The NBA Draft is perhaps the most important part of an offseason and preseason for teams in the associations because drafting the right player completely alters the present and future goals of GMs. That is why the most talented or physically capable player is normally taken out of college with one of the top picks in the draft, and we have normally seen elite success from the guys at the very top, although we have seen some busts. Of course, college (and sometimes high school) players coming into the NBA are young and lack experience, which is why it is expected to see some growing pains. In fact, we have seen some very young players get drafted into the NBA.
But which players were taken out of school at very young ages? It is time to list the 20 youngest NBA players drafted straight out of college or high school into the pros. HoopsHype did an amazing job listing out these players, and let’s dive into each one and how their careers started and went. While there are some very big names, including All-Stars and Hall of Famers, on this list, there are also some names that you might not have heard before. It is truly amazing to see how these players fared in the NBA despite coming into the grown man’s league at such young ages.
20. Sekou Doumbouya – 18 Years And 183 Days
Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
No. 15 Pick In The 2019 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 5.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Getting taken No. 15 overall in an NBA Draft is quite an impressive feat, especially for an 18-year-old from an entirely different continent. Sekou Doumbouya was still a teenager when taken into the league, and he has needed some time to make an impact so far. Making his debut in the 2020 season, the forward hasn’t set his teams alight so far.
Sekou Doumbouya was drafted by the Pistons, and he played for the franchise for two seasons before moving on to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2023 season. Doumbouya is a 6’8” forward with solid athleticism, so he has the potential to improve on his career averages of 5.6 PPG and 2.8 RPG.
19. LeBron James – 18 Years And 182 Days
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No. 1 Pick In The 2003 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 27.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 BPG
Obviously, LeBron James is one of the greatest No. 1 overall picks in NBA history, if not the greatest. The King has steep competition for being the greatest No. 1 pick ever from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, but LeBron has lasted longer than both players in terms of being dominant for 20 years. James has had an incredible career so far, capturing four NBA titles and four Finals MVPs, along with four MVP awards for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers.
James was considered one of the greatest prospects ever by his rookie season which is why he was taken straight out of high school (St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio). The King was compared to Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson before he stepped foot on an NBA court, and despite having that much pressure on him, James showed why he could be on that level after he posted 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists on his debut. Fast forward 20 years, and James has managed to somehow exceed expectations.
18. Jonathan Bender – 18 Years And 155 Days
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No. 5 Pick In The 1999 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 5.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Jonathan Bender was taken No. 5 overall in the 1999 NBA Draft and has to be considered a flop as a result of that. The 6’11” forward only weighed 202 lbs and was not physical enough to compete in the vigorous era of the league. Bender’s career stats are hardly impressive, and he should have never been taken so high.
The Toronto Raptors took him very high, and the player ended up playing the first seven seasons of his career with the Indiana Pacers, posting 5.6 PPG and 2.2 RPG. After missing three years with a knee injury after those seven years, Bender returned for one more year in 2010 before never playing in the league again. No doubt, Bender should not have been taken so high and definitely not so young.
17. Maciej Lampe – 18 Years And 145 Days
Credit: Wikipedia/Maciej Lampe
No. 30 Pick In The 2003 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 3.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Maciej Lampe was nowhere near considered a massive risk when the New York Knicks took the 6’11” center from Poland at only 18 years old. Lampe played the first three seasons of his career with the Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Hornets, and Houston Rockets before dropping out of the league. The player was definitely not suitable for the high-paced nature of the NBA.
Drafting an 18-year-old from an entirely different continent is normally a risky situation, but as a No. 30 overall pick, nobody really places much blame or criticism on the Polish national. Lampe’s career averages are below average, and he never gained much ground in the league because he lacked the offensive or defensive skill to make any sort of impact.
