些问题，根据潜力对25岁以下的顶级球员进行了排名。
以下是所有这些球员目前的排名以及联盟中最激动人心的年轻球星的未来展望：
- 比拉尔·库利巴利(Bilal Coulibaly), 得分后卫, 华盛顿奇才
年龄： 20岁129天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均12.6分 | 5.4个篮板 | 2.8次助攻
两年前在法国，库利巴利是与文班亚马齐名的另一位选秀新星，库利巴利兼具身高臂展和爆发力的特点，这使得他成为2023年选秀大会上华盛顿奇才的第七顺位新秀。在上赛季以19岁的年龄征战NBA（并且看起来也像他那个年纪的球员）之后，库利巴利在进攻端取得了实质性的进步，包括将他的投篮命中率从43.5%提高到48.2%。如果他继续以同样的方式发展，他很容易在未来的赛季中在这份榜单上跃升。 – 邦坦普斯
- 塔里·伊森(Tari Eason), 大前锋, 休斯顿火箭
年龄： 23岁206天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均11.4分 | 6.3个篮板 | 2.1次抢断
不知不觉中，伊森已经成为本赛季最有价值的替补球员之一，并在他的第三个NBA赛季首次入选这份榜单。与阿门·汤普森(Amen Thompson)一起，伊森用他积极的防守给对手制造了巨大的麻烦。根据Basketball-Reference.com的正负值统计，伊森每36分钟贡献3.2次抢断和1.7次盖帽，产生了NBA最佳的防守效率。在腿伤限制了他上赛季只打了22场比赛之后，伊森在终结能力方面取得了进步。他57.5%的内线命中率轻松创下职业生涯新高。 – 佩尔顿
- 戴森·丹尼尔斯(Dyson Daniels), 控球后卫, 亚特兰大老鹰
年龄： 21岁260天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均13.5分 | 3.1次助攻 | 3.0次抢断
在这个休赛期作为德章泰·穆雷(Dejounte Murray)交易的一部分来到亚特兰大之后，丹尼尔斯已经将自己变成了NBA的精英外线防守者之一，场均抢断3.0次。他在比赛末段的防守端反复贡献高光时刻，包括在11月19日客场战胜萨克拉门托国王的比赛最后时刻抢断了国王球星达龙·福克斯(De’Aaron Fox)，并且他显然是防守端的关键球员。决定丹尼尔斯上限的因素是他的进攻；丹尼尔斯的3分命中率为29.5%，他的投篮仍然是一个真正的问题。但即使他的投篮从未开窍，他的防守也足以让他在亚特兰大成为一股真正的力量。 – 邦坦普斯
- 阿门·汤普森(Amen Thompson), 小前锋, 休斯顿火箭
年龄： 21岁307天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均11.9分 | 7.0个篮板 | 1.3次抢断
尽管汤普森本赛季只首发了一场比赛，但他凭借其防守的多功能性，已经成为休斯顿常规轮换阵容的一部分。作为联盟中为数不多的每百回合至少贡献两次抢断并且封盖对手3%的两分球的球员之一，身高6英尺7英寸的汤普森可以防守任何位置。在进攻端，随着投篮技术的进步，汤普森在转换进攻中最具威胁。本赛季他只投进了6个三分球，但在罚球线上的表现有所进步，命中率达到了73%，而新秀赛季为68%。 – 佩尔顿
- 泰勒·希罗(Tyler Herro), 控球后卫, 迈阿密热火
年龄： 24岁317天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均24.0分 | 5.2个篮板 | 4.9次助攻
健康是希罗继续徘徊在这个榜单后五名的主要原因。上赛季他只打了42场比赛，创下职业生涯新低，自从2019年作为首轮秀进入NBA以来，他从未出战超过67场比赛。他的耐用性是热火总裁帕特·莱利(Pat Riley)在上赛季结束后对他提出挑战的原因。“他有点脆弱，”莱利说。“他打了多少场比赛，40场？他可能需要在营养方面提升到另一个层次。他肯定要做一些调整。”现在希罗很健康，本赛季场均得分24.0分，创职业生涯新高，并且第一次场均篮板超过5个。 – 马克斯
- 杰伦·格林(Jalen Green), 得分后卫, 休斯顿火箭
年龄： 22岁297天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均19.4分 | 4.8个篮板 | 2.7次助攻
格林继续在令人印象深刻的时刻（例如上周在费城赢球的比赛中得到41分）和令人沮丧的低谷之间摇摆，目前20场比赛过后，他的投篮命中率为39%，创职业生涯最差。在状态好的夜晚，他可以非常令人印象深刻，但他的投篮选择可能存在问题；有时，比赛对他来说看起来异常轻松，但通常情况下，他会让自己变得更加困难。驾驭他的天赋，成为一个更高效的得分手和更均衡的进攻创造者，将是格林达到球星水平的关键。但在他的第四个赛季中期，他的习惯仍然阻碍着他。 – 伍
- 德雷克·莱夫利二世(Dereck Lively II), 中锋, 达拉斯独行侠
年龄： 20岁294天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均8.8分 | 7.1个篮板 | 74.7%的投篮命中率
莱夫利在他的新秀赛季逐渐成为NBA最有前途的年轻大个子之一，并在达拉斯闯入NBA总决赛的过程中达到顶峰。到目前为止，他的数据与上赛季持平，与丹尼尔·加福德(Daniel Gafford)轮换上场。但莱夫利预计在接下来的几个赛季中会获得更多的出场时间，这将是他在这份榜单上提升排名的关键。莱夫利拥有成为顶级护框手的防守直觉和移动能力。 – 伍
- 杰伦·萨格斯(Jalen Suggs), 得分后卫, 奥兰多魔术
年龄： 23岁182天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均15.4分 | 3.9次助攻 | 1.3次抢断
在10月份签下了一份五年1.5亿美元的续约合同后，萨格斯成为了NBA顶级防守之一的支柱。在没有保罗·班凯罗的情况下，魔术成为了自2017年以来第一支在五连胜期间将对手得分限制在95分或更少的球队。一个值得关注的领域是萨格斯的投篮效率下降。上赛季，他的投篮命中率 (47.1%) 和三分球命中率 (39.1%) 均创下职业生涯新高。本赛季，这些数字分别下降到41.8%和32.1%。在周三主场战胜芝加哥公牛的比赛中，他得到了职业生涯最高的31分。 – 马克斯
- 杰伦·约翰逊(Jalen Johnson), 小前锋, 亚特兰大老鹰
年龄： 22岁350天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均20.1分 | 9.9个篮板 | 5.5次助攻
继突破性的2023-24赛季（他作为首发的第一个赛季）之后，在德章泰·穆雷离开后，约翰逊作为亚特兰大进攻端的二号选择又迈出了一步。约翰逊的得分 (20.1)、篮板 (9.9) 和助攻 (5.5) 均创下职业生涯新高，使他仅次于联盟中场均得分超过20分、篮板超过10个、助攻超过5次的球员——扬尼斯·阿德托昆博(Giannis Antetokounmpo)、尼古拉·约基奇(Nikola Jokic)和多曼塔斯·萨博尼斯(Domantas Sabonis)。约翰逊还没有达到他们的水平，但随着他作为投篮手的持续进步，他已经展现出了全明星的潜力。 – 佩尔顿
- 锡安·威廉姆森(Zion Williamson), 大前锋, 新奥尔良鹈鹕
年龄： 24岁149天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均22.7分 | 8.0个篮板 | 5.3次助攻
自从2019年以状元秀身份被选中以来，威廉姆森一直排在前十名，但在他年满25岁之前的最后一次排名中，他却下滑了。主要问题是他的健康。上赛季威廉姆森出战了职业生涯最高的70场比赛后，在附加赛中遭遇了腿筋拉伤。本赛季，又一次腿筋受伤让他在仅仅出场六场比赛后就只能作壁上观。尽管上赛季保持健康，但威廉姆森的得分是他在NBA职业生涯中最低的，每36分钟平均得26.1分。令人担忧的是，伤病是否正在损害威廉姆森作为一名特殊球员的运动能力。 – 佩尔顿
- 布兰登·米勒(Brandon Miller), 小前锋, 夏洛特黄蜂
年龄： 22岁10天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均20.6分 | 5.3个篮板 | 3.7次助攻
米勒，11月22日刚满22岁，凭借上赛季的表现本可以赢得NBA年度最佳新秀——但他不得不与文班亚马和切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren)竞争，所以最终排名第三。尽管如此，这位原型侧翼球员延续了上赛季的表现，三分球命中率再次达到36%，而且出手次数更多，每场比赛出手近10次。为了在这份榜单上更进一步，米勒需要朝着他效仿的球员——费城76人的保罗·乔治(Paul George)——的方向发展，成为一名更好的组织者（3.8次助攻对2.8次失误）和防守者。 – 邦坦普斯
