Ranking the five best 22-year-olds this century and where Victor Wembanyama stands

At 22 years old, Victor Wembanyama has already accomplished things that many players his age haven't. He's the NBA's first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time All-Star, an All-NBA First Team member, and has a Finals appearance under his belt.

But there is a solid list of players spanning the last few decades who left a massive impact on the game at Victor's age. Here's a ranking of the top five 22-year-olds throughout the 21st century and where Wemby stands among them.

#5: Kevin Durant

At the age of 22, Kevin Durant was already one of the NBA's premier offensive forces. He won his first scoring title in the 2009-2010 season, becoming the youngest player in league history to lead the league in that category. He quickly followed it up with another one in the 2010-2011 campaign.

He also helped the Thunder establish themselves as a Western Conference superpower for the first time since moving to Oklahoma City, leading them to a pair of playoff appearances, including a run to the West Finals in 2011.

#4: Derrick Rose

While Derrick Rose's prime was short, it was still dynamic. He was selected with the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft with high expectations of becoming the Bulls' next superstar. And he didn't disappoint. By 22, he had two All-Star nods and an All-NBA selection under his belt.

The biggest highlight is that he became the youngest player in league history to win the MVP award, becoming the first Chicago Bull to do so since Michael Jordan. In that same year, he led his team to a league-best 62 wins and an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.

#3: Victor Wembanyama

The start of Victor Wembanyama's career is even better than anyone could have imagined. He already has a pair of All-Star appearances and an All-NBA First Team selection. His most notable achievement is the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the first player to win it unanimously.

He helped the Spurs re-establish themselves as a Western Conference superpower, leading them to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2014. With him as their best player, San Antonio went from a years-long rebuild to becoming a favorite to win the championship in 2027.

#2 LeBron James

The expectations placed on LeBron as a rookie were sky-high, as the league was anticipating its next Michael Jordan-like megastar. James was impressive early, making three All-Star teams and one All-NBA team.

Similar to Victor, he led his team to an NBA Finals appearance. But for Cleveland, that was the first time they made it that far in franchise history. By the age of 22, one could argue that LeBron was already the Cavs' greatest player ever.

#1 Kobe Bryant

Of all of these players, Kobe Bryant had the most impressive resume at 22. The Lakers legend had an All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive Second Team selection under his belt and also made three All-Star games. Even better, he proved he could contribute to winning, helping Los Angeles take home the 2000 and 2001 championships.

His 2001 postseason run was one of the best we've ever seen from a 22-year-old. He averaged 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game, pairing with Shaq to lead the Lakers to a 15-1 record in that stretch.

Once again, Victor Wembanyama finds himself in elite territory, sharing space with some of the greatest players of all time. It's an indication of just how great the start of his career has been and what he can end up doing down the road.

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