Players can enter the NBA at a very young age. Some of the most talented players are drafted by teams with the worst NBA odds to win a title, so it may take them a while to develop.
Former Duke star Cooper Flagg is now the youngest player in the NBA. The Mavericks drafted him at No. 1 overall in 2025.
Flagg is unusual in that he’s a young lottery pick who ended up with a decent team. Dallas ended up with the top pick in the 2025 NBA lottery after capitalizing on a 2% chance to win the No. 1 overall pick.
Now, the Mavericks are set up to be a contender in the West for most of the next decade. Check out the Mavericks’ odds in BetMGM’s NBA championship odds and see for yourself.
In the meantime, here are the youngest players in the NBA this season, as of May 6, 2026.
Youngest NBA Players in 2026
| Rank | Player | Team | Age |
| 1 | Cooper Flagg | Mavericks | 19 years, 136 days |
| 2 | Noa Essengue | Bulls | 19 years, 139 days |
| 3 | Joan Beringer | Timberwolves | 19 years, 176 days |
| 4 | Jeremiah Fears | Pelicans | 19 years, 204 days |
| 5 | Khaman Maluach | Suns | 19 years, 234 days |
| 6 | Ace Bailey | Jazz | 19 days, 266 days |
| 7 | Kasparas Jakucionis | Heat | 19 years, 342 days |
| 8 | Nolan Traore | Nets | 19 years, 343 days |
| 9 | Ben Saraf | Nets | 20 years, 22 days |
| 10 | Tre Johnson | Wizards | 20 years, 60 days |
| 11 | Egor Demin | Nets | 20 years, 64 days |
| 12 | Dylan Harper | Spurs | 20 years, 65 days |
| 13 | Will Riley | Wizards | 20 years, 85 days |
| 14 | Hugo Gonzalez | Celtics | 20 years, 90 days |
| 15 | Carter Bryant | Spurs | 20 years, 161 days |
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