Three Houston Rockets ranked in the top 25 under 25

With four teams remaining in the NBA playoffs – although it will soon be the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, with both teams holding 3-0 leads in their respective series – the offseason talk is here .

The NBA draft is less than a month away. Free agency is just two weeks later. Although the NBA Finals haven’t started yet, it’s no surprise that the offseason talk is already unleashed.

Recently, The Ringer released its annual 25 Under 25 rankings, known as the best of the NBA’s new generation. This list included three different Houston Rockets.

This is further proof that the Rockets are in a unique situation. They have that strong young core, but they also have instant contributors like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks – all while hauling in the No. 3 overall pick in the upcoming draft.

READ MORE: NBA Free Agency: the 76ers’ friend against the Rockets?

Still, the presence of strong young talent on the Rockets is a positive as they continue to look for their way to the playoffs. The Ringer listed both a reason for hope and a reason for doubt in both players.

With that, the top 25 rankings began with Jabari Smith Jr. ranking No. 25 among NBA players under 25 years old. The 21-year-old second-year pro averaged 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in an average of 31.9 minutes played. .

“The 21-year-old forward can be a threat across the defensive spectrum, on and off the ball, and his shooting ability (36% from 3 and 81% from the free throw line in 2023-24) suggests potential untapped offense Even if Smith doesn’t become a superstar, it’s easy to imagine him as a game-changing player on a championship team, that also gets people moving,” The Ringer wrote of Smith’s upside.

Next of the three Rockets listed in the rankings was Jalen Green, ranked No. 22 on the list. The 22-year-old guard averaged 19.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.

“Green has always had the ingredients for stardom: twitchiness, unpredictability, electrifying movement patterns, elite confidence and hints of scoring ability at three levels. After a tumultuous and inconsistent first four months of the season, Green finally has it all put up in the “Last 17 games, with 24.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists with 38% accuracy from beyond the arc,” The Ringer wrote.

The latter part of the season saw Green put on a clinic, showing off a jump he should have had to start the season. Still, there is reason to believe Green will improve further next season.

Finally, the third of the three Rockets on the list, and the highest ranked of the three, is Alperen Sengun, ranked #12. He averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game this season.

“Sengun’s third season saw him be a finalist for Most Improved Player, with major strides made on both sides in a competitive, winning environment. He will never be as good as Nikola Jokic but does a better job emulating the best player in the world than anyone else, with more athleticism and organizational support than the three-time MVP had in his early 20s,” The Ringer wrote.

All three players each have incredible potential, each being under the age of 23. They have the potential to continue to grow together and integrate on and off the court, which will be crucial for Ime Udoka as he builds a roster of players that complement each other.

It’s safe to say the Rockets have a bright future, even if they pushed their chips a little early to sign two winning guys an offseason ago.

READ MORE: Rockets Select Familiar Target in New CBS Sports Mock Draft

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