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Ranking The Top NBA Players By Age: Age 23

By Gerald Bourguet

Nov 3, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) dunks over Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo (5) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Magic defeated the Pelicans 103-94. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 3, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) dunks over Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo (5) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Magic defeated the Pelicans 103-94. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 21, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) celebrates after making a three point shot during the fourth quarter of the game against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Pelicans defeated the Pistons 111-106. Mandatory Credit: Leon Halip-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis is a top-10 player without question, but even he can’t escape the underwhelming aura that surrounds this entire group of 23-year-olds. Though the Brow is averaging 24.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 49.4 percent shooting, ALL of those numbers are slightly down from last season’s MVP campaign.

The drop-off hasn’t been drastic, and Davis is shooting a career high 32.7 percent from three-point range this year. That’s not a great conversion rate, but keep in mind that this is only his fourth NBA season, and he’s increased his output from that spot on the floor from 0.2 attempts per game last season to 1.8 per game this year.

However, the Brow failed to live up to the preseason hype, with his New Orleans Pelicans sporting an atrocious 24-42 record a year after they won 45 games and earned a spot in the playoffs. Injuries have ravaged this roster all season long, but Anthony Davis didn’t exactly step up as a team leader early on when things were first starting to slip out of control.

That being said, there aren’t many players in the course of NBA history that could have led this team to the playoffs, even with the bottom of the West being in a state of disarray. Davis is still putting up superstar numbers, and it’s not his fault the front office has failed to surround him with enough talent — healthy or not — early in his career.

More hoops habit: NBA: Ranking The League's Top 22-Year-Olds

As games like his 59-point, 20-rebound masterpiece demonstrate, he’s still a monster on the verge of taking over this league, and among the NBA’s 23-year-olds, he’s hands down the top player.