The Top NBA Players of 2023–24, Broken Down by Age

Starting things off, rookie Bilal Coulibaly of the Washington Wizards is representing the youth in the NBA this season. Former French teammate of No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, Coulibaly was selected by Washington seventh overall in the previous NBA Draft.

This season, Coulibaly has made 56 appearances with eight starts and has shown promise on both ends of the court, especially defensively. Despite having been out for a significant portion of the season due to a hip injury, he is averaging 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game thus far this season.

Considering that the Wizards are 9-49 through 58 games, it is difficult to assess Coulibaly’s influence. However, given his continuing improvement, it is reasonable to assume that the club will be anchored at the small forward position for the foreseeable future.

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20 Years Old – Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama has had one of the finest debut seasons through 52 games that we have ever seen, with all due respect to every youngster who made their debut in the previous ten years and beyond. Although Wembanyama hasn’t yet had a significant effect on the squad, his play on both sides of the ball has shown that he has GOAT potential for anybody who follows the game.

Wembanyama is averaging 20.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and an NBA-high 3.3 blocks per game through 53 games played in his first campaign. With reflexes and positional awareness already well above his years, even at the young age of 20, the NBA player defensive peak should already be attained.

With an 11-48 record as of right now, the Spurs may appear to be a trainwreck, but if they build around Wembanyama, they will be among the NBA’s most successful teams for many more years to come and will certainly be in the running for championships.

21 Years Old – Paolo Banchero

For those who believed that Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic, the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year, would be reaching a plateau in his sophomore season, Banchero had plenty of responses. Banchero led his club to a winning record and into a struggle for a playoff place in a competitive Eastern Conference, capping off an impressive rookie season that earned him his first career selection as an All-Star.

With 57 starts for Orlando this season, Banchero is averaging 22.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. His shooting efficiency has also greatly increased; on 4.2 attempts, he averaged 45.6% overall and 36.9% from three. Banchero’s play has put the Magic ahead of schedule in their rebuild; through 59 games, they have maintained the top Play-In slot and are now 33-26 on the season.

22 Years Old – Anthony Edwards

With NBA players like Scottie Barnes, Jalen Williams, and Franz Wagner all making significant progress this season, the 22-year-old age group in the NBA players is as skilled as any other age group. But through 59 games, just one player, 22, is a strong contender for MVP on a team that leads its conference.

In his first three seasons in the NBA, Anthony Edwards had demonstrated a great deal of potential as a superstar. He has demonstrated in 2023–24 that he will be one of the league’s future faces and an innate leader on a squad poised to cause a stir in the NBA playoffs. Edwards leads the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (42-17) with an average of 26.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game through 56 games played.

Minnesota’s success this season can be attributed in large part to his maturation as a leader and player both on and off the court. After being selected as an All-Star for the second time in a row, Edwards will undoubtedly receive many more individual honours, but he also has the power to take the Timberwolves to new heights as a team.

23 Years Old – Tyrese Maxey

One of the most talented groups in the NBA at the moment is the 23-year-old group. Of them, only one is enjoying a season where he is a clear favourite to win both his first-ever All-Star selection and Most Improved Player award. Our selection for the best 23-year-old player in the NBA in 2023–2024 is Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers, and it’s not even close.

After James Harden left the Sixers early in the season, Maxey took over as the starting point guard and is averaging 25.9 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.0 steals per game after 53 games. In Joel Embiid’s absence, the club has struggled, but Maxey has managed to keep them afloat as they are 33-25 and sixth in the East after 58 games.

When everyone on the team is healthy, the 76ers pose a significant threat to the NBA championship thanks to Maxey’s ongoing growth as one of the league’s most productive point guards. The Sixers may have their point guard for the next several seasons—at just 23 years old—and maybe the one who can end their 41-year NBA title drought.

24 Years Old – Tyrese Haliburton

Tyrese Haliburton entered and assumed possession of the category for the top 24-year-old in the NBA this season by turning 24 today. For the Indiana Pacers in 2023–24, Haliburton has been outstanding, being selected as an All-Star for the second time in his career and the first time as a starter.

In addition to posting a career-low 2.3 turnovers per game, Haliburton is leading the league in assists (11.6) and scoring 21.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and assists per game. Haliburton took charge of the Pacers’ offence and guided them to a 34-26 record after 60 games, good for eighth place in the East playoff standings. As a team, they are now averaging 124.0 points per game, and Tyrese Haliburton sets the tone with his effective point guard performance.

25 Years Old – Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic, who turned 25 yesterday, February 28, joined a very strong group that also includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum, two other MVP contenders. Even if both of their teams have performed well this season, Luka Doncic of the Mavericks in 2023–2024 has been superior to each of them individually.

Doncic is leading the NBA in scoring through 51 games for Dallas this season, averaging 34.4 points per game on 49.4% shooting from the field and a career-high 38.0% from three. In addition, he has contributed 9.7 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game, which has helped the Mavericks finish 34-25 through 57 games, good for a tie for the seventh place and just 0.5 games behind the fifth spot.

