10 Youngest Players in NBA History

Throughout NBA history, various rules have governed when players could enter the league. From its inception in 1946 until the 1971 Haywood v. National Basketball Association Supreme Court ruling, players had to be four years removed from high school before they could join the NBA.

The 1971 Haywood ruling changed that, allowing players to enter the league early if they could prove hardship. Only two players, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby, took advantage of this rule, both selected in the 1975 draft. In the mid-1990s, a new trend began, with players jumping directly from high school to the NBA, starting with Kevin Garnett in 1995.

The 2004 draft saw a significant surge, with eight of the first 19 picks coming straight from high school, including Dwight Howard and LeBron James. In 2006, the NBA established the current rule, which requires all drafted players to be at least 19 years old during the draft year and at least one year removed from high school for non-international players.

Since the 2006 rule, no player has come close to this list.

Here are the ten youngest players to ever play in the NBA.

1. Andrew Bynum

Age: 18 years, 6 days

Andrew Bynum made history when the Los Angeles Lakers selected him 10th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft at just 17 years old. He had turned 18 only a week before the season's opening game. In that game, Bynum became the youngest player in NBA history, debuting at 18 years and 6 days old.

Bynum's rookie season was challenging, as he played just 7.3 minutes per game, averaging 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds. However, he went on to have a solid eight-year career, playing for the Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Indiana Pacers.

He was instrumental in the Lakers' back-to-back championships in 2008-09 and 2009-10, contributing alongside stars Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. In 2011-12, he earned an All-Star selection and his only All-NBA honor.

Although he was never the top player for any of the teams he played with, Bynum played a key role in the Lakers' title runs. And, with the current NBA eligibility rules, he will always hold the distinction of being the youngest player to ever play in the league.

2. Jermaine O'Neal

Age: 18 years, 53 days

Jermaine O'Neal was just 17 years old when the Portland Trail Blazers selected him 17th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft. By the time he made his debut, he was 18 years and 53 days old.

O'Neal had a challenging rookie season, averaging just 4.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game. His early years with the Blazers were marked by struggles, but everything changed when he was traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2000.

In Indiana, O'Neal's career truly flourished. In just his second season with the team in 2001-02, he was named Most Improved Player and earned his first All-Star selection, averaging 19.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. Over his eight years with the Pacers, he became a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection.

The later part of O'Neal's career saw him playing for multiple teams. He had brief stints with the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Phoenix Suns, before retiring in 2014 following his lone season with the Golden State Warriors, concluding his 18-year career.

3. Kobe Bryant

Age: 18 years, 72 days

Out of all the players on this list, Kobe Bryant had the most illustrious career. He entered the 1996 draft straight out of Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania. The Charlotte Hornets selected him 13th overall, but his rights were immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Vlade Divac.

Like many young players, Bryant faced challenges during his rookie season. In 71 games, he averaged 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in just 15.5 minutes per game.

However, Bryant quickly found his stride. In his second season, he earned his first All-Star selection and finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting. By his third season, he was named to the All-NBA Third Team during the strike-shortened year.

Bryant would go on to spend his entire 20-season career with the Lakers. He won five NBA championships, three consecutive titles from 1999-00 to 2001-02 alongside Shaquille O'Neal, and two more in back-to-back seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10 with Pau Gasol.

By the time he retired in 2016, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, and a 12-time All-Defensive team member. He claimed his only MVP award in 2007-08 and also won four All-Star MVP awards, tying Bob Pettit for the most in history. In 2020, Bryant was inducted into the Hall of Fame, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history.

4. Darko Milicic

Age: 18 years, 133 days

The 2003 NBA Draft is widely regarded as one of the greatest draft classes in history, with future stars like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade emerging from it. However, the youngest player in the class, Serbian center Darko Milicic, didn't quite live up to expectations after being selected second overall by the Detroit Pistons.

Milicic had a rough rookie season, posting just 1.4 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting a dismal 26.2% from the field in 4.7 minutes per game. His struggles persisted throughout his three years with the Pistons, where he only averaged more than 10 minutes per game once. In 2006, he was traded to the Orlando Magic, where his performance showed slight improvement.