- 达柳斯·加兰(Darius Garland), 控球后卫, 克利夫兰骑士
年龄： 24岁311天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均20.7分 | 6.8次助攻 | 49.5%的投篮命中率
加兰在上个赛季因伤病（包括下巴骨折）而表现不佳之后，本赛季帮助克利夫兰取得了NBA最佳开局 (18胜3负)，同时他的投篮命中率 (48.8%) 和三分球命中率 (43.9%) 均创下职业生涯新高。作为这份榜单上年龄最大的球员之一——他将于1月26日年满25岁——加兰最大的考验是在过去两个赛季季后赛表现令人失望之后，将他的比赛提升到一个新的水平。 – 邦坦普斯
- 凯德·坎宁安(Cade Cunningham), 控球后卫, 底特律活塞
年龄： 23岁68天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均23.5分 | 7.2个篮板 | 9.0次助攻
根据赛季前两个月的情况，可以说坎宁安应该再次进入前十名，他在2023年的排名是第六。坎宁安受益于阵容的改进和主教练J.B.比克斯塔夫(J.B. Bickerstaff)的稳定性。11月初，坎宁安连续三场拿下三双，加入了格兰特·希尔(Grant Hill)的行列，成为了活塞队历史上仅有的两位完成这一壮举的球员。在11月8日主场战胜老鹰队的比赛中，坎宁安成为了五个赛季以来第二位投进制胜球并送出制胜封盖的NBA球员。坎宁安需要改进的一个方面是更好地控球。他目前以场均4.6次失误排名联盟第一，并且有9场比赛失误至少5次。 – 马克斯
- 拉梅洛·鲍尔(LaMelo Ball), 控球后卫, 夏洛特黄蜂
年龄： 23岁102天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均31.1分 | 6.9次助攻 | 35.6%的三分球命中率
在过去两个赛季只打了58场比赛之后，鲍尔在本赛季保持健康，直到最近遭受小腿拉伤，将缺席两周。现在仍然很难判断鲍尔的高效得分将如何转化为球队的成功。本赛季他更多的是得分手而不是组织者，场均得分创下职业生涯新高的31.1分，但助攻数（6.9次）却是自他成为全职首发以来最少的。随着队友布兰登·米勒的发展，鲍尔可能会在组织进攻方面找到更多我们在2021-22赛季看到的平衡，当时他20岁时入选全明星，黄蜂队赢得了自2015-16赛季以来最多的比赛 (43场)。 – 佩尔顿
- 斯科特·巴恩斯(Scottie Barnes), 小前锋, 多伦多猛龙
年龄： 23岁123天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均20.4分 | 8.6个篮板 | 6.8次助攻
上赛季对巴恩斯来说是一个突破性的赛季，这位身高6英尺8英寸的前锋与扬尼斯·阿德托昆博一起成为了仅有的两位场均至少贡献19分、8个篮板、6次助攻、1次抢断和1次盖帽的球员。巴恩斯获得了全明星席位和顶薪合同的奖励。由于伤病，他本赛季开局缓慢，但他已经确立了自己作为多伦多重建基石的地位，他的三分球将决定他在这份榜单上的未来上限。 – 邦坦普斯
- 阿尔佩伦·申京(Alperen Sengun), 中锋, 休斯顿火箭
年龄： 22岁130天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均18.7分 | 10.7个篮板 | 1.3次盖帽
突破性的2023-24赛季确立了申京作为像尼古拉·约基奇和多曼塔斯·萨博尼斯那样の中锋位置的进攻枢纽的地位。申京在本赛季初的得分效率有所下降，但在休斯顿强势开局的情况下，他的防守是职业生涯最佳的。他场均盖帽1.3次，创职业生涯新高，并且以场均10.7个篮板排在NBA前十，而火箭队的防守效率排名联盟第二。 – 佩尔顿
- 杰伦·威廉姆斯(Jalen Williams), 小前锋, 俄克拉荷马雷霆
年龄： 23岁232天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均21.5分 | 6.3个篮板 | 2.2次抢断
自从俄克拉荷马城在2022年用第12顺位选中他以来，威廉姆斯令人难以置信的效率（职业生涯164场比赛中，投篮命中率为53%）一直是一个惊喜。虽然经常被认为是谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大(Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)的副手，但威廉姆斯已经凭借自己的实力成为了一名球星，在攻防两端都能做出贡献，无论有球还是无球都能打，并且已经成为一名防守端的组织者（本赛季场均2.2次抢断和1次盖帽）。他展现了在球场两端的全面性，在伤病缠身的雷霆队依赖小个阵容时，他经常防守更大的球员。他很有可能获得一个当之无愧的首次全明星出场机会。 – 伍
- 埃文·莫布里(Evan Mobley), 大前锋, 克利夫兰骑士
年龄： 23岁167天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均18.2分 | 9.3个篮板 | 1.5次盖帽
莫布里仍然是一位最佳防守阵容级别的球员，但他的进攻使他比我们上次的排名上升了四位。莫布里在本赛季初就展现了他的实力。“我只是在精神上保持攻击模式，”他说。“总是盯着篮筐，总是冲向篮筐，向前移动，寻找得分机会，然后寻找传球机会。”莫布里的使用率和出手次数（场均12.7次，比上赛季增加了1.6次）都创下了职业生涯新高。当莫布里在场时，骑士队每百回合净胜14.9分，场均得分124.7分。 – 马克斯
- 泰瑞斯·马克西(Tyrese Maxey), 控球后卫, 费城76人
年龄： 24岁28天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均25.9分 | 4.5次助攻 | 33.3%的三分球命中率
马克西上赛季一飞冲天，入选全明星，并获得了NBA进步最快球员奖，场均得到25.9分和6.2次助攻。本赛季对马克西来说是一场挣扎——就像对每个费城球员一样。但在因腿筋受伤缺席一段时间后，他已经开始恢复状态，在底特律的比赛中得到28分，主场输给火箭的比赛中得到39分，以及战胜来访的篮网的比赛中得到26分。马克西下赛季将没有资格进入这份榜单，但就目前而言，他和76人只是希望在4胜14负的灾难性开局后能够重新振作起来。 – 邦坦普斯
- 泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿(Tyrese Haliburton), 控球后卫, 印第安纳步行者
年龄： 24岁277天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均17.5分 | 8.7次助攻 | 40.9%的投篮命中率
在上赛季的前两个半月，哈利伯顿是MVP的竞争者，带领步行者队打进了首届NBA杯赛的总决赛，并为印第安纳的进攻提供了强大的动力。然而，自从1月9日腿筋受伤以来，哈利伯顿的数据有所下滑，本赛季他的投篮命中率是他五年职业生涯中最差的，整体命中率徘徊在40%左右，三分球命中率徘徊在34%左右。如果这开始恢复正常，他将再次回到MVP的讨论中。 – 邦坦普斯
- 切特·霍姆格伦(Chet Holmgren), 大前锋, 俄克拉荷马雷霆
年龄： 22岁215天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均16.4分 | 8.7个篮板 | 2.3次盖帽
霍姆格伦在本赛季11月10日重重摔倒导致骨盆骨折后只出场了9场比赛，但在他的新秀赛季，他确立了自己作为联盟中最全面的大个子之一的地位，是年轻雷霆队的防守支柱，他们的成长速度超过了预期。尽管伤病一直是个问题，但霍姆格伦在场上时所提供的比赛质量是毋庸置疑的，他拥有罕见的护框能力、移动能力和内外线进攻效率的结合。假设他能保持健康，霍姆格伦正在成为联盟最佳大个子之一的道路上稳步前进。 – 伍
- 弗朗茨·瓦格纳(Franz Wagner), 大前锋, 奥兰多魔术
年龄： 23岁97天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均23.6分 | 5.5个篮板 | 5.8次助攻
在季后赛第七场输给骑士的比赛中15投1中两个月后，瓦格纳获得了一份五年2.24亿美元的顶薪续约合同。本赛季两个月后，这位前锋证明了这份合同的价值。自从保罗·班凯罗在10月底受伤以来，他一直扛着魔术队前进。在11月中旬魔术队7胜1负的八场比赛中，瓦格纳场均得到28.1分、6个篮板和6.9次助攻。本赛季瓦格纳有8场比赛至少得到25分、5个篮板和5次助攻。在他之前的四年职业生涯中，他总共只有7场这样的比赛。值得关注的是瓦格纳的三分球；在上赛季三分球命中率创下职业生涯最差的28.1%之后，瓦格纳本赛季的三分球命中率上升到了34.2%。 – 马克斯