In 2023–24, Doncic—who has been among the NBA’s finest point guards for the past five years—might be having his best and most complete season yet. This is bad news for fans of every other playoff club, but wonderful news for Mavericks supporters hoping to return to the postseason after missing them outright the previous year.

26 Years Old – De’Aaron Fox

De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings, who was also the largest All-Star omission of the season, is entering the category for the top 26-year-old player in 2023–24. There was pressure on Fox to repeat as the Kings’ leader in 2023–24 after he had guided them to their first postseason berth in 17 years in 2022–23. He has met those expectations thus far. Navigating the Western Conference has suddenly become considerably more challenging.

Fox is averaging 26.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and a career-high 1.9 steals per game in 51 games in 2023–2024. In addition to his much-improved 36.9% three-point percentage, he is shooting 47.1% overall. With a 33-25 record, the Kings are now tied for seventh place in the West and are only 1.0 games behind the Suns for the sixth spot.

Fox has already demonstrated that he can be relied upon to assist his team when the chips are down. When it comes to opponents in the postseason, the Kings are a formidable opponent because of his presence.

27 Years Old – Donovan Mitchell

Even though Jalen Brunson is enjoying a fantastic season in New York, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers will be the 27-year-old category leader in 2023–2024. This season, Mitchell is among the best shooting guards in the league and is leading Cleveland in scoring. This season, Mitchell was selected as an All-Star for the second time in a row and appears to be headed for another selection to the All-NBA Team.

Due to the injuries suffered by other talents like Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, Mitchell was under a lot of pressure to lead Cleveland’s offence. With 28.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists a game, he has succeeded in doing just that. Cleveland’s unexpected 38-20 record after 58 games and current second-place standing in the East can be attributed to this.

Even though Mitchell and the Cavaliers have had a fantastic regular season, they won’t be happy until they have moved past their disappointing first-round defeat to the Knicks from the previous year. They should be in for their finest season since LeBron left town in 2019 if Mitchell continues to dominate as he has.

28 Years Old – Karl-Anthony Towns

Out of all the NBA players currently 28 years old, just one was selected as an All-Star in 2023–2024. Karl-Anthony Towns has recovered from an injury-plagued 2022–23 season to produce a season deserving of being named to the All-NBA Team, and he also gives the Timberwolves realistic championship hopes.

Towns has averaged 22.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in 57 games this season. He has also shot 51.2% from the field and 43.5% from three on 5.3 attempts. For the nine-year big man, Towns’ transition to playing power forward has gone full circle, and he now has an opportunity to contend for a postseason berth for the first time in his career.

Minnesota is a team to be dreaded in the playoffs this season with Towns playing at this level and the help the club has received from their complete rotation.

29 Years Old – Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic, who turned 29 on February 19, elevated this age group to the top of all NBA players age groups for this season. With respect to the two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the current MVP Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic has once again emerged as the greatest player in the world, with the other two players receiving only honourable mentions on this season’s list.

Jokic’s 2022–23 championship run was so impressive that it put the Denver Nuggets in a strong position to contend for a championship in 2023–24. Jokic is averaging 25.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and 58.3% shooting from the field in 57 games this season. Jokic, the top playmaker in the NBA’s frontcourt, has the Denver offence shooting well and heading into the playoffs at 40-19, only two games behind first place in the Western Conference.

As the reigning NBA champions, the Nuggets should be the clear favourites to win the title again until an opponent can show they have what it takes to make Jokic uninteresting in a postseason series. This is true regardless of seeding in the playoffs.

30 Years Old – Anthony Davis

Just one of the 19 NBA players who are 30 years old this season has made a major difference in his team’s performance. Despite the Lakers’ overall troubles, Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers is perhaps enjoying the finest season of his career on both ends of the court.

Despite the fact that his health has been his greatest challenge recently, Davis has played in 56 of the 60 games this season in an effort to appease his detractors. For the first season since 2020–21, he is in the lead in the Defensive Player of the Year competition and has been named an All-Star. He is putting up 24.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game on average in 2023–2024.

Anthony Davis must continue to play at this calibre and above if the Lakers are to have any chance of repeating their 2023 Western Conference Finals success, if not better.

31 Years Old – Kyrie Irving

Selecting the greatest representation for the 31-year-olds in the NBA in 2023–2024 was as simple as it gets. On the basketball floor in Dallas with the Mavericks, Kyrie Irving appears to be joyful and carefree for the first time in a long time. Irving, who now plays alongside superstar Luka Doncic, is settling into his job and has so far assisted the Mavericks in eradicating the memory of last year’s collapse.

Irving is averaging 25.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 49/42/89 shooting splits in 37 games in 2023–24, which is identical to his all-time high efficiency during his time with the Nets. Should Irving and Doncic secure a postseason berth and proceed with their quest for an NBA championship this season, their play positions them as one of the league’s most formidable tandems.

