When it comes to the NBA’s Central Division, the talent is pretty loaded. There are top names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, DeMar DeRozan, and other All-Star talents. Next season, there could be multiple teams from the Central Division, our Cleveland Cavaliers‘ division, making the playoffs, and more that could make the play-in, as well.
Even with all the talent in this division, there are also younger players who can become really good players if given the right tools. All 5 of the teams in this division have young players who can become special talents.
There were so many solid young players in this division that I decided to give out two honorable mentions to the list. Other than that, here are 10 young prospects (3 years or less of NBA experience, for the article’s sake) in the Central Division.
Honorable Mention No. 1: MarJon Beauchamp
Selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Beauchamp went to a team with NBA Finals hopes, so he might not see a lot of playing time in year one. However, time in the G-League, a place he is very familiar with, should not be out of the question. Beauchamp spent one year in the G-League after high school with the G-League Ignite.
He averaged 15.1 points per game, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per night in 12 games. His shooting splits were okay, as he shot a tremendous 57.1% from the field, but a measly 24.2% from distance, and 65% from the charity stripe. Beauchamp obviously has talent, but he needs to become a better shooter, especially considering the team that Milwaukee has, to become successful at the NBA level. His defense is already solid, so that is not an issue.
Honorable Mention No. 2: Isaiah Jackson
The 2nd-year big man out of Kentucky showed promise as a rookie, averaging 8.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game, while only playing 15 minutes per night. His post scoring is already pretty solid for a young player such as himself, and he averaged 1.4 blocks a night with not a lot of minutes. Unfortunately, he isn’t much of a playmaker or shooter, and 6.1 fouls per-36 minutes is pretty eye-opening, but not in a good way.
I really think Jackson can become a solid player, especially if Myles Turner, who has been in trade talks, gets traded to a different team. As of now, Jackson is currently the backup 5, and won’t be the starter until Turner is gone.
No. 10: Jalen Duren
To be honest, ranking these players based off potential and current talent is a lot harder than I’d think. Jalen Duren, as well as the next two players, are really close when it comes to ranking. However, I will put Duren here. He was originally drafted by Charlotte with the 13th overall pick, but he was traded to Detroit in a 3-team trade with New York. I really liked his talent coming into the draft, and thought he would have been drafted a bit higher than he actually was.
Jalen Duren is your rim-running big man, similar to players like Robert Williams III, Jarrett Allen, and Deandre Ayton. That is what his game reminds me of. As of now, his shooting range is very limited, but his defense is immaculate, averaging 2.1 blocks per game in college, while only averaging 2.7 fouls per night.
I really like him in Detroit, but I am not sure where he’ll fit in, considering Isaiah Stewart seems to be the lock for the starting 5 as of now. I’m sure he’ll get some G-League run from time to time, but as of now, I believe he’s the backup center.
No.9: Chris Duarte
I am not sure how much more Duarte will progress when it comes to talent. This is his 2nd season in the NBA and he is already 25 years old, meaning he is only a few more years until he hits his prime. I do believe he’ll be a solid NBA player for many years, but I am not sure if he’ll ever be an All-Star-level talent.
As a rookie, Duarte looked very solid. He averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists a game as a rookie. But like I mentioned, he is already 25, meaning when he entered the NBA, his game was more developed than other rookies. No hate against Duarte, I really like his game. I am just not sure if he will ever become a top 50 player in the league.
No. 8: Ayo Dosunmu
Not saying I was right about Ayo Dosunmu becoming as successful as he was as a rookie, but let’s just say I said he was a snub when he wasn’t drafted in the first round. He was an All-Rookie Second Team member, and averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists per game on a playoff Chicago Bulls team.
As of now, with Lonzo Ball out with an injury for a bit, he might start at the point guard for Chicago for a bit. I do think he has a solid chance of breaking out as a solid NBA player. Will that happen? That remains to be seen, but I do think that considering he could potentially be a free agent next season, he will get a solid contract from someone, or have an offer sheet matched.
No. 7: Saddiq Bey
Am I underrating Saddiq Bey? Maybe, but in my opinion, he isn’t as good as NBA and Pistons fans think that he is. Known as a sharpshooter, he was drafted 19th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, but I’ve lost a lot of hype for him. Nothing against him, but just like Chris Duarte, I am not sure what his ceiling looks like, and if he is close to reaching it. He shot 39.6% from the field and 34.6% from distance last season, which was worse than his rookie season.
