NBA Players: Best starting 5 of NBA stars aged 24 or under
The NBA is the world's largest men's professional basketball league and is considered to have only the best players in it. Every year, players from across the globe as well as players from top colleges join this league and make it bigger and better.
Naturally, a lot of the college players coming into the NBA will be younger and uncut, looking to be like the stars they watch on their television sets. Some take time to realize their potential, while others, grow into superstars really quickly. With that in mind, here is the best starting 5 of the NBA, consisting of players who are all just 24 years old or under.
PG: Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers) - 23 years old
Ben Simmons has been the starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers in the last 2 seasons and has done a phenomenal job at it. He had to sit out his whole first season due to a foot injury but returned to win the Rookie of the Year in 2018 after a fabulous season and has been very injury-free.
Simmons has already won a bunch of awards in his first 2 seasons, he was the 2018 ROTY, 2018 NBA All-Rookie first team selection, and a 2019 All-Star Game nominee. He became the 3rd rookie to record a triple-double in his first 4 games and became the first rookie since Magic Johnson to record a triple-double in the playoffs.
Simmons has been lethal in his 2 seasons with the 76ers, averaging 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game. His size and athleticism at the point guard spot have been one of the biggest conundrums the opposition had to solve to prevent mismatches. He is also a superb defender, averaging 1.6 steals and just under 1 block a game.
Simmons does not have a jump shot, which limits his ceiling at the moment. Yet, defenses find it very hard to stop the 6 ft 10 in guard on the offensive end and who knows how good he can be if he develops a jumper too.
Honorable mentions: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks - 20 years old)