Youngest NBA Players in 2024–25 and All Time

Nate Cunningham | Jun 2, 2025

Andrew Bynum (left) is the youngest player to play in an NBA game, doing so just six days after his 18th birthday. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

For every professional basketball player, there's an intriguing story to accompany them. Most of those include a hefty dose of uncertainty. However, for the youngest players in league history—those who should have been closer to say, a high school mathematics class than an NBA arena—the story is uncertainty.

After all, there's really nothing that can prepare someone for the speed and intensity of the NBA. Sure, some adjust quicker than others, but even the most talented rookies often have an adjustment period.

Of course, these examples are rare. That's due, in large part, to the multiple rules that were in place regarding player eligibility in the NBA.

From the founding of the league in 1946 until the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Haywood vs. National Basketball Association, all players were required to be four years removed from high school before entering the league.

After the court's ruling, the NBA changed its rule, allowing players to enter the league early in certain "hardship" cases.

Essentially, a player needed to demonstrate that a family or financial situation necessitated entering the league. Two individuals used this to enter the 1975 draft straight out of high school—Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby. Dawkins was selected fifth overall by Philadelphia and Willoughby was selected 19th by Atlanta. The two combined to play 22 years in the NBA.

Twenty years later and the "prep-to-pro" trend would be taking over. The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Kevin Garnett with the No. 5 overall pick in 1995 straight out of Farragut Career Academy in Chicago.

Over the next 10 years, NBA teams selected players straight out of high school regularly. In 2001, three of the first four players selected skipped college. In 2004, eight of the first 19 picks were straight out of high school. Three high school players have been selected first overall. Kwame Brown (2001), LeBron James (2003) and Dwight Howard (2004).

The NBA's current setup for eligibility was established in 2006 and has been retained through multiple collective bargaining agreements since. The rules are pretty straightforward. In order to be eligible for the NBA draft, a player must be at least 19-years-old during the calendar year of said draft and must be at least one year removed from graduating high school.

The Youngest Players in NBA History

Player	Team	Age at Debut
Andrew Bynum	Los Angeles Lakers	18 years, 6 days
Jermaine O'Neal	Portland Trail Blazers	18 years, 53 days
Kobe Bryant	Los Angeles Lakers	18 years, 72 days
Darko Milicic	Detroit Pistons	18 years, 133 days
Stan Brown	Philadelphia Warriors	18 years, 139 days
Bill Willoughby	Atlanta Hawks	18 years, 156 days
Tracy McGrady	Toronto Raptors	18 years, 160 days
Yaroslav Korolev	Denver Nuggets	18 years, 181 days
Andris Biedrins	Golden State Warriors	18 years, 217 days
CJ Miles	Utah Jazz	18 years, 241 days

No. 1: Andrew Bynum (18 years, 6 days)

The youngest player to ever appear in an NBA game, Bynum was drafted No. 10 overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He made his debut on Nov. 2, 2005, against Denver, less than one week after his 18th birthday. Bynum played five minutes and 29 seconds, grabbing two rebounds.

Bynum went on to play seven seasons with Los Angeles, winning NBA championships in 2009 and '10 and making one All-Star team in 2012. He retired after the 2013 season due to chronic knee injuries, although many would say his dedication to the game was also lacking.

No. 2: Jermaine O'Neal (18 years, 53 days)

Before there was Bynum, there was O'Neal.

Selected No. 17 overall in the 1996 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, O'Neal made his debut on Dec. 5, 1996, against Denver. He played two minutes and 55 seconds and scored two points. After four seasons with the Trail Blazers, he was traded to the Indiana Pacers.

With the Pacers, O'Neal developed into one of the best players in basketball. He won the Most Improved Player Award and was named to six-straight All-Star teams while in Indiana. Unfortunately for O'Neal, he might be most remembered for his role in the "Malice at the Palace" brawl in 2004.

No. 3: Kobe Bryant (18 years, 72 days)

The Charlotte Hornets drafted Bryant with the No. 13 pick of the 1996 draft straight out of Lower Merion High School (Philadelphia). About two weeks later, the Hornets would ship Bryant to the Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.

The rest is history.

Bryant debuted on Nov. 3, 1996, against the Timberwolves, playing six minutes and 22 seconds, missing his only attempted shot. A few months later, Bryant became the youngest starter in NBA history. On Jan. 28, 1997, Bryant chipped in 12 points in a blowout win over Dallas.

Bryant spent 20 seasons with Los Angeles, becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He retired as a five-time champion, 18-time All-Star, MVP and 15-time All-NBA team member. He is the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history (33,643 points).

On Jan. 26, 2020, Bryant died tragically, alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash in California.

The Youngest Players in the NBA This Season

Player	Team	Age at Debut
Ulrich Chomche	Toronto Raptors	19 years, 134 days
Tidjane Salaun	Charlotte Hornets	19 years, 276 days
Nikola Topić	Oklahoma City Thunder	19 years, 276 days
Pacôme Dadiet	New York Knicks	19 years, 290 days
Cam Christie	Los Angeles Clippers	19 years, 293 days
Bub Carrington	Washington Wizards	19 years, 296 days
Ron Holland	Detroit Pistons	19 years, 310 days
Alex Sarr	Washington Wizards	20 years, 17 days
Zaccharie Risacher	Atlanta Hawks	20 years, 35 days
Trentyn Flowers	Los Angeles Clippers	20 years, 66 days