Every Year there are new young players coming into the NBA because of the NBA draft. There are 60 lucky players that will be selected in the NBA draft each year. And out of those 60 players there are only few who thrive in the league and make a name for themselves. There are only few who can compete with the best players in the league and veterans despite their young age and lack of experience. Usually these young players that I mentioned comes from the Top 10 draft picks, he best 10 players in the draft. But sometimes there are also a few players that are picked lower but became more talented and skillful than the players in the Top 10. Those players are called "Steal of the draft". There are also some players that make immediate impact in the league and you will know that those players will be the superstars in the future.
Hardwork and determination are the main keys to become successful in the NBA and these young players underwent intense training to develop their skills even before they enter the NBA. Some of them participate in training camps and other basketball programs.
Now I am going to show you my list of the most promising young stars in the NBA today.
Lauri Markkanen
At first glance, you will feel that Lauri Markkanen will turn out to be a bust. He can be compared to Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks but a weaker version but Lauri proved them wrong.
Lauri Markkanen was included in the "All-Rookie First Team" or the best rookies this past season. Markkanen was already a reliable three point and mid-range shooter early in his career. He's not just a great long range shooter but he can also work in the post and get his points underneath the basket. He's not that good in defense but I think he can develop his defensive skills in no time because he is a high potential guy. He has the potential to become a player like Dirk Nowitzki. He's still young and can get many experience he needs to become one of the most talented players in the league in the future. Last season, Markkanen averaged 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, at 1.2 assists per game. A high percentage for a rookie.
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum is one of the main reason why LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers almost fail to reach the Finals last season. Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics almost beat James and the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals without their two best players Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Boston also finished second in the standings in the regular season and Jayson Tatum was one of the main factor of the team's success. Jayson Tatum is sure to be a future star no doubt about it. I know you will agree with me.
I believe the Philadelphia 76ers made a big mistake in passing on Jayson Tatum in the NBA draft and instead they drafted Markelle Fultz who is a no show and have many issues in his game. Imagine if the Sixers drafted Tatum, they would've dominated the Eastern Conference Easily with a lineup of Ben Simmons at the point, JJ Redick at the shooting guard position, Jayson Tatum at the small forward, Dario Saric at powerforward and Joel Embiid at center. That will be a tough lineup to beat especially in a seven game series in the playoffs. If you look at Tatum, his game is almost complete, he good both offensively and defensively. He almost has no flaws and I am thinking that he just need more experience to become a true superstar. And also don't forget that Kobe Bryant himself becomes Tatum's mentor for a while.
Donovan Mitchell
Did you watched how Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz dominated the first round of the playoffs against the big three of Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony? Mitchell is the main reason why the Jazz made it to the second round of the playoffs. Mitchell is a legit scorer that can drop 20 or 30 on anybody at any given night. Even if he's just a rookie and a young player who is new to the league, he proves that he can be one of the top players in the NBA.
Many believed that Donovan deserves the Rookie of the Year award more than Ben Simmons because of what he showed last season carrying the Utah Jazz to the playoffs despite losing their best player Gordon Hayward. Mitchell is a great scorer and I think he can lead the league in scoring anytime soon and it's very possible that he gets his first all-star appearance next season. Mitchell has no fear when driving to the basket and taking big shots. He plays like a veteran and I think he can lead a team early in his career.
In my own opinion, I think he's like a young Dwyane Wade. Their games are alike and their skills are comparable. Mitchell finished last season with 20.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons was named "Rookie of the Year" this past season but many criticize him because they say he's not a rookie anymore but in my opinion, he deserved to win the award. The Philadelphia 76ers has been patient and waited for Simmons to recover from an injury. Their long-wait pays off as Ben Simmons showed the world why he is called the next LeBron James. Simmons is already one of the best players in the NBA today. He and Joel Embiid are the main reasons why the Sixers are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference today. I also agree that Simmons is the modern version of LeBron James. Their games are very much alike. They are both great passers, they're both athletic, they're body structures and strength are also alike. Simmons is outstanding both in offense and offense and the only missing piece for Simmons is his shooting ability. Simmons can't shoot the three and not a consistent mid-range shooter. But even without these abilities, Simmons still is a dominating player at his young age.
Some people also said that Simmons must've been an all-star this past season and I agree with them. He has the most potential to become the next LeBron James and become the next face of the NBA. Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game last season.
Thanks for reading my post. You can share your thoughts about this article and I will be very happy to hear from you guys. And also let me know if you have some advice to improve my writing skills. Thank you again and have a nice day! :)
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