16. Darryl Dawkins – 18 Years And 142 Days
Credit: Malcolm Emmons – USA TODAY Sports
No. 5 Pick In The 1975 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 12.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG
Darryl Dawkins had a unique career because he played five seasons abroad in Italy after the final NBA season of his career in 1989. The 6’11” center was certainly tall and capable of competing on both ends in the paint as he was taken No. 5 overall in the 1975 Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Dawkins would play the first seven years of his career with the 76ers, posting averages of 11.2 PPG and 6.7 RPG. He had steps with the New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons, and Utah Jazz before deciding to take his talents to Italy. As the No. 5 overall pick, Dawkins was expected to be better, but perhaps getting taken into the league at 18 years old might have played a role in an average career.
15. Bruno Sundov – 18 Years And 139 Days
Credit: Facebook/Bruno Sundov
No. 35 Pick In The 1998 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 1.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.2 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Bruno Sundov fell to No. 35 overall in the 1998 NBA Draft, so his flop of a career should not be held against him or the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks went for the 7’2” giant from Croatia because having monstrous players in the paint is never a bad idea in the NBA. Unfortunately, Sundov never got a grip on his career.
The big man was only 18 years and 139 days old when he was taken as a rookie, and he hardly made an impact in his rookie campaign (1.3 PPG over three games). Sundov would go on to play a total of 102 career games for five different teams and never had a season averaging over 3.9 PPG. No doubt, the young man was not ready for the NBA, and his career did not go too well as a result.
14. Andrei Kirilenko – 18 Years And 136 Days
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No. 24 Pick In The 1999 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 11.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.8 BPG
Andrei Kirilenko was an excellent pick at No. 24 overall by the Utah Jazz. The 6’9” forward was an exceptional forward with superstar defensive ability over his career, as the player made three All-Defensive Teams and one All-Star. Kirilenko was not much of a scorer, but his defense made him a tough competitor when he was with the Utah Jazz.
Amazingly, Andrei Kirilenko was only 18 years old when the Jazz selected him so it is obvious the franchise was impressed with the forward’s physicality and elite defensive abilities. Kirilenko averaged a career 1.4 SPG and 1.8 BPG, which are elite for a wing player, and he even led the NBA in BPG during the 2005 season (3.3 BPG). Utah made the right move by taking Andrei Kirilenko as an 18-year-old, out of Russia.
13. Al Harrington – 18 Years And 132 Days
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No. 25 Pick In The 1998 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 13.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Al Harrington was another example of a youngster that actually ended up having a very solid career despite being taken quite far down in the draft. The 6’9” power forward had a unique playing style because he could score inside and outside, often fooling defenders as to how to defend him. The forward had career averages of 44.4% FG and 35.2% 3-PT FG.
At only 18 years old, Al Harrington only appeared in 21 games in his rookie season and would not get heavy minutes until his third season when the player posted 7.5 PPG in 24.3 MPG of action. Harrington would go on to have his best seasons in Atlanta in 2005 and 2006, along with the 2009 season with the New York Knicks. Despite getting drafted at a young age, Harrington ended up having a decent career.
12. C.J. Miles – 18 Years And 107 Days
Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
No. 34 Pick In The 2005 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 9.6 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG
C.J. Miles fell to No. 34 in the 2005 NBA Draft, perhaps because the player was not the most explosive or the most defensively inclined. The 6’6” wing player could shoot the ball, so he ended up getting taken by the Utah Jazz at only 18 years old. Considering that fact, Miles had a decent career.
He posted career averages of 9.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG for seven different teams, the longest stint coming with the Utah Jazz (seven seasons). Miles was known to be a floor-spacer and was more trusted as he aged, so the role player ended up having a long career as he completed 16 seasons in the NBA.
11. Andris Biedrins – 18 Years And 88 Days
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No. 11 Pick In The 2004 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 6.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.1 BPG
Andris Biedrins was a polarizing draft choice because he was taken quite high at No. 11 overall by the Golden State Warriors but did not really have much offensive talent. The 6’11” center was a massive figure in the paint, but he was restricted to scoring in the form of layups and dunks and wasn’t the most mobile.
Biedrins was capable of blocking shots, rebounding, and using his size to deter opposing players so he did have some good years with the Golden State Warriors. The big man was a part of the 2007 “We Believe” Golden State Warriors that knocked off the dominant Dallas Mavericks team in the first round of the playoffs. The offensively limited center was taken into the NBA as an 18-year-old so perhaps a few more years of experience would have helped Andris Biedrins refine his game a little bit more.
