Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies has made his claim as the face of the next generation of superstars ready to take the game of basketball to another level. For this season, Ja Morant has been chosen as the very best NBA player under the age of 25 by the team here at The Step
25-under-25
Luka Doncic plays basketball like a video game, piling up stats and achievements. But can he thrive while still letting go of the controller? A cigarette burns on the screen’s left side. To the right sits a rubbed-down blue chalk cube. These are objects whose use wears them thin. The voiceover belongs to the director.
Jayson Tatum will be playing on perhaps the most talented Celtics team of his career. But his own responsibilities have never been larger. Jayson Tatum is a hard worker. The footwork, strength, and knowledge required to do what he does on offense prove the blood, sweat, and tears have all been paid on time. And
Trae Young has the potential to take the Atlanta Hawks to heights they’ve never reached in the modern era. He just has to keep doing the work. Dominique Wilkins was an incredible basketball player hardly anyone outside Atlanta ever thinks about because his teams never won anything. That wasn’t his fault; he was repeatedly brilliant
Death. Taxes. The return of Zion Williamson to the top of the NBA elite. All these things seem inevitable — as long as Zion’s body holds up, they will be. Zion Williamson has not been the NBA’s version of Thanos in a long time. He has not played a basketball game since May 4, 2021
LaMelo Ball has the talent to transform the Charlotte Hornets and take them to new heights. Can he keep making the subtle improvements it will take? Assuming LeBron James stays healthy most of this season, he’ll pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. It’s a select club, those few who at some
Anthony Edwards didn’t make the 25-under-25 last season, a huge mistake on our part. Here’s what we missed and why we won’t miss again. It felt only appropriate that I write the profile for Anthony Edwards this year, considering I found myself in the uncomfortable position of having to defend our collective decision to leave
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a budding star hiding in plain sight. Is this the year the rest of the NBA finally takes notice? Arguably no young player experiences a starker contrast in their standing among mainstream and diehard audiences than one Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. To more casual observers, Gilgeous-Alexander is seen as just another young player consuming
The Suns are in turmoil and Deandre Ayton has been a part of it. Can his new deal and new focus help quell the storm and get them back to championship contention? Deandre Ayton plays for the Phoenix Suns. The Phoenix Suns have been owned by Robert Sarver for 17 years. That is a problem
The game of Cade Cunningham is both classic and something entirely his own. As the Pistons’ roster improves so do the possibilities for him. Cade Cunningham’s name rolls off the tongue like a Sunday morning comic strip your great-grandparents might have read, and there is something old about his game. Cunningham branches from the James
The term unicorn is overused but it still fits for Jaren Jackson Jr. and he and his Memphis Grizzlies are ready to show you why. Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies is a man of many tastes. He is into high fashion and has music albums available for download. How many professional athletes balance such
Scottie Barnes is entering his second year with the Toronto Raptors but you can already find traces of NBA legends in his versatile game. Start with the frame. 7-foot-3 wingspan. 6-foot-9 tall. 230 pounds. Low post strength and a stride that bursts like Usain Bolt. A constant commitment on defense. The possible comparisons and career
Tyrese Haliburton gives the Indiana Pacers something solid they can build, a foundation that could last for years to come. I’ve been watching the Indiana Pacers long enough to see a savior or two. I remember the excitement about Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender as potential bridges to the post-Reggie Miller era, only for Jermaine
Evan Mobley is a budding star with utterly unique two-way potential, representing the bright future of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Sometimes you know a player is special and has what it takes to be an NBA superstar the moment you see them take the court as a rookie. Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley is one
Nikola Jokic alone makes the Denver Nuggets a fringe contender. But a healthy and productive Michael Porter Jr. could make them much more. Two years ago, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić won league MVP after averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds and 8+ assists on a 57/39/87 slash line. Last year he won the award again,
Any honest evaluation of Tyler Herro requires looking at his production compared to expectations, but also how much he’s actually developed. Most NBA players under 25 are somewhat difficult to project and build safe expectations around. Tyler Herro is a perfect example of the complications that come with projecting the talent of young players. Part
Jarrett Allen has become one of the most dominating interior defenders in the entire NBA. And he’s done it all with a characteristic smile on his face. All due respect to Jarrett Allen, but he doesn’t exactly conjure a sense of intimidation. The afro adds some soft, non-threatening curves to an otherwise angular frame. He’s
As a rookie, Josh Giddey proved himself to be one of the best passers in the entire NBA. How good can he be as the Thunder roster around him improves? Few teams in modern NBA history have been as transparently focused on losing basketball games as the Oklahoma City Thunder. After four seasons of spinning
The Step Back is rolling out its 25-under-25 list this week. Follow along with our rankings of the top 25 players under the age of 25. Last year, in his fifth season, Anthony Davis changed the course of his entire career, staying healthy for 75 games, returning to All-NBA form following a down 2015-16 and being rewarded
The Step Back is rolling out its 25-under-25 list over the next two days. Follow along with our rankings of the top 25 players under the age of 25. The Nuggets are ready to make the playoffs. After finishing on the outside looking in a season ago, they are doing all they can to make sure this
The Step Back is rolling out its 25-under-25 list over the next week. Follow along with our rankings of the top 25 players under the age of 25. Throughout Marcus Smart’s first three NBA seasons, he has played an integral role in Brad Stevens’ rotation for the Celtics. Next season, that role should only expand, as the