Fansided

25-under-25: The best of the rest

By Philip Rossman-Reich

MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 29: Jabari Parker #12 drives to the basket and throws the ball off the backboard for Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Houston Rockets on February 29, 2016 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 29: Jabari Parker #12 drives to the basket and throws the ball off the backboard for Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Houston Rockets on February 29, 2016 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 11
Next

There are far more than 25 great players younger than 25 years old in the NBA these days. Here are the players who are just on the outside ready to burst in.

There are plenty of old heads who will say the NBA is not as good as it used to be in the 1990s and 1980s. The quality is too low or the wrong parts of the game are emphasized or expansion has stretched the talent too thin. There are probably some stylistic preferences, but it is hard to watch the NBA today and not believe it is as good as it has ever been.

The potential for the league to continue its tremendous international and domestic expansion is ever-present. And it is shown most in the incredibly young players playing in the NBA today.

There is a plethora of talented young players. All guys who seem to be just scratching the surface. These are guys who have just entered the league and seem set to reshape it. These are guys who have played a few years in the league already and have promised with their prodigious talent. And these are guys who have gotten their first big contract ready to take their first steps to sustained stardom.

It still feels like the league is on the precipice of a renaissance of sorts. There are so many quality young players who appear set to make an impact in the very near future.

This week on the Step Back we have been highlighting the top 25 players under 25-years-old. But there are so many more players that young in the NBA ready to break out. They too undoubtedly deserve some shine and our attention. And as players age out and they begin to realize their potential, these players too will make an impact.

This is the future of the NBA. And it is an extremely bright one.

Here are the players who just missed our list of the top 25 players under 25-years-old.

Home/25-under-25