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 many 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 who played in the league, led by the legendary Andrew Bynum, one of just three players ever to be chosen as 17-year-olds.
1. Andrew Bynum: 17 years and 245 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 256 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 307 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 six days
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 14 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 32 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 44 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 52 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 58 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. Andris Biedrins: 18 years and 83 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
11. CJ Miles: 18 years and 102 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
12. Al Harrington: 18 years and 128 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
13. Andrei Kirilenko: 18 years and 132 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
14. Bruno Sundov: 18 years and 135 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
15. Maciej Lampe: 18 years and 141 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
16. Darryl Dawkins: 18 years and 143 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. Jonathan Bender: 18 years and 151 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
18. LeBron James: 18 years and 178 days
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the 1st overall pick in the 2003 draft
Career stats: 27.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 7.4 apg in 22 seasons
19. Sekou Doumbouya: 18 years and 179 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 three seasons
19. Ulrich Chomche: 18 years and 179 days
Selected by the Toronto Raptors as the 57th overall pick in the 2024 draft
Career stats: 0.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.2 apg in one season
21. GG Jackson: 18 years and 187 days
Selected by the Memphis Grizzlies as the 45th overall pick in the 2023 draft
Career stats: 14.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.2 apg in one season
22. Dwight Howard: 18 years and 198 days
Selected by the Orlando Magic as the 1st overall pick in the 2004 draft
Career stats: 15.7 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.8 bpg in 18 seasons
23. Josh Smith: 18 years and 201 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
24. Robert Swift: 18 years and 203 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
24. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 18 years and 203 days
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft
Career stats: 23.7 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 5.9 apg in 12 seasons
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