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Ranking The Top NBA Players By Age: Age 21

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 4, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks to pass the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 4, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks to pass the ball in front of Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) during the second quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Nikola Jokic

If you read the Jusuf Nurkic section, you already encountered a fair bit of gushing over Nikola Jokic. But if you didn’t, here’s a summary of what you missed: Mike Malone and the Denver Nuggets seem to prefer Jokic’s skillful touch to Nurkic’s brute strength at the center position, and they aren’t wrong for doing so.

While Nurkic could be a useful bruiser for some team, Jokic has the starting center job wrapped around his finger, capitalizing on Nurkic’s early season injury problems to prove his worth pretty much out of nowhere. He’s averaging 9.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as a rookie, and at only 21 years old, he’s just going to keep getting better.

Taken 41st overall by the Nuggets in the 2014 NBA Draft, Jokic didn’t make his way stateside until this season, and he’s immediately impressed with his soft touch in the paint, his ability to spread the floor to three-point territory (36.2 percent this season) and his underrated passing ability.

Shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 81.3 percent from the foul line, there’s no question about Jokic’s more skilled shooting touch, and his basketball IQ is only going to expand the longer he plays in this league. The Nuggets suddenly have a more positive culture and brighter future than they did a year ago, and Jokic is a huge reason why.

Next: No. 5