By Cory Elfrink - Email Cory

The NBA is going through what can only be described as rejuvenation.  It almost seems that since 2003 the entire League is in somewhat of a rebuilding mode.  Last season, we saw a 22 year-old star single-handedly lead his team to the finals.  The year before that, Dwyane Wade guided the Heat to a championship in just his third season.  In fact, there was not one 30 year-old among the top six in scoring last year (Ray Allen, 32 this month, was 7th).

The talented youth in today’s game goes far beyond a top 10 or even a Top 25.  To further break down the future of the game I will explore what I presume to be the Top 51 players in the League under the age of 25.  On this list, you will not see Greg Oden, Kevin Durant or other members of the ultra-talented draft that took place in June, but rather players who have at least one year NBA experience.

Let’s check out 51-26:
All Photos Courtesy of ESPN.com

51.   Anderson Varejao, 24
Why 51?  Because Varejao is a free agent this off-season and will probably be grossly overpaid.  I wanted to point out that he will potentially earn $35 million over the next five years and he is not even among the top 50 players under 25. Lebron’s big man made his presence felt in the playoffs.  Aside from a few mental lapses, Varejao was their best low-post defender and most tenacious rebounder.  It’s hard to argue his passion for the game and his potential to be a defensive force.   
6.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, .6 bpg

50.   Channing Frye, 24
No one had a bigger sophomore slump than this new Trailblazer.  Despite playing a couple more minutes per game, nearly all of his production fell off.  Although he has an effective and varied offensive game, his defense needs a lot of work.  His midrange game will make him a fine complement to new center Greg Oden.
9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, .6 bpg

49.  Shaun Livingston, 21
The Illinois native recently tore his left knee to shreds and won’t see any playing time before the next All-Star break.  The 6’7” PG has shown remarkable athleticism but too much tentativeness in his first three seasons with the Clips.  He would have made it higher on the list but he has never made it thru more than 61 games in any of his first three seasons and next season will be no different. 
9.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 1.1 spg

48.  Randy Foye, 23
The T-Wolves consolation for trading Brandon Roy had a productive rookie season.  He shot as well as you could expect any 6’3” rookie SG and managed over 15 points per in April.  He looks to get some time at PG after McHale gave away Mike James to Houston.  I don’t foresee a smooth transition, but it wouldn’t be the first time he surprises me.  He penetrates well but his decision making will need a lot of work before he is a successful NBA point.
10.1 ppg, 2.8 apg, .368 3P%

47.  Darko Milicic, 22
The former number 2 pick is currently a free agent and hopes to convince some GM that he’s worth $50 million over 5 years.  With Moron GM the deepest position in the League, he shouldn’t have much problem.  However, there are plenty of reasons to hesitate.  Milicic is a terrible free-throw shooter and a nonchalant rebounder.  His biggest asset is shot-blocking.  I don’t foresee him ever being an above average starter but he has plenty of years left.
8.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.8 bpg

46. Gerald Green, 21
Few players in the League have the natural athleticism Green has.  However, his game is wildly inconsistent.  He needs to work on his mid-range game and ball-handling.  He has shown his inexperience in some of the decisions and turnovers that he makes.  With a lot of fine-tuning, he could still wind up an All-Star in the League.
10.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, .368 3P%

45.  Paul Millsap, 22
While at Louisiana Tech, Millsap led the nation in rebounds three consecutive seasons.  He brought that same nose for the ball to the Jazz in his limited use as a rookie.  He may not find starter minutes anytime soon, as Carlos Boozer has emerged as one of the best PFs in the League, but he will be a steadying defensive force off of Jerry Sloan’s bench for many years to come.
6.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg, .525 FG%

44.  Trevor Ariza, 22
Ariza is another one of the best athlete’s in the game but needs to work on all of his basketball skills.  His FG% is skewed greatly by his tendency to only shoot close to the basket or dunk.  His FT% was a mere 62%.  With the arrival of Rashard Lewis, his focus will be defense and boards.  I have to believe Stan Van Gundy will find a way to use him plenty in his first year with the Magic.
8.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, .539 FG%

43.  Tyrus Thomas, 20
The greedy leaper provided excellent contributions in a watered down role for the Bulls and head coach Scott Skiles last season.  Look for him to win the starter’s spot now that PJ Brown will potentially sign elsewhere.  Thomas’ lengthy injury history is obvious cause for concern, but his tenacity and athleticism give plenty of shade to those apprehensions.  Look for him to break out next season.
5.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 bpg

42.  Sean May, 23
May was having as good a sophomore year as anyone before a bad ankle sprain put him on the sidelines for most of the season.  He is a very reliable post scorer and should get plenty of touches.  That is assuming he answers Bernie Bickerstaff’s demands of getting in shape.  A few less pounds and May figures to be a more consistent rebounder and a starter in this league for many years.
11.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, .500 FG%

41.  Jarrett Jack, 23
The Georgia Tech alum saw a huge jump in playing time as a sophomore and started 79 games in Portland at the point.  He was a reliable shooter and defender but only an average decision maker.  GM Kevin Pritchard has saw fit to add three more point guards, besides the productive Sergio Rodriguez, via the draft and free agency so Jack’s future status and playing time may be in jeopardy.
12.0 ppg, 5.1 apg, 1.1 spg

40.    Marvin Williams, 21
Marvin quietly developed into an NBA forward last year.  His overall numbers were huge improvements on his rookie year and should only continue to rise.  A steady PG would drastically help his development.  Keep in mind; although his numbers are solid, he was playing 34 minutes a game.  Thru the draft, the Hawks added PF Al Horford; yet another roadblock to his playing time.
13.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.9 apg

