DeMarcus Cousins turns 25 today, and thus exits the tantalizing “25 and Under” club. This is not an official group, but these players will be bedrocks of the NBA for years to come. The next five players are the NBA’s top players that are less than 25 years old, and they’ve made it here based not only on their accomplishments to date, but what they can do going forward.
5. John Wall, PG, Washington Wizards
Wall has made two All-Star games, been named to an All-Defensive team, and led the NBA in assists in 2013-14. Last year Wall’s game matured, and he averaged a double-double (17 points, 10 assists) while shooting the best mark from the field (44.5 percent) in his career. As one of the fastest players in the league, with a double-digit assist average and All-Defense talent, how could Wall be only No. 5 on this list?
Well, he shot 30 percent from the 3-point line and in the increasingly trey-happy NBA that’s a big flaw. No matter what pluses Wall brings to the table, come playoff time defenses right now know they can sag off Wall and focus on his backcourt mate Bradley Beal on the perimeter. To unlock his full potential, Wall has to figure out his deep shooting.
4. Andre Drummond, C, Detroit Pistons
The Pistons really believe in Drummond to the point that they let a perennial 15-point, 10-rebound guy (Greg Monroe) walk in free agency. They believe in Drummond for good reason; he averaged a better double-double, (13.8 points, 13.5 rebounds) than Monroe and he’s three years younger. Drummond is also a destructive force on defense (1.9 blocks).
Centers may not be as crucial to success as they were in earlier eras, but having a seven-footer like this creates matchup nightmares for teams that are getting smaller and quicker every year. Size still matters when the player is skilled enough to exploit smaller defenders consistently, and Drummond is proving he’s skilled.
The big knock is his putrid free throw shooting. He’s a 39.7 percent free throw shooter for his career, which is an ugly number that seriously damages his value.
3. Kyrie Irving, PG, Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s hard to believe Irving is only 23 right? Irving has been a Rookie of the Year, an All-Star Game MVP, and made three All-Star teams in four years. He’s averaged 20 or more points for three straight seasons, and improved as a 3-point shooter last season by nailing 41.5 percent of his 3s.
As a point guard though, Irving still hasn’t shown the ability to make his teammates much better. He averaged 5.2 assists last season with LeBron James and Kevin Love on the team. While James does dominate the ball, Irving had the rock plenty, and often looked to score over distributing. Many players—and point guards—play that way, but he didn’t utilize the talent around him to the utmost.
Right now, Irving is more like one of the premier shooting guards in the league based on style of play. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it hits at his value just a smidge.
2. Andrew Wiggins, G/F, Minnesota Timberwolves
This might seem high for Wiggins, who has just one NBA season under his belt, but in that one year he was mighty impressive. He averaged 16.9 points as a teenager serving as the No. 1 scoring option for a bad team. He also was forced to go to war defensively with some of the NBA’s top scorers on a regular basis, and he often won those battles.
Wiggins could stand to improve his 3-point shooting, but at age 20 the sky is the limit for him. He could wind up being the best wing player in the league for years to come. Defensively he has no ceiling, and that's why he's above Irving.
1. Anthony Davis, F/C, New Orleans Pelicans
Davis is, hands down, the leader of this club. In fact, after averaging 24 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks per game as a 22-year-old, he may flat-out be the best player in the league. He dragged an injury-plagued Pelicans club to the postseason and gave the Warriors hell in a sweep that was far more competitive than the final scores show.
Davis’ PER (30) was double the league average, and he was worth more than four wins for New Orleans based on his defense alone. In all, Davis contributed 14 wins to the Pelicans’ total. He was an absolute monster, and every season his shooting range is increasing. He already has the LeBron effect of being on a team and instantly making them a contender.
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