- 保罗·班凯罗(Paolo Banchero), 大前锋, 奥兰多魔术
年龄： 22岁20天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均29.0分 | 8.8个篮板 | 5.6次助攻
自从10月30日以来，我们还没有在球场上看到班凯罗，但我们不应该将他排除在联盟顶级年轻球员的行列之外。在右腹斜肌撕裂之前，班凯罗场均得到职业生涯最高的29分，投篮命中率为49.5%。这五场比赛中包括一场50分的表演，班凯罗在上半场就得到了37分。这只是一个很小的样本，但班凯罗本赛季的一个进步之处在于他更多地站上了罚球线；他的场均罚球次数从上赛季的7.0次增加到11.8次。 – 马克斯
- 安东尼·爱德华兹(Anthony Edwards), 控球后卫, 明尼苏达森林狼
年龄： 23岁119天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均27.7分 | 5.4个篮板 | 42.8%的三分球命中率
就目前的产出而言，爱德华兹是东契奇因年龄原因退出后25岁以下的顶级球员。爱德华兹入选了NBA最佳阵容二队，并带领森林狼队在上赛季打进了西部决赛，与卢卡·东契奇、尼古拉·约基奇和凯文·杜兰特(Kevin Durant)并驾齐驱。尽管爱德华兹的得分构成在本赛季发生了变化，三分球出手更多（场均4.7次，创职业生涯新高），罚球更少（4.8次，下降了25%），但整体质量比以往任何时候都好。爱德华兹在高出手次数下得分效率很高，而且还可以成为一名顶级的侧翼防守者。 – 佩尔顿
- 维克托·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama), 中锋, 圣安东尼奥马刺
年龄： 20岁333天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均24.0分 | 10.2个篮板 | 3.6次盖帽
文班亚马正在兑现他进入NBA时所带来的崇高期望，他在11月13日砍下50分的表现突显了他最佳状态下的能力。他已经成为NBA最顶级的内线防守者，并且连续第二个赛季有望领跑联盟盖帽榜 (场均3.6次)。虽然他还在尝试不同的投篮选择，但文班亚马极高的两分球命中率 (61%) 弥补了他不稳定的三分球命中率 (场均近9次出手，命中率为33.8%)，这是他长期需要改进的关键领域。他还可以更多地站上罚球线 (场均3.3次罚球)。考虑到这些数据仅仅是一位尚未年满21岁的具有划时代意义的球员的基准，我们很容易理解为什么他被誉为史上最佳新秀。 – 伍
其他获得提名的球员：
杰登·艾维(Jaden Ivey), 控球后卫, 底特律活塞
年龄： 22岁293天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均18.4分 | 4.3个篮板 | 4.3次助攻
一年前的这个时候，艾维在底特律的比赛中被基利安·海斯(Killian Hayes)抢走了首发位置。现在，艾维正在为活塞队投进制胜球，并且几乎在每个类别的数据都创下职业生涯新高。他的决策能力仍然需要提高，因为他的助攻失误比为1.4。但这位身高6英尺4英寸的后卫拥有球队都喜欢的后场技术组合。如果他的三分球命中率保持下去（场均近5次出手，命中率为37.2%），他很容易在一年后进入这份榜单。 – 邦坦普斯
本内迪克特·马瑟林(Bennedict Mathurin), 得分后卫, 印第安纳步行者
年龄： 22岁167天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均18.5分 | 6.7个篮板 | 42.7%的三分球命中率
马瑟林的职业生涯开局最好，包括三分球命中率的提高（从上赛季的37.4%提高到42.7%），以及在11月10日对阵来访的尼克斯队的比赛中得到职业生涯最高的38分。虽然他仍然不是一个很好的团队球员组织者，但他已经巩固了自己作为步行者队核心球员的地位，并且看起来像是联盟中进步最快的球员之一。一个赛季这样的高效表现应该会让他在一年后进入这份榜单。 – 伍
特雷·墨菲三世(Trey Murphy III), 前锋, 新奥尔良鹈鹕
年龄： 24岁168天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均18.7分 | 5.6个篮板 | 2.0次助攻
由于腿筋拉伤缺席了赛季初的比赛，墨菲在复出后场均得到职业生涯最高的18.7分，尽管他的投篮出现了罕见的低迷。考虑到墨菲上赛季场均投进3.0个三分球，并且职业生涯三分球命中率为39%，没有理由怀疑他的三分球命中率 (29.8) 会随着鹈鹕后场球员的健康回归而反弹，他们会更好地为他创造机会。 – 佩尔顿
卡姆·托马斯(Cam Thomas), 得分后卫, 布鲁克林篮网
年龄： 23岁51天
2024-25赛季数据： 场均24.7分 | 3.4次助攻 | 38.9%的三分球命中率
托马斯在上赛季场均得到职业生涯最高的22.4分，但新教练霍尔迪·费尔南德斯(Jordi Fernandez)要求他成为一个更高效的得分手。在11月24日客场战胜萨克拉门托的比赛中左腿筋拉伤之前，托马斯正在强势角逐全明星和进步最快球员的荣誉。本赛季他有6场比赛得分超过30分，同时投篮命中率、三分球命中率、罚球次数和助攻数都创下了职业生涯新高。 – 马克斯
点击查看原文：NBA 25 under 25 - Top young stars, ranked by future potential
NBA 25 under 25 - Top young stars, ranked by future potential
Which young NBA stars have the brightest future?
With Luka Doncic aging out of contention for this list, a new name is at the top for the first time in five seasons. Will it be Victor Wembanyama after he debuted in third as a rookie on last year’s compilation? What about ascendant stars Anthony Edwards and Paolo Banchero? And where do oft-injured but supremely talented stars LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson land?
ESPN NBA Insiders Tim Bontemps, Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton and Jeremy Woo set out to answer those questions, ranking the top 25 players under the age of 25 based on potential.
Here’s a look at where all of those players check in right now and what could be next for the league’s most exciting young stars:
25. Bilal Coulibaly, SG, Washington Wizards\
Age: 20 years, 129 days\
2024-25 stats: 12.6 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 2.8 APG
Coulibaly was the other draft prospect alongside Victor Wembanyama two years ago in France, but Coulibaly’s combination of length and explosiveness made him the No. 7 pick in the 2023 draft by Washington. After playing last season at 19 (and looking every bit his age), Coulibaly has made real strides on offense, including improving his field goal percentage from 43.5% to 48.2%. If he continues to develop in the same manner, he could easily make leaps up this list in future campaigns. – Bontemps