Bey is a solid defender, and knows where to be at the right time. His free throw shooting is solid, too, shooting 82.7% from the line last season. He was one of the few NBA players who were able to play all 82 regular season games last season, and he played 70 games last season. As the saying goes, the best ability is availability.
No. 6: Jalen Smith
Okay, sue me. I’ve bought a lot of stock on Jalen Smith this season. That’s just my opinion. I believe that considering he should be the starting power forward next season, he’ll be able to show a lot of promise next season. He’s a good defender, and his 3-point shot is coming around.
Playing for a rebuilding Indiana Pacers team, he will get a solid amount of playing time, and he will be able to show the NBA world what he really is capable of. Maybe I’m too high on Smith, but I believe in him.
Last season, Smith was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Pacers, along with a 2022 2nd-round pick for Torrey Craig. In my opinion, Smith is a better player than Craig, and this trade can go down poorly in the future for Phoenix if Smith becomes the talent I believe he can be.
No. 5: Bennedict Mathurin
With the 6th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Indiana selected Bennedict Mathurin. I didn’t expect to see this happenening. This doesn’t mean Mathurin is a bad player, by any means. I really like his game, and I think he’ll translate well to the NBA game. At the time of writing this article, the Pacers play tonight against Charlotte, so I have not seen really any action of Mathurin against NBA talent.
I think Mathurin could become a very good All-Star in the league, as he is only 20 years old and has a bright career ahead of him. Indiana is known for developing talent well. Just look at Domantas Sabonis, Paul George, and Victor Oladipo. All 3 of them were All-Stars, and two out of the three were Most Improved players.
So yes, Indiana can develop stars well, and I believe Mathurin can be a special talent.
No. 4: Isaac Okoro
Am I biased for putting Isaac Okoro this high? Maybe, but I do think he’s going to make a solid leap this season. I believe his 3-point shot will fall more often, and his defense will still be top-tier. Will he ever be an All-Star? That remains to be seen, but I have hopes for him.
I’m not sure if he will start at the small forward position over Caris LeVert, but I believe he should be the starting 3, considering both Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell have not really shown to be lockdown perimeter defenders.
No. 3: Cade Cunningham
I’m scared to put Cade here, I’m not gonna lie. But advanced stats aren’t Cade’s friend here. According to StatMuse, Cunningham’s +/- last season was 4th-worst in the NBA for rookies. I don’t want to sound like a Cade Cunningham hater here, but I am not sure if he’ll ever be the best player on a team. I hope I’m wrong, for Cade’s sake, I want him to have a great career.
Let’s just look at his stats, just for a second. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in 64 games. Those numbers are terrific for a rookie, and he definitely deserved All-Rookie First Team, and even some Rookie of the Year votes.
However, his win share total was in the negative, he shot 41.6% from the field and 31.4% from distance. To me, I think Cunningham was just shooting a lot last season because he could.
The Pistons had a bad team, and I think Cunningham could’ve been stat padding. Hey, that’s just my opinion.
No. 2: Tyrese Haliburton
Around the trade deadline last season, the Pacers dealt the aforementioned Sabonis for Tyrese Haliburton, which were the primary players in the trade. In my opinion, Haliburton can and probably will be an All-Star next season. In 26 games for Indiana last season, he averaged 17.5 points, a stellar 9.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game. Like I mentioned, Indiana is tremendous for developing talent.
In the 2020 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings selected Haliburton 12th overall. When the draft was over, I told my friends and everyone who would listen that he (and Desmond Bane, but that’s beside the point) deserved to be drafted higher, and that he was one of the biggest steals in the draft.
Granted, I did not expect him to be as successful as he was this quickly, which I give him credit for. I really believe he’ll be one of the Pacers’ best players of all time (if he stays there long-term).
No. 1: Evan Mobley
Call me biased having Evan Mobley here, I don’t care. His defensive game is one of the league’s best and his offense is coming around, too. He was 2nd in the Rookie of the Year race, and some people think he deserved the award over Toronto’s Scottie Barnes. Mobley’s first year in the NBA have led fans salivating over the future for the former USC big man. He’s drawn comparisons to Anthony Davis, which is an amazing player to be compared to in just your 2nd year in the league.
If Mobley were to become the player we all think he can be, his jumpshot needs to develop a bit more. His defense, like I mentioned, is already one of the league’s best, as he earned some All-Defensive Team votes.
If he progresses well offensively, the Cavaliers should have one of the league’s best teams, as they already have 3 All-Stars from last season in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen, as well as the 6th Man of the Year runner-up in Kevin Love.
All in all, the Central Division is one of the league’s premier places with young talent.