Top 10 NBA Players Aged 22 or Under in the 2019-20 Season

Young players usually take time to develop, but not these young stars. They have stepped into the league and absolutely dominated.

This list will cover the best players aged 22 and under. The criteria for this list will include accolades and accomplishments, statistics, and winning. This list will NOT consider potential. That's a discussion for another day.

Remember all this when voting. Without further ado, let's get into the list.

The Top Ten

Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic (born February 28, 1999) is a Slovenian professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Since his rookie season, he's been selected to five NBA All-Star games and five All-NBA First Team selections. He also represents the Slovenian national... read more

When Luka was first drafted, I was very skeptical. I questioned his footwork and athleticism. I also questioned how his game would translate into the NBA. God, was I wrong.
Dončić came out flaming hot. He showed elite shooting off the dribble. He also showed Hall of Fame-level passing. His dribbling was also elite. He also showed good enough defense. It could always improve, but it isn't as bad as I expected.
He was legitimately an MVP candidate in his second season. He showed himself to be a great leader, and he should be able to carry the Mavs to a championship in a few years. The scariest thing is, he is only 21. By far the best player 22 and under.
Ja Morant

Temetrius Jamel "Ja" Morant is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association. He was selected with the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Morant won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 2020.

Ja Morant is a problem. I told people not to sleep on Ja coming into the draft. I expected Ja to be ROY and to have a great season, but I never expected him to be a near all-star.
Ja came out here and showed out. He showed way better shooting than any of us expected. His handles were also better than expected. He, of course, had Hall of Fame athleticism. He was literally embarrassing guys with his dunks.
He also brought some hype into my home state that we simply haven't had in a while. The most impressive thing about Ja is how he made the Grizzlies a playoff team. I never expected the Grizzlies to be in the playoffs. Easily the ROY.
Trae Young

Rayford Trae Young is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Young is known for his exceptional shooting and playmaking abilities and was selected as an NBA All-Star in 2020.

I was also very skeptical about Trae Young. I thought he would be good someday, but not this soon. He has shown lethal shooting since about the end of last year. He is very clutch and has great handles.
He embarrasses people with his nutmeg. That probably isn't even the best part of his game. I think his passing may be better. Those are great signs for the future. He also took a huge step this year, getting a well-deserved All-Star spot.
Zion Williamson

Zion Lateef Williamson, born July 6, 2000, is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA. He plays as a power forward and is widely known for his athleticism, strength, and explosive playing style. He was selected first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft after a standout... read more

Some people may be mad at me for this ranking. I think Zion will be great one day. Like I said though, this list is not based on potential.
Now, while he did absolutely dominate in the time he's played, he had a surprisingly good shot and he simply made other players look like children. He also looked like a top ten player in the league in that span. However, we need more of a sample size. If Zion can stay healthy, he will be great.
Brandon Ingram

Brandon Xavier Ingram, born September 2, 1997, is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. He was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016 and later traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2019. In February 2025, Ingram was traded to the Raptors and... read more

Brandon Ingram is so underrated. I knew before he was drafted that he'd be a great player one day. People gave up on him way too easily though. After a few tough seasons, Ingram is putting up All-Star numbers.
Ingram is the main reason the Pelicans were so close to the playoffs when Zion returned. BI is getting closer and closer to that KD prediction we all had for him (I'm not saying he's going to be as good as KD).
Jayson Tatum

Jayson Christopher Tatum Sr. (born March 3, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
He was a McDonald's All-American in high school in Missouri and played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. Tatum was selected... read more

Jayson Tatum is special. He has really good handles and can shoot off the dribble. His athleticism has also been very surprising. He has quickly become the best player on the Celtics and an All-Star.
Putting aside my hate for the Celtics, I'll say Jayson Tatum is a special player.
De'Aaron Fox

De'Aaron Fox is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. He was selected by the Kings as the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Known for his speed and scoring ability, Fox has become a key player for the team.

I really like De'Aaron Fox. He is super underrated. He is super fast and shows a great feel for the game. A great leader and has shown much better shooting than we expected.
He nearly led a young Kings team to the playoffs, and he would've done it again if he wouldn't have gotten injured.
Lonzo Ball

Listen, Lonzo is still really good. He has shown great maturity, which is what I personally worried about. He, of course, has elite-level passing. His defense is super underrated. Already an awesome defender.
His shooting has even improved in his third season. He has already shown a great bond with Zion.
Bam Adebayo

A super underrated player. Bam has improved every year of his career. He is a DPOY candidate and he is obviously MIP this year. He is key to this Heat team. An unexpected young talent.
Deandre Ayton

DeAndre Ayton has been a bit upsetting, but he has shown good signs. He has shown good post touch and he has been an overall great talent.
He needs to get his health under control though.