Take a look at 10 of the youngest players who have made their mark in the league. From the creation of the league in 1946 to the Haywood Supreme Court ruling against the NBA in 1971, players had to go four years without finishing high school before joining the NBA. Following the Haywood ruling, the NBA amended its four-year rule to allow players to enter the league early in cases of difficulties. Two players used that difficulty rule to enter the 1975 NBA Draft straight out of high school, Darryl Dawkins (No.
It was two decades before the jump from preparatory to professional development became a trend in the mid-1990s, following Kevin Garnett's decision to renounce his college eligibility and enter the NBA as soon as he finished high school. Here's a more detailed analysis of 10 of the youngest players who left their mark on the league. Jermaine O'Neal held the title of the youngest player to play in an NBA game for almost one decade. Darko Milicic is the youngest player to appear in an NBA Finals game and to win an NBA title.
Selected second overall by the Detroit Pistons in the 2003 NBA Draft, Milicic, a native of Serbia, was seen as a prospect with incredible potential. However, he was unable to achieve the level of success enjoyed by other major players in his Draft category. The Pistons, who won 50 games and reached the final of the conference in 2002, acquired the No. The Pistons, already a championship-caliber team, didn't need to rely on a young player in Milicic's rookie season.
Willoughby made his NBA debut in October. Willoughby was an exceptional athlete with a 47-inch vertical jump and was one of the few players to block Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's signature hook. Willoughby was a rookie in the NBA, playing for six different teams over his eight-year career. In 488 career games, he averaged 6.0 ppg and 3.9 RPGs in 17.7 mpg.
Selected ninth overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina, McGrady made his NBA debut in October. McGrady signed with Orlando as a free agent and prospered with the Magic, winning scoring titles in consecutive seasons. While they didn't make the headlines this summer, these role-playing players could have an immediate impact on their new teams. Everything you need to know about the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 schedule.
Milicic won a championship with the Pistons as a rookie (despite playing in moderation) and then spent seasons with the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics.
