The NBA currently contains many underrated young stars that may soon transition into franchise players; some of them are practically there already. This article will reveal which players will make this difficult shift, and why. Let’s get into it.
Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
When someone brings up upcoming NBA superstars, the first player that should definitely enter everyone’s mind is Victor Wembanyama. Although he could technically already be considered a star, at such a young age (21 years old) he needed to be brought up. In only his third year, he is averaging 26 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and almost four blocks per game. Standing at 7’4’’and playing and shooting like a guard–there are simply no words. Wembanyama is nothing short of outstanding. If he stays healthy, no one will ever be able to stop him.
Alperen Şengün (Houston Rockets)
Alperen Şengün will become the next Nikola Jokić. He is averaging 22 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. On the court, Şengün can do everything. He passes, shoots, drives, defends and communicates; he is a coach’s dream player. Şengün has the potential to average a triple-double throughout an entire season, which only three NBA players have ever done. One of them just happens to be Şengün’s player comparison: Jokić. Şengün just has to keep doing what he is doing, and as time passes, he’ll make the switch into the top-tier player that he’s meant to be.
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
Although it’s only Cooper Flagg’s first year in the NBA, we have all already seen a lot of potential. Flagg is averaging 16 points, three assists and seven rebounds. For a rookie, these stats are spectacular. Flagg is not just an ordinary first year player; he is only 18 years old. He could be in high school right now, but instead he’s dominating the league against players who are up to 22 years older than he is. Even though his team has not shown much success this year, he could definitely win the Rookie of the Year Award and has the potential to be a superstar in the future.
V.J. Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
V.J. Edgecombe started the season off very hot, but many people were skeptical about whether or not he could continue the dominant streak. Recently he hasn’t been playing as well as he was, but he still is averaging about 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. The Philadelphia 76ers – with Edgecombe, Maxey, Embiid and McCain – could form a commanding young squad in the NBA for years to come. Edgecome has already shown hints of being a good player, but will he be great? We shall see.
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Kon Knueppel has been a successful player on a struggling team this season. He’s averaged about 19 points, three rebounds and six assists. In NBA history, less than 1% of rookies have averaged more than 17 points per game. Knueppel has been able to dominate on the Hornets, which is great for his development, but unless his organization improves, he shouldn’t stay there for long. For example, look at Lamelo Ball. Ball is an outstanding, flashy and dominant player, but he has not reached “superstar” level and may not ever do so. Charlotte’s organization is holding him back, and it will do the same to Knueppel unless it makes some serious changes. Despite the awful organization, Knueppel does seem to have a great future ahead of him.
Connecting To Fieldston: Interview with Liev Nurick (Form III)
Nurick (III) had some very interesting takes on who the next NBA superstars will be, and I agreed with a lot of them. His top prediction for the next superstar was Wembanyama. Nurick even said that he thinks that“Wemby has a chance to be… the best basketball player of all time.” It’s still early in his career, but at the rate at which he’s been playing, this is not the most absurd thing to say. Nurick states, “Wemby will not be LeBron, not Jordan, not Kareem.. his accolades will not be the same… but he could be similar to someone like Kevin Durant… when we think of players in terms of talent, Wemby is going to be up there.” Another aspect of Wembanyama’s game that makes him stand out is his defense. “Wemby’s defense puts him above so many really great big men today, and that is what will make him a superstar,” Nurick declared.
Nurick also agreed with me that Knueppel could be amazing. Nurick stated, “he can do everything.. he can shoot really well; he can finish; he is good at defense. He will definitely be good in the NBA for a while.” Although he had positive things to say about Knueppel, he is skeptical about whether or not he will actually be a star. “I don’t know if he will actually become a star, just because of his playstyle, but he is good at everything.”
A player that did not cross my mind was Derrick Queen, but Nurick was passionate about his potential. “His player comparison is Jokić; that is what he said himself. When you watch him play, he is one of the only bright spots of the Pelicans. I think Queen is a very good passer for his size. He stays very calm during his games, and that is what makes him stand out from the rest.” Queen has shown sights of becoming great, and I may have to agree with Nurick on this. Derrick Queen is also an amazing player with a lot of potential.
Conclusion
The NBA is filled with many young, outstanding players who will continue to grow and entertain us all. The one player who clearly stands out over the rest is Wembanyama. His size, defense and shots are undeniably outstanding. Knueppel, Edgecombe, Flagg, Şengün and Queen are all definitely candidates to become NBA stars. This list of players is far from all of the young players with potential, but these are the ones who currently stand out the most. But anything can change: injuries, breakout games, trades and more can happen. We’ll all see what happens to the league and to these players in the future. But no matter what happens, one thing is certain: the future of the NBA has never looked brighter.