24. Tari Eason, PF, Houston Rockets\
Age: 23 years, 206 days\
2024-25 stats: 11.4 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 2.1 SPG
Quietly, Eason has been as valuable as any reserve this season, earning his first appearance on this list in his third NBA campaign. Alongside Amen Thompson, Eason has wreaked havoc with his active defense. Eason’s 3.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes have produced the NBA’s best defensive rating in Basketball-Reference.com’s box plus-minus metric. And after a leg injury limited him to 22 games last season, Eason has made strides as a finisher. His 57.5% accuracy inside the arc is easily a career high. – Pelton
23. Dyson Daniels, PG, Atlanta Hawks\
Age: 21 years, 260 days\
2024-25 stats: 13.5 PPG | 3.1 APG | 3.0 SPG
After coming to Atlanta as part of the Dejounte Murray trade this offseason, Daniels has turned himself into one of the NBA’s elite perimeter defenders, averaging 3.0 steals per game. He has repeatedly had huge moments late in games at the defensive end, including stripping Sacramento Kings star De’Aaron Fox in the final seconds of a Nov. 19 win at Sacramento, and is a clear difference-maker at that end. The thing that will determine Daniels’ ceiling is his offense; Daniels is shooting 29.5% from 3, and his shot remains a real question. But even if it never comes around, his defense is enough to make him a real force in Atlanta. – Bontemps
22. Amen Thompson, SF, Houston Rockets\
Age: 21 years, 307 days\
2024-25 stats: 11.9 PPG | 7.0 RPG | 1.3 SPG
Though Thompson has started just one game this season, he already has become a regular part of Houston’s closing lineups by virtue of his defensive versatility. One of fewer than 10 players leaguewide averaging at least two steals per 100 plays and blocking 3% of opponent 2-point attempts, Thompson can guard any position at 6-foot-7. Offensively, Thompson is most dangerous in transition as his shooting develops. He has made just six 3-pointers this season but has shown progress at the free three line, making 73% after 68% as a rookie. – Pelton
21. Tyler Herro, PG, Miami Heat\
Age: 24 years, 317 days\
2024-25 stats: 24.0 PPG | 5.2 RPG | 4.9 APG
Health has been the main reason Herro continues to hover in the bottom five of this ranking. He played a career-low 42 games last season, and he has never appeared in more than 67 games since he entered the NBA as a first-round pick in 2019. His durability is a reason he was challenged by Heat president Pat Riley after last season. “He’s been fragile a little bit,” Riley said. “What did he play, 40 games? He might have to go to another level nutritionally. He’s got to make some adjustments, definitely.” Now healthy, Herro is averaging a career-high 24.0 points this season and, for the first time, more than five rebounds. – Marks
20. Jalen Green, SG, Houston Rockets\
Age: 22 years, 297 days\
2024-25 stats: 19.4 PPG | 4.8 RPG | 2.7 APG
Green continues to mix impressive moments (scoring 41 points during a win last week at Philadelphia) with frustrating lows and is currently shooting a career-worst 39% from the field through 20 games. He can be highly impressive to watch on a good night, but his shot selection can be problematic; sometimes, the game looks exceptionally easy for him, but oftentimes, he makes it more difficult for himself. Harnessing his talent to become a more efficient scorer and a balanced shot creator will be the key to Green reaching stardom. But in the middle of his fourth season, his tendencies are still holding him back. – Woo
19. Dereck Lively II, C, Dallas Mavericks\
Age: 20 years, 294 days\
2024-25 stats: 8.8 PPG | 7.1 RPG | 74.7 FG%
