The NBA is a league full of superstars, and in recent years, these stars have been developing at earlier and earlier ages. It use to be rare for a player to come in and dominate in the early years of their career, while now players are dominating from day one. With that being said, here are my Top 5 NBA players 23 years old or younger :
5) Karl Anthony-Towns - 21-years-old
2015-2016 Rookie of the Year Karl Anthony-Towns is an incredibly talented player. KAT has the strength to go along with the finesses, down low in the post, to score at will, averaging 20 points a game this year.
He has also shown he is a savvy rebounder, averaging almost 12 rebounds a game. Anthony-Towns also has added to his game by extending his shooting range from behind the 3-point line. Once he establishes himself as a adequate defender as well (which he currently is not, at all), KAT will be the total package. The only thing that may stunt his growth is sharing the court with other stars in Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins, but he is still an incredible young player.
4) Ben Simmons - 21-years-old
Ben Simmons is proving to the NBA that the hype, from when he was drafted, is real. Simmons missed his entire first season due to injury, but now, in his first year playing, he is, potentially, having the best rookie season of all time.
The point-forward is averaging 17 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals a game, and is impactful in every area of the game. He can run the offense and get others open to score, or get a bucket all by himself. Simmons gets rebounds on the defensive end and runs the transition offense as good as almost anyone in the NBA.
He has every opportunity to be the best player on this list, and he has a good shot at doing just that.
3) Kristaps Porzingis - 22-years-old
Dubbed "The Unicorn," for his special skill set, at his size, Kristaps Porzingis is a once in a generation talent. Porzingis is a 7'3" forward who can shoot, work in the post, and drive to the basket with exceptional ball handling skills.
He is also a good defender and a shot-blocking machine. Now in his third season, Porzingis is really putting his game together and averaging 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game. Porzingis' early career success will only continue as he gets stronger and perfects his unique style of play even further while he attempts to bring the Knicks back to the playoffs.
2) Joel Embiid - 23-years-old
The 76ers rebuild named, "The Process," can most definitely be seen in their star big man Joel Embiid. After missing his first 2 seasons due to injury, he showed a glimpse of stardom last year and is now already establishing himself as one of the best all-around big men in the league. Averaging 23 points, 11 rebounds, and almost 2 blocks a game, Embiid really does do it all.
He is a low-post star and a good shooter from behind the arc and is emerging as a good passing big man as well. On the defensive end, he is a great post defender and is able to deter shots from all angles. The sky is the limit for Embiid, and as long as he stays healthy, he will likely reach that level.
1) Giannis Antetokounmpo - 22-years-old
Topping the list is Giannis "The Greek Freak" Antetokounmpo. It took Giannis a few years to establish himself in the league, but this year has been a breakout year for the young superstar. He is averaging 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists a game, and is a top MVP candidate. The Bucks will go as far as Giannis can take them. Giannis is one of the best players in the NBA already and will get even higher on that list as he gets better and better. Once the Greek Freak gets a consistent 3-point shot, he will be almost impossible to guard.
