Where do Tatum, Ja Morant rank among 10 best NBA players under 25?

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The Boston Celtics boast two of the NBA's brightest young stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But this month serves as their reminder that the league is brimming with fresh-faced talent.

First up was 23-year-old Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young, who dropped 31 points at TD Garden on Tuesday night in a losing effort to the Celtics.

On Thursday night, Boston will host the Memphis Grizzlies and budding 22-year-old superstar Ja Morant, who's averaging 40.5 points (yes, you read that right) over his last four games.

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Next Wednesday brings a matchup with dazzling Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (20). Next Friday brings the Detroit Pistons and No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham (20). Next Sunday features a showdown with the Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (23), who might the best of the bunch.

All of these matchups got us thinking: Who are the best NBA players under 25 right now? Where does Tatum, who turns 24 on Thursday, rank on that list? Is he ahead of or behind Morant, whose Grizzlies he'll face Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston?

The result was our ranking of the 10 best players in the NBA under age 25 as of Wednesday. We'll start at No. 10 and work our way up.

Honorable mentions: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers)

10. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers

Age: 22

2021-22 stats: 20.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.0 assists; 47.7% FG, 37.8% 3PT

How are the Cavs still fifth in the Eastern Conference after losing Collin Sexton to a season-ending injury? Look no further than Garland, who ranks third in the East in assists and has blossomed into Cleveland's best player in his third season. He's improved greatly on the defensive end as well and earned what should be the first of many NBA All-Star nods last month.

9. De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings

Age: 24

2021-22 stats: 22.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists; 46.7% FG, 26.8% 3PT

The Kings are a mess, but their trade of Haliburton signals their belief in Fox as a true franchise point guard. One of the NBA's fastest players, Fox is an elite scorer and dynamic player with John Wall upside -- although he still needs to improve defensively.

8. DeAndre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

Age: 23

2021-22 stats: 16.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists; 63.9% FG, 36.4% 3PT

The No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft is on pace to average a double-double in four consecutive seasons. His blocks per game (0.9) are down from two seasons ago (1.5), but that's in part because opponents are avoiding him more. While the true NBA "center" may be a dying breed, Ayton plays his role perfectly for the Suns as a dominant interior force on both ends of the floor.

7. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Age: 23

2021-22 stats: 23.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists; 43.8% FG, 28.3% 3PT

One day SGA will play for a good team and the general public will see how incredibly talented he is. Until then, the Canada native will continue to thrive as OKC's do-it-all point guard who can beat you off the dribble (7.2 free throw attempts per game) and pick your pocket on the other end (1.2 steals per game).

6. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans

Age: 21

2020-21 stats: 27.0 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists; 61.1% FG, 29.4% 3PT (zero games played in 2021-22)

Williamson has the potential to be No. 1 on this list. He should be a lock for the top three given his immense talent. But the best ability is availability, and the reality is that the former Duke phenom has played in just 85 games over the last three seasons.

There's still plenty of time -- Joel Embiid missed his first two full seasons and is now an MVP candidate -- but we need to see Zion in game action before putting him in our top five.

5. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

Age: 20

2021-22 stats: 19.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.8 assists; 41.9% FG, 36.9% 3PT

Ball had plenty of critics when the Hornets took him third overall in 2020. All he's done since then is win NBA Rookie of the Year, earn his first All-Star appearance at age 20 and stuff the stat sheet on a nightly basis (six triple-doubles in two seasons; 11th in the NBA in steals). Ball's shooting still needs work, but it's honestly better than expected, and he's already one of the league's most electrifying playmakers.

4. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Age: 23

2021-22 stats: 27.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 9.3 assists; 45.8% FG, 37.6% 3PT

"Ice Trae" is a certified bucket-getter -- only 19 players in NBA history have scored more points before their 24th birthday -- and as the 2021-22 New York Knicks can attest, he's not afraid of the spotlight. But Young is also a prolific passer who has ranked in the top five in the league in assists for three consecutive seasons.

While you can debate the merits of Atlanta's 2018 draft night pick swap with the Dallas Mavericks (more on that shortly), there's no doubt the Hawks got a franchise cornerstone in Young.

3. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Age: 23 (24 as of March 3)

2021-22 stats: 25.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists; 43.3% FG, 32.9% 3PT

Here's where things get tricky. Tatum has already made three All-Star teams before age 24 and somehow is still getting better, improving as a facilitator to average five assists per game over his last 10. He's also an excellent defender who has the length and strength to guard multiple positions. You could argue he's one of the top 15 players in the league, and you could make a case for top 10.

But if we're nitpicking, Tatum's shooting percentages are down after an inconsistent first half. And considering the guys ahead of him, we have to nitpick.

2. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies

Age: 22

2021-22 stats: 27.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists; 49.8% FG, 34.4% 3PT

While his list of accolades is shorter than Tatum, Morant is simply a different breed. The runaway favorite for the Most Improved Player award, Morant wreaks havoc on the offensive end with his incredible athleticism and court vision. He can create his own offense (sixth in the NBA in free throw attempts), set up his teammates (first on the Grizzlies in assists) and put defenders on posters.

Morant might be the most exciting young player in the NBA right now and will be an absolute handful for the Celtics on Thursday night.

1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Age: 23

2021-22 stats: 27.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.8 assists; 44.7% FG, 33.1% 3PT

Young has been great for Atlanta. But Dallas got a generational talent in Doncic. The Slovenia native turned pro in Europe at 16 and plays like a seasoned veteran, setting the pace of the Mavs offense and making buckets over the NBA's best players look easy.

A three-time All-Star and two-time First-Team All-Pro before his 23rd birthday, Doncic is already a top-five player in today's NBA and has legitimate potential to be No. 1 on that list in the near future.

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