Lively emerged as one of the NBA’s most promising young bigs over the course of his rookie season, which culminated in Dallas’ run to the NBA Finals. His numbers thus far are in line with those of last season, playing in a platoon with Daniel Gafford. But Lively figures to earn a larger timeshare over the next couple of campaigns, something that will be key to his chances of moving up this list. Lively has the defensive instincts and mobility to be a top rim protector in time. – Woo
18. Jalen Suggs, SG, Orlando Magic\
Age: 23 years, 182 days\
2024-25 stats: 15.4 PPG | 3.9 APG | 1.3 SPG
Fresh off a five-year, $150 million extension inked in October, Suggs is the anchor of one of the NBA’s top defenses. Without Paolo Banchero, the Magic became the first team since 2017 to hold opponents to 95 points or fewer in five straight wins. One area for concern is Suggs’ dip in shooting efficiency. Last season, he shot career highs in field goals (47.1%) and 3-pointers (39.1%). This season, those numbers have declined to 41.8% and 32.1%, respectively. He did have a career-high 31 points in Wednesday’s home win over the Chicago Bulls. – Marks
17. Jalen Johnson, SF, Atlanta Hawks\
Age: 22 years, 350 days\
2024-25 stats: 20.1 PPG | 9.9 RPG | 5.5 APG
Coming off a breakthrough 2023-24 campaign, his first as a starter, Johnson has taken another step as Atlanta’s No. 2 option on offense after the departure of Dejounte Murray. Johnson is averaging career highs in points (20.1), rebounds (9.9) and assists (5.5), putting him just shy of three players leaguewide – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis – who are topping 20 PPG, 10 RPG and 5 APG. Johnson isn’t on their level, but he has flashed All-Star potential with continued improvement as a shotmaker. – Pelton
16. Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans\
Age: 24 years, 149 days\
2024-25 stats: 22.7 PPG | 8.0 RPG | 5.3 APG
Having ranked in the top 10 here since being drafted No. 1 in 2019, Williamson tumbled in his final appearance before turning 25. The primary issue is his health. After playing a career-high 70 games last season, Williamson suffered a hamstring strain in the play-in tournament. Another hamstring injury now has him on the sidelines after seeing just six games of action this campaign. Despite staying healthy last season, Williamson posted his lowest scoring mark of his NBA career, averaging 26.1 points per 36 minutes. The concern is whether injuries are taking a toll on the athleticism that makes Williamson a special player. – Pelton
15. Brandon Miller, SF, Charlotte Hornets\
Age: 22 years, 10 days\
2024-25 stats: 20.6 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 3.7 APG
Miller, who turned 22 on Nov. 22, could have won NBA Rookie of the Year with his play last season – but had to compete with Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren so instead finished a distant third. Still, the prototypically wing has followed up last season’s performance by again shooting 36% from 3-point range on even higher volume, taking almost 10 treys per game. To move up this list, Miller will need to evolve in the mold of the player he has styled his game after – Philadelphia’s Paul George – and become a better playmaker (3.8 assists to 2.8 turnovers) and defender. – Bontemps
14. Darius Garland, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers\
Age: 24 years, 311 days\
2024-25 stats: 20.7 PPG | 6.8 APG | 49.5 FG%
Garland has followed up a season marred by injuries, including a fractured jaw, by helping Cleveland get off to the NBA’s best start (18-3) while shooting career highs from the field (48.8%) and from 3-point range (43.9%). One of the oldest players on this list – he will turn 25 on Jan. 26 – Garland’s biggest test is taking his game to the next level in the postseason, after disappointing in each of his playoff performances over the past two campaigns. – Bontemps
13. Cade Cunningham, PG, Detroit Pistons\
Age: 23 years, 68 days\
2024-25 stats: 23.5 PPG | 7.2 RPG | 9.0 APG
