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Which rookies and sophomore players qualified for the NBA 2K24 best young players list this year? With a new NBA season en route, it’s always exciting to see which youngsters in the league will stand out with their new ratings in NBA 2K24. A big reason why the NBA is as great as it is, is because of all the remarkable young talent its home to, from the likes of Paolo Banchero to the newest rookie sensation on the San Antonio Spurs in Victor Wembanyama.
The NBA 2K24 release date is here, which means its time to see what NBA 2K24 locker codes are available. The new player ratings are finally live for everyone to scope out too. With NBA 2K24 already revealing its official Top 10 best players list along with several of the new rookie ratings earlier in August, fans have grown curious about which additional young stars have the best ratings at launch, and we cover complete Top 10 down below.
NBA 2K24 Best Young Players
Here’s the Top 10 NBA 2K24 best young players, which includes NBA rookies and second-year players only:
| Player | Team | Rating |
| Paolo Banchero | Magic | 84 |
| Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | 84 |
| Walker Kessler | Jazz | 83 |
| Jalen Williams | Thunder | 82 |
| Keegan Murray | Kings | 80 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | Pacers | 80 |
| Jaden Ivey | Pistons | 80 |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | Rockets | 79 |
| Jalen Duren | Pistons | 79 |
| Jeremy Sochan | Spurs | 78 |
Last year, star Oklahoma City Thunder prospect Chet Holmgren missed the entire 2022-23 season, but will likely be one of the best young players upon launch in NBA 2K24. Though Banchero will probably lead the charge of the previous rookie class, others like Jabari Smith and Jaden Ivey could be close behind seeing how well they performed.
Down below, we provide our expert analysis on five of the Top 10 players we are predicting will make the best young players list come launch.
Paolo Banchero – 84 overall
Despite all the hype and excitement around Victor Wembanyama, we at VideoGamer are still predicting that Paolo Banchero will be the best young player in NBA 2K24. In his rookie season with a rebuilding Orlando Magic team, Banchero finished with 20.0 points per game while averaging 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists. Although some were surprised to see the youngster go first overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero proved to everyone just how serious of a threat he can be in this league, and is easily one of the best young players in NBA 2K24 with an 84 overall rating.
Walker Kessler – 83 overall
The biggest upgrade and leap by a player in NBA 2K24, belongs to that of Utah Jazz center, Walker Kessler, and deservedly so. The man was drafted to replace the world-class defensive center the Jazz lost a season ago in Rudy Gobert, and as soon as Kessler stepped in, he highlighted what kind of force he can be. In 74 games played as a rookie, Kessler finished with 9.2 points per game to go with 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks (fourth in the NBA). Though his greatest strengths are his rebounding and shot blocking, Kessler brings plenty of athleticism as an inside scorer as well, and in short, deserves to be on the best young players list in NBA 2K24.
Jalen Williams – 82 overall
One of the 2022-23 NBA Rookie of the Year Finalists was Jalen Williams himself, and the young star from Santa Clara put himself on the map with a terrific performance. In 75 games played (62 started), Williams scored 14.1 points per game on 52.1% shooting from the field to go with 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. Talk about well-rounded and complete, Williams is just that, and for a Thunder team that will now have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, and Chet Holmgren, Williams rounds out a mean squad that will prove to be quite the problem for anyone they play this season.
Keegan Murray – 80 overall
Last season Keegan Murray was one of the biggest contenders to win the Rookie of the Year Award. Though Walker Kessler and Jalen Williams were the other finalists, Murray delivered a special rookie performance despite being on a playoff team that has plenty of talent. In 80 games played (78 started), Murray had himself 12.2 points per game on 45.3% shooting from the field to go with 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists. Mind you, Murray also shot 41.1% from 3PT range, showing to everyone just how elite and versatile of a threat he can be for the Kings. Though we thought he would have a higher overall rating than his 80 at launch, you can expect that to improve come the regular season.
Jaden Ivey – 80 overall
The point guard sensation out of Purdue hit the ground running in Detroit, and in the process, still produced at a high level. The Pistons have been going through a rough stretch for quite some time, and even with all the injuries and challenges surrounding this franchise, Ivey still found a way to play great basketball, and his numbers prove that firsthand. In 73 games started, Ivey scored 16.3 points per game to go with 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds as well. If you’re looking for an example of the new type of athletic guard the NBA is home to, Ivey fits that profile almost perfectly, bringing a level of explosive play that led him to become an 80 overall in NBA 2K24.
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