10 youngest NBA Players ever drafted in history

The NBA has made several changes to the drafting process throughout its history. Nowadays, potential NBA players cannot be drafted straight out of high school, as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant did.

Instead, prospects have to be one year removed from high school before they are eligible to be drafted. Due to this, almost every player either starts playing college basketball or joins a professional team overseas for a year.

The NBA's "one-and-done" rule began in the 2006 draft. As a consequence, all drafted NBA players have been at least 19 years old since then. However, before the rule was implemented, some NBA players were as young as 17 at the draft age.

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#10 - Bob Santini, 18 years and 71 days

Bob Santini was among the youngest NBA players to be drafted (Image via Getty Images)

Bob Santini is a name many NBA fans have never heard of. He was picked in the fifth round of the 1953 draft by the New York Knicks and was only 18 years and 71 days old at the time of the draft.

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Santini was a 6-foot-5 forward who appeared in only four games in the league. He averaged 2.8 points per game.

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#9 - Amir Johnson, 18 years and 63 days

Johnson played 14 years in the NBA (Image via Getty Images)

Amir Johnson was selected with the 56th pick in the 2005 NBA draft. He got into the league in the last draft that allowed prospects to be drafted straight out of high school.

The 6-9 forward spent 14 years in the league, playing for four different teams. In his best year, Johnson averaged 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

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#8 - Yaroslav Korolev, 18 years and 52 days

Korolev (right) was among the youngest NBA players ever (Image via Getty Images)

Yaroslav Korolev is another player who had a short NBA career. Despite being the 12th pick in the 2005 draft, the 6-9 forward simply wasn't good enough to play in the professional basketball league.

The teenager spent two years in the NBA, playing 34 games. He averaged 1.1 points and 0.5 rebounds per game off the bench.

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#7 - Ersan Ilyasova, 18 years and 49 days

Ilyasova's career ended in 2021 (Image via Getty Images)

Ersan Ilyasova is one of the best NBA players who were drafted at a young age. His professional basketball career lasted for 13 years in the United States, and he played for seven different teams.

The 6-9 forward was a decent scorer and rebounder who averaged 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

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#6 - Tracy McGrady, 18 years and 37 days

McGrady was among the best NBA players of his generation (Image via Getty Images)

When it comes to the best NBA players of the 2000s, Tracy McGrady is certainly one of them. The 6-8 swingman played 16 years in the basketball league, winning two scoring titles, making seven All-NBA teams, and earning seven All-Star selections.

T-Mac averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.4 assists during his glorious NBA career. He was fun to watch, and his impressive performances have earned him a place in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

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#5 - Bill Willoughby, 18 years and 13 days

Bill Willoughby was a decent small forward who played in the 1970s and 80s. He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the 19th pick in the 1975 draft and spent eight years in the basketball league.

During his time in the NBA, Willoughby played for six teams, averaging 6.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He is one of the few players who managed to block Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook.

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#4 - Darko Milicic, 18 years and 1 day

Milicic is one of the biggest NBA drafts of all time (Image via Getty Images)

Selected with the second pick in the 2003 NBA draft, Darko Milicic is one of the biggest busts of all time. While his career lasted for 10 years, he simply wasn't good enough to be the second pick in such a strong draft class.

The seven-footer averaged 6.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game throughout his career. He won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in his rookie season.

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#3 - Kobe Bryant, 17 years and 312 days

Bryant is an NBA legend (Image via Getty Images)

Despite entering the league before even turning 18, Kobe Bryant established himself as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. He earned 18 All-Star and 15 All-NBA selections during his impressive 20-year career.

Black Mamba won five championship rings, all with the LA Lakers, and was dominant on both ends of the floor. With numerous accolades, Bryant was named Hall of Famer after his retirement.

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#2 - Jermaine O'Neal, 17 years and 256 days

O'Neal was among the most dominant NBA players during his prime (Image via Getty Images)

Jermaine O'Neal is another young player from the 1996 NBA draft. He was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the 17th pick, although his role with the team was limited.

The 6-11 big man was eventually traded to the Indiana Pacers, establishing himself as one of the most dominant NBA players. He was a six-time All-Star and a three-time All-NBA player who averaged 13.2 points and 7.2 rebounds in his career.

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#1 - Andrew Bynum, 17 years and 244 days

Bynum was another dominant inside player (Image via Getty Images)

Despite being the 10th pick in the 2005 NBA draft, Andrew Bynum did not have a significant role with the Lakers in his rookie season. However, by playing in the preseason, the big man became the only 17-year-old player to play in the NBA.

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Bynum improved later on and eventually averaged 18.7 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game. He was named an All-Star once and won two championships with the Lakers.