10. Bob Santini – 18 Years And 71 Days
No. 5 Pick In The 1953 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 2.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG, 0.3 APG
Bob Santini should not have come into the NBA as the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft. The 6’5” forward only appeared in 4 games for the New York Knicks, averaging negligible numbers and averaging less than 6 MPG. He made his debut in 1956, so luckily, nobody remembers him or his quick debut.
Santini only lasted 4 games in the NBA before his career came to an end, which probably meant the 18-year-old was not ready to be given a spot on an NBA team much less a chance on the New York Knicks. Perhaps Santini should have been given more time to mature before entering the league.
9. Amir Johnson – 18 Years And 63 Days
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No. 56 Pick In The 2005 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 7.0 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Amir Johnson quietly had an impressively long career, playing for only four teams over 14 seasons. Amir was chosen 56th by the Detroit Pistons in 2005, so anything he would have done a little bove-average would have been a plus. The natural power forward hustled on the court and was a solid defender for most of his career, as he played the first four seasons with the Detroit Pistons team that took him before joining the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Johnson was able to stay relatively healthy throughout his career, and getting drafted early meant he was able to refine his craft as a defender and hustle-first player. Of course, competing for over 10 years after getting taken so young meant the player made a lot of money and deserves what he earned as a living.
8. Yaroslav Korolev – 18 Years And 57 Days
Credit: Alchetron
No. 12 Pick In The 2005 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 1.1 PPG, 0.5 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Much to the dismay of the Los Angeles Clippers fanbase, Yaroslav Korolev was unfortunately drafted as an 18-year-old with the No. 12 draft pick. The Russian small forward only appeared in 34 games over 2 seasons with Los Angeles, averaging 1.1 PPG in 4.9 career MPG. That’s right, the 6’9” forward only had two seasons in the NBA despite being a top-15 draft pick.
Korolev can be labeled a failure of a draft choice due to his lack of opportunities although it was always refreshing to see foreign players get a chance in the NBA, especially young ones in their teens. Still, Korolev was not ready for the league, and the Clippers ended up wasting their pick on a teenager.
7. Ersan Ilyasova – 18 Years And 49 Days
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No. 36 Pick In The 2005 Draft
Career Stats: 10.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
Ersan Ilyasova has had a long career as a journeyman, playing for 7 franchises and even having a 2-year stint abroad in Spain after his rookie campaign. The unique Turkish player brought an interesting skillset as an outside shooter and capable rebounder, which is why he completed an impressive 13-season career.
Ilyasova is the type of player who would absolutely succeed in the modern NBA game because his skill set translates perfectly as a floor-spacing big man. However, in the early 2000s, in his rookie season, Ilyasova had to play in Spain to gain experience before coming back to play for the Milwaukee Bucks. His best season came in 2013 for the Bucks when he posted 13.2 PPG and 7.1 RPG, so Milwaukee made the right choice with their No. 36 overall pick.
6. Tracy McGrady – 18 Years And 37 Days
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No. 9 Pick In The 1997 Draft
Career Stats: 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Tracy McGrady is a Hall of Famer and one of the best scorers of his generation, and he was drafted as an 18-year-old by the Toronto Raptors. The young teenager had a slow start to his NBA career before taking off in the 2001 season by winning Most Improved Player after he was traded to the Orlando Magic. T-Mac always had this talent in him, but he was being slightly left behind because Vince Carter was dominating the court with Toronto and played the same position.
Therefore, McGrady was a bundle of talent and athleticism at a very young age and was an excellent choice with the No. 9 pick. T-Mac would go on to have a superstar career as a two-time scoring champion and seven-time All-Star and had excellent seasons with the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets. McGrady was ready for the NBA as an 18-year-old, so he has to be one of the greatest teenage talents ever.
