Last season, the NBA saw the emergency of a young new generation of talented players. The Philadelphia 76ers had one of the players in Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers’ young guard made one of the biggest leaps in the development of any player last season.
He’s made such a dramatic improvement that an argument can be that Maxey is now one of the top-10 best players 21 years old or younger. However, the question becomes just how good is the combo guard to his peers.
The rankings below won’t include any player selected in the 2022 NBA Draft just based on the fact that they haven’t played in an NBA game yet. Before getting into the top-10 rankings, it feels good to name a few honorable mentions.
Maxey’s a Top-10 player 21 years old and under: Honorable Mentions
- Cole Anthony– The Orlando Magic had to rely on Cole Anthony to be their starting point guard last year. However, with the return of former Sixers’ first overall pick Markelle Fultz, there’s a good chance he gets to become one of the best sixth men in the league.
- Kevin Porter Jr.– The Houston Rockets have embraced Kevin Porter Jr. as the point guard of the future for now. He’s a very good score, but still has to make a leap in his playmaker or the team may have to try to find a point guard elsewhere.
- Jalen Green– After a rough start to his rookie season, Jalen Green was able to show flashes of why he was the Rockets’ second overall pick in 2021. He has all the makings of a legit scoring threat, but he needs more consistency.
With that being written let’s begin.
10. Josh Giddey
He’s a 6-foot-8 wing who’s developing into a nice playmaker. Like other tall playmakers before, Josh Giddey struggled with his shooting in his first season as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Entering his second season, Giddy needs to show improvement in that areas. However, he’s shown great potential in all other areas of his game.
9. Franz Wanger
Despite being the eighth pick in the 2021 draft, Franz Wanger is considered a steal for the Magic. He was one of the best offensive rookies of the year and was arguably the most important offensive player for Orlando last year. Based on his skills he’s going to be a great third or fourth option on a title team.
8. Tyrese Maxey
For Sixers fans hoping to see the Tyrese Maxey higher up on this list, I’m sorry, but eighth place on this list isn’t an insult. Maxey has the rare gift of elite speed and shooting touch. If developed properly, he can be a legit second-scoring option on a contending team.
7. RJ Barrett
It feels like RJ Barrett doesn’t get the respect he deserves and part of the reason is that he’s stuck on the New York Knicks. He’s improved each of his first three seasons. He’s low-key a defensive stopper and he’s knocking on the door of becoming a consistent two-way scorer.
6. Cade Cunningham
The Pistons have a franchise cornerstone in Cade Cunningham. He’s not the quick-twitch athlete like most of the players on this list. However, he has the second highest basketball I.Q. on this list. His outside shot is almost there too, so he could be an all-star in the next couple of seasons.
5. Evan Mobley
It can be argued that Evan Mobley has the highest ceiling as a defender on this list. He was one othe best rookies last year and was the third best player on the Cleveland Cavaliers. Offensively he could be as good as Chris Bosh once was.
4. Scottie Barnes
Scottie Barnes is the winner of the Rookie of Year from this past season and the ceiling is the limit for this young star. He’s a consistent jump shot away from becoming an All-Star. He’s a two-way star with his playmaking and defense.
3. LaMelo Ball
Not only is the best playmaker on this list, but arguably a top-5 playmaker in the NBA. He’s still a liability on the defensive, but he’s made nice progess as a jump shooter last season after winning Rookie of the Year, the year before.
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2. Tyrese Haliburton
After being traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Indiana Pacers last season, Tyrese Haliburton played like a star. With Indiana in the middle of a rebuild, Haliburton has the chance to show off his true potential.
1. Anthony Edwards
The Minnesota Timberwolves have a super star in the making in Anthony Edwards. Edwards showed in the playoffs just how special he can be and just received more star help with the arrivail of Rudy Gobert. If he can take the next step, he can be a 25-point per game scorer.
Do you think the Sixers young star should be higher or lower on this list? Comment below your thoughts.