Over the course of his 10-year career, Milicic played for the Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, ultimately retiring in 2013 after a brief stint with the Boston Celtics.

Despite his lengthy career, Milicic is often remembered as one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. His sole accomplishment was winning the 2003-04 NBA title with the Pistons, where he played just 1.8 minutes per game during the playoff run.

5. Stan Brown

Age: 18 years, 139 days

Stan Brown made his professional basketball debut as a junior in high school when he was signed by the Philadelphia Sphas in the 1946-47 season. The Sphas competed in both the Eastern Basketball League and the American Basketball League (ABL).

After one season with the Sphas, Brown joined the Philadelphia Warriors, marking the start of his brief NBA career. His rookie season in 1947-48 saw him play in just 19 games. Following that season, he returned to the ABL before rejoining the Warriors in 1951-52.

Brown played just two seasons in the NBA, both with the Warriors, appearing in a total of 34 games and averaging 3.1 points and 1.1 assists. While his NBA career wasn’t particularly notable, he held the record as the youngest player in NBA history for nearly 50 years.

6. Bill Willoughby

Age: 18 years, 156 days

Bill Willoughby was one of the first players to benefit from the Haywood ruling in 1971, using the hardship clause alongside Darryl Dawkins. He was selected 19th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1975 NBA Draft.

During his rookie season, Willoughby averaged 4.7 points and 4.6 rebounds across 62 games. Over the course of his eight-year NBA career, he played for several teams, including the Hawks, Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers), Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Jersey Nets (now the Brooklyn Nets), and the San Antonio Spurs.

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7. Tracy McGrady

Age: 18 years, 160 days

In 1997, the Toronto Raptors selected Tracy McGrady 9th overall straight out of high school. McGrady would go on to have a Hall of Fame career, playing for the Raptors, Magic, Rockets, Knicks, Pistons, and Hawks.

His first two seasons in Toronto were a struggle, but in his third year, he made a notable leap. He finished fifth in Most Improved Player voting and third in Sixth Man of the Year voting, averaging 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 79 games.

After that breakout season, the Raptors traded McGrady to the Orlando Magic, where his career truly took off. During his four seasons in Orlando, he made the All-Star team and earned All-NBA honors every year.

McGrady enjoyed several strong seasons with the Houston Rockets before moving around the league, eventually retiring in 2013. By the time his 16-year career came to an end, McGrady had earned seven All-Star selections, seven All-NBA honors, and won Most Improved Player in 2000-01. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.

8. Yaroslav Korolev

Age: 18 years, 181 days

Yaroslav Korolev was drafted 12th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2005 NBA Draft. Having started his professional career in Russia at the age of 16, Korolev made the leap to the NBA shortly after being selected by the Clippers.

He played just two seasons in the league, appearing in 34 games and averaging 1.1 points and 0.5 rebounds. After the 2005-06 season, Korolev returned to Russia, where he continued his professional career until 2016, without making another return to the NBA.

9. Andris Biedrins

Age: 18 years, 217 days

Like Korolev, Andris Biedrins began his professional career overseas at the age of 16. In 2004, the Latvian big man was selected 11th overall by the Golden State Warriors.

Biedrins went on to play 10 seasons in the NBA, spending nine years with the Warriors and one with the Utah Jazz. Over his career, he averaged 6.3 points and 7.0 rebounds across 516 games.

10. C.J. Miles

Age: 18 years, 241 days

The final player on this list is C.J. Miles, who was selected 34th overall by the Utah Jazz in 2005 and went on to enjoy a solid 16-year NBA career.

Miles initially struggled for playing time in his first two seasons, appearing in just 60 games. However, in his third season, the Jazz increased his minutes, and he played in 60 games, averaging 5.0 points and 1.3 assists per game.

After seven seasons in Utah, Miles played for several other NBA teams, including the Pacers, Cavaliers, Raptors, Grizzlies, and Washington Wizards. He retired in 2022 after a brief stint with the Celtics, where he played just one game.

While Miles was never the standout star for any of the teams he played for, he managed to carve out a respectable 16-year career in the NBA. Over the course of his career, he averaged 9.6 points and 2.4 rebounds across 849 games.