39.  J.R. Smith, 21
The Nuggets got Smith for next-to-nothing last off-season and he more than paid off.  In his 24 starts he averaged more than 16 ppg.  Once Iverson and Anthony were together, his role was heavily diminished.  Coach George Karl has accused him of possessing a low basketball IQ and former coach Byron Scott wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. If he can’t get out of Denver, this tremendous athlete may not develop as well as he should.   Unfortunately, Smith was involved in a fatal collision shortly after the end of the season.  Physically, he should have no set backs.
13.0 ppg, .39 3P%, .81 FT%

38.  Delonte West, 23
The Seattle Supersonics recently acquired West from the Celtics in the Ray Allen deal.  Shooting guard is his natural position, although the Celtics ran him heavily at the point last season, mostly because he is a sound ball-handler and reliable decision maker.  He should get back to SG in Seattle.  His FG% fell 6 points last year playing on the weak Boston squad.
12.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, .365 3P%

37.  Charlie Villanueva, 22
Charlie V. had an injury shortened sophomore campaign, but should continue to see plenty of minutes and shots in the Bucks system.  New PF Yi Jianlian shows a lot of similarities to Charlie’s game, but he should still hold onto the starting spot.  His 3P% was just .337 and he needs to work on his post game on both sides of the floor.  He’ll need to put together another complete season, beyond the 39 games he played last year, before he can expect to move up this list.
11.8 pg, 5.8 rpg, .47 FG%

36.  Rudy Gay, 20
Memphis made a strong push to get Gay Rookie-of-the-Year recognition but all he really needed was more playing time in the first three months of the season.  Over the last three months he averaged over 14 points and 5.5 rebounds per night.  Gay was forced to play SG because of Memphis’ depth at forward and fared well.  He was also among the most productive on the team in steals and blocks.   
10.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, .364 3P%

35.  Andrew Bynum, 19
The youngest player on this list has been the center of a lot of talk in his young NBA career.  He might be the most coveted big man in the game.  He has yet to grow into his shoes and could conceivably be Shaq’s size by the time its all said and done.  Bynum is a very good athlete for his size and has good hands.  His post skills showed dramatic improvement last year and he could be posting double-doubles on a nightly basis very soon.  Phil Jackson gave him inconsistent minutes and roles last season and somewhat prohibited his development.  I look for Bynum, incensed by Kobe’s demands, to be the League’s Most Improved next season.
7.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.56 bpg

34.  Zaza Pachulia, 23
Although he lacks athleticism and a trustworthy birth certificate, Pachulia certainly knows how to find the offensive board.  He’s a reliable finisher and has developed a decent mid-range jumper.  He has plenty of defensive questions and needs to become a better shot-blocker.  Pachulia was a bargain at $16 million over 4 years.
12.2 ppg, 6.9 rpg, .786 FT%

33.  Chris Wilcox, 24
Another Sonic, Wilcox has developed very well in his five NBA seasons.  Although he is a below average PF in the West, he could conceivably battle for an All-Star spot in the East.  He is an electric dunker and outstanding leaper, but his other post moves are non-existent.  He should be able to improve his .5 bpg.  He has a good motor and should fit in well with Seattle’s youth movement.
13.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, .529 FG%

32.  Devin Harris, 24
Harris has earned a starter’s spot, but incumbent Jason Terry will continue to run the show in Dallas.  Harris is one of the quickest guards in the league and a very strong defender.  He improved his finishing last year and should continue to see more minutes for Avery Johnson. 
10.2 ppg, 3.7 apg, 1.2 spg

31.   Andrea Bargnani, 21
Last year’s number one pick shows no signs of lacking confidence.  Bargnani was quick to shoot last season and desperately needs to learn how to play within a system.  That said, when his shot was working he could put up points in a hurry.  After the All-Star break he averaged 15 points per contest.  For a 6’10” forward playing starter’s minutes, his rebounds were terribly low.
11.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .8 bpg

30.  Danny Granger, 24
Granger is a versatile wing player that can consistently wreck havoc on both ends of the floor.  He has improved his shooting and should continue to get more shots in Indiana.  His rebounding and passing will both have to improve but he could be following the Josh Howard development plan.
13.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, .382 3P%

29.  Andris Biedrins, 21
Biedrins emerged from anonymity last season in Don Nelson’s rotation.  Despite less than 30 minutes a night, he nearly averaged a double-double.  He is a consistent force on both ends and with another 20 pounds he could become an above average starter in the League.
9.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.66 bpg

28.  LaMarcus Aldridge, 21
Before being shut down by a rapid heartbeat, Aldridge was playing his best pro basketball.  In his last 15 games, he put up 14.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, shot over 50% and blocked over a shot and a half a night.  Look for LaMarcus to pick up where he left off, now next to Greg Oden rather than Zach Randolph.  He looks to develop into a very good PF showing a good post and mid-range game.
9.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 bpg

27.  Andrew Bogut, 22
Another former number 1, Bogut has been a disappointment thus far.  Although his passing is above average for a center, he absolutely does not block shots.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear Bogut will inherit speed any time soon, so it’s doubtful he will ever make it to All-Star status.
12.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, .553 FG%

26.  Raymond Felton, 23
Felton has put together two quality seasons thus far in Charlotte.  Earlier this summer, new GM Michael Jordan cut Brevin Knight loose showing Felton a huge vote of confidence.  He has incredible handles given the speed he plays at.  Unfortunately, he has shot below 40% in both seasons and will obviously need to improve that.  New SG Jason Richardson should help his development and take off a load of offensive pressure.
14.0 ppg, 7.0 apg, 1.51 spg


Players 25 to 1