Based on the first two months of the season, an argument could be made that Cunningham belongs in the top 10 again, where he ranked No. 6 in 2023. Cunningham has benefited from an improved roster and stability at head coach under J.B. Bickerstaff. In early November, Cunningham had three consecutive triple-doubles, joining Grant Hill as the only player in Pistons history to accomplish the feat. In the Nov. 8 home win against the Hawks, Cunningham became the second NBA player in five seasons to have the game-winning field goal and block. One area of improvement for Cunningham is taking better care of the basketball. He currently ranks first in turnovers at 4.6 per game and has had nine games with at least five turnovers. – Marks
12. LaMelo Ball, PG, Charlotte Hornets\
Age: 23 years, 102 days\
2024-25 stats: 31.1 PPG | 6.9 APG | 35.6 3P%
After playing just 58 games over the past two seasons, Ball had stayed healthy before suffering a calf strain that will keep him out two weeks. It’s still difficult to tell how well Ball’s volume scoring will translate into team success. He has been more scorer than playmaker this season, putting up a career-high 31.1 PPG but averaging the fewest assists (6.9) since he became a full-time starter. As teammate Brandon Miller develops, Ball might strike more of the playmaking balance we saw in 2021-22, when he was selected as an All-Star at age 20 and the Hornets won their most games (43) since 2015-16. – Pelton
11. Scottie Barnes, SF, Toronto Raptors\
Age: 23 years, 123 days\
2024-25 stats: 20.4 PPG | 8.6 RPG | 6.8 APG
Last season was a breakout campaign for Barnes, as the 6-foot-8 forward joined Giannis Antetokounmpo as the only players to average at least 19 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 1 block per game. Barnes was rewarded with an All-Star berth and a max contract. He has had a slow start this season due to injury, but he has established himself as the bedrock of Toronto’s rebuild, with his 3-point shot determining his future ceiling on this list. – Bontemps
10. Alperen Sengun, C, Houston Rockets\
Age: 22 years, 130 days\
2024-25 stats: 18.7 PPG | 10.7 RPG | 1.3 BPG
A breakout 2023-24 campaign established Sengun as an offensive hub from the center position along the lines of Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis. Sengun hasn’t scored as efficiently to start this season, but he is playing the best defense of his career amid Houston’s strong start. He is averaging a career-high 1.3 blocks and ranks in the NBA’s top 10 with 10.7 RPG as the Rockets rank second in the NBA in defensive rating. – Pelton
9. Jalen Williams, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder\
Age: 23 years, 232 days\
2024-25 stats: 21.5 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 2.2 SPG
Williams’ incredible efficiency (53% from the field through 164 career games) has been something of a revelation since Oklahoma City drafted him with the 12th pick in 2022. While often cast as more of a sidekick to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams has become a star in his own right, offering production across the board, playing with and without the ball, and emerging as a defensive playmaker (up to 2.2 steals and a block per game this season). He has shown versatility on both ends of the floor, often guarding larger players as the injury-plagued Thunder have leaned on smaller lineups. A well-deserved first All-Star appearance might be on the horizon. – Woo
8. Evan Mobley, PF, Cleveland Cavaliers\
Age: 23 years, 167 days\
2024-25 stats: 18.2 PPG | 9.3 RPG | 1.5 BPG
Mobley continues to be an All-NBA defender, but his offense moves him up four spots from our last rankings. Mobley tipped his hand early in the season. “I’m just staying mentally in attack mode,” he said. “Always looking at the rim, always going to the basket, moving forward, looking to score and then looking for outlets after.” Mobley is off to career highs in usage rate and attempts (12.7 per game, an increase of 1.6 from last season.) Mobley is a plus-14.9 points per 100 possessions when on the floor and Cleveland has averaged 124.7 points. – Marks
