NBA experiencing a changing of the guard

Not far behind are the likes of guards John Wall and Isaiah Thomas and forwards Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Jimmy Butler, who have each asserted themselves as the go-to players on contending teams.

Then there are the young stars, the leaders of the league’s next generation who have already established themselves as the Association’s next great players. There are a handful of players that fit this criteria, but for now, let’s construct a hypothetical starting lineup of the best players in the NBA that have yet to celebrate their 25th birthdays.

First up is the position of point guard, where Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers is a no-brainer. The 24 year old, already in his sixth season out of Duke University, has an NBA Championship, four All-Star Game selections and one All-Star Game MVP award to his name.

Irving’s success and his rise to the top tier point guards over the past few seasons are in large part due to his opportunity to play alongside LeBron James.

Nevertheless, he has still been able to differentiate himself from “King James” through his ability to make game changing, awe-inspiring plays; Most notably, his incredible game-winning three-pointer in Game 7 of the NBA Finals will go down as one of the most memorable baskets in league history.

He has come back even better this year, averaging a career high 25 points per game, despite sharing the court with James and the rest of the Cavaliers’ lethal lineup. While he is certainly privileged to be surrounded by one of the league’s most talented rosters, Irving has managed to distinguished himself as basketball’s next great point guard.

Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal takes the other spot in this lineup’s backcourt. The fifth-year product out of the University of Florida has grown better and better during his short career, just barely missing out on an All-Star berth this season.

However, that should not diminish the tremendous job that Beal and his teammate, 26-year-old four-time All-Star John Wall, have done in turning the Wizards into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Beal and Wall have been an extremely effective tandem. Both players are putting up career highs in points and assists, while also managing to develop a winning culture for a team that has not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 1979.

Beal is not going anywhere after signing an astronomical five-year $128 million contract this past summer. He, along with Wall, is an absolutely critical component to the Wizards’ success this year and going forward.

Expect the Wizards, with their young and dominant backcourt duo, to become a force to be reckoned with in the East Conference for years to come.

The next player is generally considered to be a small forward. However, anyone who has ever watched 6’11” floor general Giannis Antetokounmpo play knows that  one position can’t contain him.

The “Greek Freak” is something the league has never seen before. Only 22 years old, he leads the Milwaukee Bucks in points. And rebounds. And assists. And steals. And blocks. Such dominance across the board is nearly unheard of in the NBA; Only four players have led their team in all five categories: Dave Cowens, Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett and James. Not bad company.

In addition to his dominance of every major statistical category on his team, Antetokounmpo has increased his totals in each of these statistics during each year of his four-year career.

Antetokounmpo also impresses with his mesmerizing dunks that find their way onto the highlight reels on a nightly basis. He was especially impressive during his first All-Star Game last month, when he repeatedly showcased his extraordinary dunking ability throughout the exhibition.

Antetokounmpo is a one-of-a-kind player who has a chance to become one of the best, if not the best, players in the NBA. The Bucks are doing all they can to keep him in Milwaukee as long as possible, having already signed him to a four-year, contract extension in September.

If Jabari Parker and the rest of the team’s young core continue to improve, this Bucks team will turn into a contender for the foreseeable future with everything centered around Antetokounmpo.

Capping off the lineup are two big men that share quite a lot in common: Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns. Both are “one-and-done” players out of the University of Kentucky, first overall picks, Rookies of the Year and now double-double machines.

Davis, just 23 years old, is in his fifth season with the New Orleans Pelicans. He has always filled up the stat sheet in points, rebounds and blocks, due to his unique combination of size, strength and athleticism.

Much like Antetokounmpo, he made a statement in the All-Star Game, scoring a game-record 52 points in his home arena. Davis is getting better and better; However, the Pelicans’ recent acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins, another one-and-done big man out of Kentucky, may hurt Davis’ numbers a bit.

Regardless, Davis is a top five player in the NBA who, with the addition of Cousins, will finally have the opportunity to turn the Pelicans into a perennial contender.

21-year-old Towns, who is in his second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, has also had a tremendous start to his career. Statistically, he surpassed the numbers that Davis put up early in his career. He is right alongside James Harden and Russell Westbrook in the pursuit of the league lead in double-doubles and only trails Davis and Cousins in scoring among the NBA’s big men.

If Towns and his teammate Andrew Wiggins continue to develop into superstars and the rest of Minnesota’s core improves as well, the Timberwolves, should finally be able to turn things around and qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Minnesota should not be expected to sneak into the playoffs this year, but they should have enough talent to be considered a contender next year. If the Wolves cannot find a way to win, their window will close quickly, as both Towns and Wiggins will only be under team control for so long before they hit free agency. In the meantime, Towns will continue to assert his dominance as one of the game’s best young big men.

Irving, Beal, Antetokounmpo, Davis and Towns make quite the lineup. Each of these players is absolutely instrumental in his team’s success, but as the evidence shows, one player cannot turn a team into a contender on his own.

Irving is the most accomplished of the bunch because he is playing second fiddle to LeBron. Beal is on a revived Wizards team that owes much of its success to not only John Wall but to one of the deepest rosters in the NBA.

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were in playoff position until Jabari Parker went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Since Parker’s injury, the team has struggled to stay afloat and has dropped out of the Eastern Conference’s top eight.

Davis and Towns are surrounded by a wealth of young players that are improving but are not nearly skilled enough to make a run at the NBA’s elite squads.

These five players may represent the future of the NBA, but they will always only be as good as the players they have around them.