Who are the brightest young stars in the NBA? We’re counting them down on ESPN.com.
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#NBArank All-Time Kicks: The best hoops shoes in NBA history
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All-Time #NBArank: The greatest players ever
We’re counting down the greatest players in NBA history.
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We’re counting down the greatest basketball sneakers of all time on ESPN.com, #NBArank style.
We’re counting down the greatest players in NBA history.
And who’s No. 1? Should it be Anthony Davis, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid or another rising star?
We’ll roll out our top 50 players over the next 10 days, leading up to the Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star Weekend.
If you want to get involved in the discussion, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag. You also can follow along @ESPNNBA and on Facebook.
On to the countdown!
Orlando Magic | PG
Age: 22 | @elfrid
Draft: No. 10 in 2014
Stats & Info: Payton has posted career highs in PPG (12.5) and FG% (45.5). He’s 12th in the NBA in potential assists per game (12.8) ahead of Kyle Lowry, Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving.
Orlando Magic | C
Age: 24 | @bismackbiyombo
Drafted No. 7 in 2011
Stats & Info: Biyombo is one of just 10 players to average one block per game each of the past six seasons. He is by far the youngest of that group, including four years younger than DeAndre Jordan, who is the second-youngest of the group.
Los Angeles Lakers | PF
Age: 24 | @Larrydn22
Drafted No. 27 in 2015
Stats & Info: For the second straight season, Nance ranks among the top 25 power forwards in Defensive Real-Plus Minus. His 1.2 steals per game lead all front-court players who have not started any games this season.
Phoenix Suns | SF
Age: 23 | @TonyWarrenJr
Drafted No. 14 in 2014
Stats & Info: Warren has nine 20-point games this season (had three in his first two years combined), posting career highs in PPG (13.1), RPG (3.9), APG (1.0) and steals (1.2) this season.
Denver Nuggets | SG
Age: 22 | @thats_G_
Drafted No. 19 in 2014
Stats & Info: Harris has made 51.5 percent of his 2-point FG during his three-year career, third-best among players 6-foot-4 or shorter in that time behind Steph Curry (54.6 percent) and Goran Dragic (52.8 percent).
Phoenix Suns | PF
Age: 19 | @Quese_22
Drafted No. 8 in 2016
Stats & Info: Chriss’ 44 starts this season are the second-most among the 2016 draft class.
Charlotte Hornets | C
Age: 24 | @CodyZeller
Drafted No. 4 in 2013
Stats & Info: Zeller increased his scoring, FG percentage, rebounding and blocks per game in each of his four seasons. He has the fourth-highest net rating among players selected in the 2013 draft (12.7).
Philadelphia 76ers | C
Age: 21 | @JahlilOkafor
Drafted No. 3 in 2015
Stats & Info: Okafor has the fourth-highest PPG (15.1) and third-highest FG pct (.510 min 500 FGM) among players selected in the 2015 draft class. He has second-most points scored by a 76er since being drafted (1,315).
Denver Nuggets | PG
Age: 20 | @emmanuelmudiay
Drafted No. 7 in 2015
Stats & Info: After shooting 67 percent as a rookie, Mudiay has upped that to 77.5 percent entering Feb. 6. The 10.5 percentage point increase from last season to this season is the largest increase among any of the 69 players who have attempted as many free throws as Mudiay has this season (142).
Boston Celtics | SF
Age: 20 | @FCHWPO
Drafted No. 3 in 2016
Stats & Info: Brown (20 years, 95 days) is the third-youngest Celtics player to score 20 points in a game in the last 50 seasons. Only Gerald Green and Antoine Walker achieved that mark sooner in Boston during that span.
Coming Wednesday: Rising Stars Nos. 31-40
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