Studying extensively when star players peak it became very apparent that most players are at their best from age 24 to 28. The average peak season came at age 26.92
The highly athletic players such as Jordan and LeBron were at the height of their powers statistically per possession at the age of 24 years old. For me 24 is the start of a players prime and while there are certainly many examples of players improving beyond 24 years old this is where the window opens up for most and the improvements start to slow. Players under 24 years old are still on average making much bigger leaps in ability and improvements to their games, especially the younger they are on that spectrum.
Let’s take a look at all the players currently under 24 years old as of January 5th to try to access which NBA teams have the best young talent and likely futures.
This is a list of the top performers this season under 24 years old by team.
Obviously a team like Detroit seem to be crushing it by the raw numbers, then you look at the efficiency and it paints a different picture. (we’ll use PER since it’s a good stand in for all the percentages and minutes per game.
PER
age
ppg
rpg
apg
32.4
Luka Doncic
DAL
23.9
34.3
8.8
8.9
25.5
Zion Williamson
NOR
22.5
26
7
4.6
23.9
Tyrese Haliburton
IND
22.9
20.6
4
10.2
23.8
Ja Morant
MEM
23.4
27.1
6
8
22.4
Jaren Jackson Jr.
MEM
23.3
15.9
6.1
0.9
21.0
Nicolas Claxton
BKN
23.7
11.9
8.2
1.4
21.0
Alperen Sengun
HOU
20.4
14.3
8.5
2.6
19.8
Walker Kessler
UTA
21.4
6.8
6.5
0.6
19
LaMelo Ball
CHA
21.4
23.7
5.9
8.1
18.6
Darius Garland
CLE
22.9
21.4
2.6
7.8
18.4
Naz Reid
MIN
23.4
10.6
4.9
1
17.8
Marvin Bagley III
DET
23.8
10.6
5.9
0.6
17.5
Wendell Carter Jr.
ORL
23.7
15.8
8.7
3
17.3
Anthony Edwards
MIN
21.4
24.2
6.3
4.4
17.2
Onyeka Okongwu
ATL
22.1
9.2
7.2
0.9
17.1
Tyler Herro
MIA
23
21.1
6
4.5
17.0
Devin Vassell
SAS
22.4
19.4
4
3.6
16.8
Bol Bol
ORL
23.1
12
7.1
0.9
16.7
Franz Wagner
ORL
21.4
19.9
4
3.5
16.6
Evan Mobley
CLE
21.6
14.3
8.9
2.7
16.5
Jarred Vanderbilt
UTA
23.8
8.4
7.9
2.8
16.4
Paolo Banchero
ORL
20.1
21
6.7
4
15.9
Anfernee Simons
POR
23.6
22.4
3
4
15.8
Kevin Porter
HOU
22.7
19.3
5.5
5.8
15.7
Tyrese Maxey
PHI
22.2
21.2
3.3
4.2
15.7
Jalen Duren
DET
19.1
7.6
8.5
1
15.6
Jalen Smith
IND
22.8
10.2
6.3
1
15.5
Tari Eason
HOU
21.7
8.2
5.4
0.8
15.3
Josh Giddey
OKC
20.2
15.3
8
5.3
15.2
Santi Aldama
MEM
22
9.5
5.1
1.3
15.1
Tre Jones
SAS
23
12.8
3.7
6.5
15.0
Trey Murphy
NOR
22.5
12.7
4.1
1.3
15.0
Cole Anthony
ORL
22.6
12.6
4.5
4.5
14.8
Scottie Barnes
TOR
21.4
14.9
6.9
4.6
14.6
Cade Cunningham
DET
21.3
19.9
6.2
6
14.6
Keldon Johnson
SAS
23.1
21.6
4.9
2.7
14.3
Aleksej Pokusevski
OKC
21
8.8
5.1
2
13.9
Immanuel Quickley
NYK
23.6
11.9
4.1
3.4
13.8
Bennedict Mathurin
IND
20.6
17.4
3.9
1.4
13.6
Isaiah Stewart
DET
21.6
11.6
7.8
1.1
13.3
Saddiq Bey
DET
23.7
13.8
4.2
1.5
13.3
RJ Barrett
NYK
22.7
19.7
5.5
3.0
12.5
Jalen Williams
OKC
21.7
11.5
3.6
2.8
12.1
Jaden McDaniels
MIN
22.3
11.4
3.6
1.8
11.9
Jalen Suggs
ORL
21.6
12.4
3.2
5.4
11.8
Jaden Ivey
DET
20.9
14.9
4.1
4.0
11.8
Luguentz Dort
OKC
23.7
14.1
4.1
2.3
11.5
Quentin Grimes
NYK
22.7
10.2
3.3
2.1
10.9
Aaron Nesmith
IND
23.2
9.5
3.7
1.3
10.5
Jabari Smith Jr
HOU
19.7
12.1
7.1
0.9
10.5
Keegan Murray
SAC
22.4
11.5
3.9
0.8
10.4
Patrick Williams
CHI
21.4
9.8
4.1
1.3
I think you clearly would want to be Memphis, Dallas, Indiana or New Orleans. These teams have either a superstar, or the best mix of young players.
