20 players younger than 23 set to step onto NBA Playoffs stage

When you look at the top players 23 years old and younger playing in the NBA playoffs, one fact stands out: the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers are filled with young talent.

Not all that young talent is concentrated on those teams either. The Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are represented, along with several other teams. Some players are already All-Stars and not far from All-NBA honors, while others are headed in that direction.

(Note: Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren is 23, but turns 24 on May 1. So, he is not included.)

Here’s a look at the top players 23 and younger in the first round of the NBA playoffs, listed in alphabetical order:

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Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic (23 years old)

• A 2024 All-Star selection, Banchero delivered 22.2 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 5.2 apg in 2025-26.

Anthony Black, Orlando Magic (22)

• The stats keep improving for Black, now in his third season: 15 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.7 apg and 1.4 spg on 44.7% shooting overall.

Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs (21)

• The 2024-25 Kia Rookie of the Year improved his scoring (14.7 to 16.7 per game), shooting (42.8% to 47.1%) and assists (4.1 to 7.4) season over season.

Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers (22)

Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks (23)

• One of the NBA’s top defenders, Daniels shared the league lead in steals (2 spg) with Ausar Thompson and averaged 11.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 5.9 apg.

Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons (22)

• Duren took a massive leap this season, posting 19.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg and shooting 65% as he made his first All-Star team.

VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers (20)

• One of the few rookies who started a majority of games for a playoff team, Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, averaged 16 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.2 apg and 1.2 spg while shooting 43.8% from the field, 35.4% on 3-pointers and 81.8% on free throws.

Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (20)

• The No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft, Harper’s per-36-minutes stats are telling: 18.8 ppg, 6.1 apg, 5.4 rpg and 1.2 spg while shooting 50.5% from the field.

Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers (22)

• He missed the first 51 games with a hamstring tear but averaged 15.9 ppg and shot 42.9% on 3-pointers in the last 18 games of the season.

Jonathan Kuminga, Atlanta Hawks (23)

• Kuminga shows flashes of his potential – like when he had 24 points against Cleveland on April 8.

Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets (23)

• Already a two-time All-Star, Sengun was one of three players to average at least 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists this season.

Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers (22)

• He returned late in the season from left calf and fibula injuries and averaged a career-high 20.8 ppg.

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets (21)

• After playing just 12.6 minutes per game in 52 games as a rookie, Sheppard showed this season why he was the No. 3 pick in the 2024 Draft: 13.5 ppg and 1.5 spg while shooting 39.4% on 3-pointers.

Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets (22)

• Playing alongside Kevin Durant was good for Smith, who averaged 15.8 ppg and 6.9 rpg.

Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (23)

• Like his brother Ausar, Amen defends while also shooting with efficiency inside the 3-point line. He averaged 18.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5.3 apg and 1.5 spg in 2025-26.

Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons (23)

• When Thompson, an All-Defensive Team candidate, is on the court, the Pistons outscore opponents by 11.6 points per 100 possessions. He tied for the league lead in steals per game (2.0).

Jaylon Tyson, Cleveland Cavaliers (23)

Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder (22)

• Another top-notch defender for the Thunder who posted 8.6 ppg and 1.9 spg in 26.6 minutes per game.

Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets (23)

• When injuries hit the Nuggets in December and January, Watson averaged 17.9 ppg and shot 42.6% on 3-pointers in 27 games.

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (22)

• Already one of the league’s top players, Wembanyama, a two-time All-Star and game-changer defensively, should only get better after averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks this season.

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Jeff Zillgitt has covered the NBA since 2008. You can email him at jzillgitt@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.