32 Years Old – Kawhi Leonard

To tell the truth, there was a moment when I believed Kawhi Leonard would never again be at the top of one of these lists. I’m pleased I was proven wrong since his play thus far in 2023–24 and the impact it has had on the Los Angeles Clippers could not have been more different.

Since Leonard has generally been healthy, most opponents will have a problem when he gets into the postseason, as we have seen in the past. Leonard is averaging 24.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per game while playing in 52 of the 57 Clippers games this season and shooting 52.9% from the field. With his sights set on far greater things for his club the remainder of the way, Leonard achieved All-Star status for the first time since 2020–21.

33 Years Old – Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard started the 2023–24 season with the Milwaukee Bucks, a new team, following 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. It took him some time to adjust to playing with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the greatest player he has ever played with on the field, but they eventually came together for some stunning basketball.

Lillard, who averages 24.5 points and 6.8 assists per game, was selected as an All-Star starter for the East this season. Lillard’s influence on the Bucks is clear despite his decreased efficiency of 42.5% overall and 34.4% from three. The Bucks have a 38-21 record and are now ranked third in the East. With the way he is playing with Giannis, Lillard has the best chance of winning a title this season.

34 Years Old – DeMar DeRozan

The number of our favourite celebrities ageing continues to rise as we near the end of this list. There isn’t a lot of competition for the 34-year-olds in 2023–24, but DeMar DeRozan of the Chicago Bulls was the final pick. Although James Harden’s performance has contributed to the Clippers’ ascent in the rankings this season, DeRozan is somewhat superior to Harden on an individual basis.

DeRozan has averaged 22.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 57 games this season. He was not named an All-Star, most likely because his club finished last in the playoffs with an overall record of 28–31, which prevented them from winning a position in the team. DeRozan’s season-long free agency raises the possibility that he may be pursued by a competing team. He’ll board the first plane out of Chicago if he wants to capture the championship that has evaded him throughout his whole career.

35 Years Old – Stephen Curry

We feel secure in our judgement of Stephen Curry as the best 35-year-old in the NBA right now, even if it is likely to cause some debate among the fan bases of both Curry and Kevin Durant. Curry, who earned All-Star recognition and continued to play at a level that put the Warriors in the running for at least a Play-In berth, has been his typical game-changing self as the Warriors have battled this season.

Curry is averaging 27.5 points and 5.1 assists per game on 45/41/92 shooting splits in 54 games this season. His shooting efficiency this season has reminded people of his MVP campaigns in 2015 and 2016. Sadly, he has not had the same level of support on the floor. Even still, with Curry healthy and on the pitch, the Warriors are always a danger of winning the championship if they advance far in the NBA playoffs.

36 Years Old – Mike Conley Jr.

Mike Conley Jr. leads the list of the finest 36-year-old players in the NBA with a strong grip as we start our journey to the league’s ageless wonders. Even though Conley’s role has decreased since he played for the Grizzlies and Jazz, it has been amazing to witness his leadership and playmaking skills for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season.

Conley is still demonstrating his ability to affect a rival team on both ends of the court with an average of 10.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in 52 starts this season. Given Conley’s past playoff performance history, the Timberwolves’ 42-17 record and his stellar play at point guard might lead to a strong postseason run.

37 Years Old – Al Horford

Looking around the NBA in 2023–24, it is difficult to find a 37-year-old player who has the kind of influence that Al Horford has on a team. The NBA-leading Boston Celtics are cruising towards the No. 1 spot in the East, and even though Horford has been benched in 2023–24, he has stepped up and commanded the second unit.

Horford is leading Boston in 48 games with averages of 7.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks while playing 27.0 minutes a night. The most overlooked aspect of the Celtics’ push for the NBA title this season, if that’s where they wind up, will be Horford’s leadership in the locker room and defensive efforts.

38 Years Old – Chris Paul

Chris Paul is an obvious choice to be the greatest player in 2023–2024 because he is one of just three 38-year-olds in the NBA this season. Paul has impacted the Warriors far more than P.J. Tucker or Taj Gibson have, despite an injury derailing his chances of winning Sixth Man of the Year.

Paul has averaged 8.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 33 games. His inclusion in the second unit is crucial for the Warriors, who will face significant challenges in 2023–2024. Paul may have one more shot at an NBA championship in his career, but he can only help them improve their chances of making the playoffs.

39 Years Old – LeBron James

It is not expected of the oldest NBA player to simultaneously be among the greatest. Unless LeBron James is that player’s name. James is still among the top 10-15 players in the NBA this season and is having the best season a 39-year-old has ever had as he defies the odds and rewrites the laws of biology.

James has averaged 25.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 52.6% shooting from the field in 52 games. His advanced age has been a problem because it takes him longer to heal from little wounds and requires more rest than normal. But as things stand right now, the Lakers are fighting to stay in the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. With James leading the way on the court, they have the only chance to stay in that battle and win.

These are the top NBA Players of 2023–24, broken down by age. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.