7. Tyrese Maxey, PG, Philadelphia 76ers\
Age: 24 years, 28 days\
2024-25 stats: 25.9 PPG | 4.5 APG | 33.3 3P%
Maxey exploded into stardom last season, earning an All-Star appearance and the NBA Most Improved Player Award while averaging 25.9 points and 6.2 assists. It has been a struggle for Maxey this season – like it has been for every Philadelphia player. But after missing time with a hamstring injury, he has begun to round back into form, going for 28 points in a win at Detroit, 39 in a home loss to the Rockets and 26 in a victory against the visiting Nets. Maxey won’t be eligible for this list next season, but for now, he and the 76ers are simply hoping to get their heads back above water after their disastrous 4-14 start. – Bontemps
6. Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Indiana Pacers\
Age: 24 years, 277 days\
2024-25 stats: 17.5 PPG | 8.7 APG | 40.9 FG%
Over the first 2½ months of last season, Haliburton was an MVP contender, leading the Pacers to the title game of the inaugural NBA Cup and fueling a supercharged Indiana offense. Since suffering a hamstring injury on Jan. 9, however, Haliburton’s production has dipped, and he has opened this season shooting by far the worst percentages of his five-year pro career, hovering around 40% overall and 34% from 3. If that begins to normalize, he will once again be back in All-NBA consideration. – Bontemps
5. Chet Holmgren, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder\
Age: 22 years, 215 days\
2024-25 stats: 16.4 PPG | 8.7 RPG | 2.3 BPG
Holmgren has appeared in just nine games this season after fracturing his pelvis in a hard fall on Nov. 10, but he established himself as one of the league’s more versatile big men in his rookie campaign as the defensive backbone for a young Thunder team arriving ahead of schedule. Although injuries have been an issue, the quality of play Holmgren provides when available is hard to argue, with a rare combination of rim protection, mobility and inside-out efficiency. Presuming full health, Holmgren is well on his way to becoming one of the league’s best bigs. – Woo
4. Franz Wagner, PF, Orlando Magic\
Age: 23 years, 97 days\
2024-25 stats: 23.6 PPG | 5.5 RPG | 5.8 APG
Two months after shooting 1-for-15 in a Game 7 playoff loss to the Cavaliers, Wagner was rewarded with a five-year, $224 million max extension. Two months into this season, the forward has justified the contract. He has carried the Magic since Paolo Banchero was injured in late October. Wagner averaged 28.1 points, 6 rebounds and 6.9 assists in an eight-game stretch in mid-November when Orlando went 7-1. Wagner has eight games this season of at least 25 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Previously during his four-year pro career, he had only seven total. Something to watch moving forward is Wagner’s 3-point shooting; after a career worst 28.1% from deep last season, Wagner is up to 34.2% this season. – Marks
3. Paolo Banchero, PF, Orlando Magic\
Age: 22 years, 20 days\
2024-25 stats: 29.0 PPG | 8.8 RPG | 5.6 APG
We have not seen Banchero on the court since Oct. 30, but he shouldn’t be discarded as one of the league’s top young players. Before suffering a torn right oblique, Banchero was averaging a career-high 29 points and 49.5% from the field. Included in one of those five games was a 50-point performance in which Banchero scored 37 in the first half. It’s only a small sample, but one area of improvement for Banchero this season has been getting to the free throw line; he has increased his free throw attempts per game from 7.0 last season to 11.8. – Marks
2. Anthony Edwards, PG, Minnesota Timberwolves\
Age: 23 years, 119 days\
