The NBA has become a young man’s game over the past couple of decades, with more and more players getting drafted in their late teens as opposed to their early 20s after multiple years of college, as used to be the norm.
As such, we have seen an array of super young players getting drafted in the late ’90s and throughout the ’00s and ’10s.
Below, check out the youngest players ever selected in the NBA Draft, led by the legendary Andrew Bynum, who was one of just three players ever to be selected as 17-year-olds.
1. Andrew Bynum: 17 years and 249 days
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 10th overall pick in the 2005 draft
Career stats: 11.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg in eight seasons
2. Jermaine O'Neal: 17 years and 261 days
Selected by the Portland Trail Blazers as the 17th overall pick in the 1996 draft
Career stats: 13.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg in 18 seasons
3. Kobe Bryant: 17 years and 312 days
Selected by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th overall pick in the 1996 draft
Career stats: 25.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.7 apg in 20 seasons
4. Darko Milicic: 18 years and 1 day
Selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 2nd overall pick in the 2003 draft
Career stats: 6.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.3 apg in 10 seasons
5. Bill Willoughby: 18 years and 13 days
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks as the 19th overall pick in the 1975 draft
Career stats: 6.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.8 apg in eight seasons
6. Tracy McGrady: 18 years and 37 days
Selected by the Toronto Raptors as the 9th overall pick in the 1997 draft
Career stats: 19.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.4 apg in 15 seasons
7. Ersan Ilyasova: 18 years and 49 days
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 36th overall pick in the 2005 draft
Career stats: 10.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.1 apg in 13 seasons
8. Yaroslav Korolev: 18 years and 57 days
Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers as the 12th overall pick in the 2005 draft
Career stats: 1.1 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.4 apg in two seasons
9. Amir Johnson: 18 years and 63 days
Selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 56th overall pick in the 2005 draft
Career stats: 7.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg in 14 seasons
10. Bob Santini: 18 years and 71 days
Selected by the New York Knicks in the 5th round of the 1953 draft
Career stats: 2.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.3 apg in four games
11. Andris Biedrins: 18 years and 88 days
Selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 11th overall pick in the 2004 draft
Career stats: 6.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg in 10 seasons
12. CJ Miles: 18 years and 107 days
Selected by the Utah Jazz as the 34th overall pick in the 2005 draft
Career stats: 9.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.1 apg in 15 seasons
13. Al Harrington: 18 years and 132 days
Selected by the Indiana Pacers as the 25th overall pick in the 1998 draft
Career stats: 13.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.7 apg in 16 seasons
14. Andrei Kirilenko: 18 years and 136 days
Selected by the Utah Jazz as the 24th overall pick in the 1999 draft
Career stats: 11.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.7 apg in 13 seasons
15. Bruno Sundov: 18 years and 139 days
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks as the 35th overall pick in the 1998 draft
Career stats: 1.7 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.2 apg in seven seasons
16. Darryl Dawkins: 18 years and 142 days
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the 5th overall pick in the 1975 draft
Career stats: 12.0 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.4 bpg in 14 seasons
17. Maciej Lampe: 18 years and 145 days
Selected by the New York Knicks as the 30th overall pick in the 2003 draft
Career stats: 3.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.3 apg in three seasons
18. Jonathan Bender: 18 years and 155 days
Selected by the Toronto Raptors as the 5th overall pick in the 1999 draft
Career stats: 5.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.6 apg in eight seasons
19. LeBron James: 18 years and 182 days
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the 1st overall pick in the 2003 draft
Career stats: 27.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 7.4 apg in 18 seasons
20. Sekou Doumbouya: 18 years and 183 days
Selected by the Detroit Pistons as the 15th overall pick in the 2019 draft
Career stats: 5.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.7 apg in two seasons
21. Dwight Howard: 18 years and 203 days
Selected by the Orlando Magic as the 1st overall pick in the 2004 draft
Career stats: 16.2 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg in 17 seasons
22. Josh Smith: 18 years and 206 days
Selected by the Atlanta Hawks as the 17th overall pick in the 2004 draft
Career stats: 14.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.1 apg in 13 seasons
23. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 18 years and 208 days
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft
Career stats: 20.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 4.5 apg in eight seasons
23. Robert Swift: 18 years and 208 days
Selected by the Seattle SuperSonics as the 12th overall pick in the 2004 draft
Career stats: 4.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 0.2 apg in four seasons
25. Dorell Wright: 18 years and 209 days
Selected by the Miami Heat as the 19th overall pick in the 2004 draft
Career stats: 8.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 apg in 11 seasons