5. Bill Willoughby – 18 Years And 13 Days
Credit: NBA.com
No. 19 Pick In The 1975 Draft
Career Stats: 6.0 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Bill Willoughby was selected by the Atlanta Hawks later in the first round of the draft, lasting two seasons with them before bouncing around in his career. Willoughby would go on to play for five more franchises, completing an 8-year career. For a teenager without much talent, Bill did not have too much of a disappointing career because he fell to No. 19 overall.
A 6’8” small forward, Willoughby did become a sharpshooter in the 1982 and 1983 seasons, nailing 42.9% of his threes over those two stints. The 6’8” forward played a total of 488 carer games, so he had plenty of time to prove he belonged in the NBA and had a decent career overall.
4. Darko Milicic – 18 Years And 1 Day
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No. 2 Pick In The 2003 Draft
Career Stats: 6.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG
Arguably the biggest bust in NBA history, nobody knows what the Detroit Pistons were thinking when they selected Dark Milicic over the likes of Carmelo Anthony with the No. 2 overall pick. We knew LeBron James was going No. 1, but picking any of the talented payers after him made the most sense as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were ready to be taken.
Detroit was trying to find their long-term replacement for their aging big men, but Milicic could never have the scoring ability of a potential superstar like Carmelo Anthony had. Darkos’ career stats are very disappointing to see for a player taken so high in arguably the most talented draft ever, but it is not the player’s fault. The Pistons were clearly not scouting the players well enough because taking Carmelo Anthony would have probably changed their franchise forever and certainly during the 2000s decade.
3. Kobe Bryant – 17 Years And 312 Days
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No. 13 Pick In The 1996 Draft
Career Stats: 25.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Kobe Bryant turned out to be one of the all-time greats despite being taken at only 17 years old out of high school. The brash youngster impressed scouts and the Los Angeles Lakers had no choice but to snatch him away from the Charlotte Hornets as the latter took him No. 13 overall in the 1996 NBA Draft.
Bryant needed one year to become an All-Star and form one of the best duos ever with Shaquille O’Neal, and certainly the most dominant little-big duo ever. A 5-time NBA champion and 2-time Finals MVP at the time of his retirement, Bryant proved to be ready for the vigours of the NBA as he tried his best to emulate the greatest player of all time in, Michael Jordan. Nobody came closer to Jordan, and Bryant has to be hailed even more after coming into the league so young.
2. Jermaine O’Neal – 17 Years And 261 Days
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No. 17 Pick In The 1996 Draft
Career Stats: 13.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.8 BPG
Taken by the Portland Trail Blazers, Jermaine O’Neal could hardly crack the lineup playing 11.5 MPG over his first 4 seasons. Once he was traded to the Indiana Pacers, O’Neal became an All-Star and developed into one of the best big men in the game. Jermaine was quite a unique big man because of his ability to dominate inside and use his handles to create space for himself around the rim.
It is amazing how raw Jermaine was coming out of college and would have probably been more effective as a rookie had he played more minutes for the Trail Blazers. Perhaps not, and Portland might have made the right move to keep the youngster training to prove himself. Regardless, O’Neal had a very solid career with six All-Star Teams, and if not for the Malice at the Palace, he might have had an even better career as well.
1. Andrew Bynum – 17 Years And 249 Days
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No. 10 Pick In The 2005 Draft
Career Stats: 11.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.3 SPG, 1.6 BPG
Andrew Bynum is the youngest player to ever get drafted, as the center was 17 years and 249 days old. That is incredible for the Lakers to do with the No. 10 overall pick but the franchise wanted their Shaquille O’Neal replacement because Kobe Bryant was carrying the Lakers year after year without any help. Kobe was putting up monster scoring numbers to sell seats, but that wasn’t enough.
Bynum had a slow rookie season before starting to blossom as a two-way starting center. The Lakers trusted Bynum, despite his health issues, and the big man ended up forming a twin-towers pairing with Pau Gasol to help Bryant win two titles in 2009 and 2010. Andrew did struggle with immaturity throughout his career, so perhaps getting drafted so young affected his career, but two NBA titles, one All-NBA Team selection, and one All-Star Team appearance isn’t the worst resume.
Source: fadeawayworld