2024-25 stats: 27.7 PPG | 5.4 RPG | 42.8 3P%
In terms of current production, Edwards is the top player under 25 now that Doncic has aged out. Edwards was chosen for the All-NBA second team and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference finals last season, going toe-to-toe with Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Kevin Durant. Although the shape of Edwards’ production has shifted with more 3s (a career-high 4.7 per game) and fewer free throws (4.8, down 25%) so far this season, the overall quality is better than ever. Edwards is scoring efficiently on high volume and also can be a lockdown perimeter defender. – Pelton
1. Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs\
Age: 20 years, 333 days\
2024-25 stats: 24.0 PPG | 10.2 RPG | 3.6 BPG
Wembanyama is delivering on the lofty hype that accompanied his entry to the NBA, with his 50-point performance on Nov. 13 underscoring what he’s capable of at his best. He has become the NBA’s premier interior defender, on his way to leading the league in blocks per game (3.6) for a second consecutive season. And while he experiments with shot selection, Wembanyama’s extreme efficiency on 2-point attempts (61%) helps buffer his streaky 3-point shooting (33.8% on nearly nine attempts per game), a key area for long-term improvement. It also would serve him to get to the foul line more often (3.3 free throws per game). Considering this production is the baseline for a generational player who has yet to turn 21, it’s easy to understand why he was anointed as an all-time prospect. – Woo
Others receiving votes:
Jaden Ivey, PG, Detroit Pistons\
Age: 22 years, 293 days\
2024-25 stats: 18.4 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 4.3 APG
At this time a year ago, Ivey was being benched in favor of Killian Hayes in Detroit. Now, Ivey is hitting game winners for the Pistons and posting career-best numbers in just about every category. His decision-making still needs to improve, as he has a 1.4 assist-to-turnover ratio. But the 6-foot- 4 guard has the kind of skill set teams love to have in their backcourt. If the 3-point shooting holds up (37.2% on almost five attempts per game), he could easily be on this list a year from now. – Bontemps
Bennedict Mathurin, SG, Indiana Pacers\
Age: 22 years, 167 days\
2024-25 stats: 18.5 PPG | 6.7 RPG | 42.7 3P%
Mathurin is off to the best start of his career, including improved shooting on 3s (42.7% from 37.4% last season) and a career-high 38 points against the visiting Knicks on Nov. 10. While still not much of a playmaker for teammates, he has solidified himself as a core player for the Pacers and has looked like one of the league’s most improved players. A full season of this type of efficient production should vault him onto this list in a year. – Woo
Trey Murphy III, F, New Orleans Pelicans\
Age: 24 years, 168 days\
2024-25 stats: 18.7 PPG | 5.6 RPG | 2.0 APG
Sidelined by a hamstring strain to start the season, Murphy has averaged a career-high 18.7 PPG since returning despite a rare shooting slump. Given Murphy averaged 3.0 3-pointers per game last season and has shot 39% for his career beyond the arc, there’s no reason to doubt his 3-point percentage (29.8) rebounding as the Pelicans’ backcourt gets healthy to better set him up. – Pelton
Cam Thomas, SG, Brooklyn Nets\
Age: 23 years, 51 days\
2024-25 stats: 24.7 PPG | 3.4 APG | 38.9 3P%
Thomas averaged a career-high 22.4 points a season ago but was challenged by new coach Jordi Fernandez to become more of an efficient scorer. Before straining his left hamstring in a Nov. 24 win at Sacramento, Thomas was making a strong case for All-Star and Most Improved Player honors. He has six games of 30 points or more this season as well as career highs in field goal and 3-point percentages, free throw attempts and assists. – Marks
By NBA Insiders | ESPN, via ESPN