An old NBA saying is that youth doesn't win games. While we've seen enough to know that's pretty much true, we wanted to crunch the numbers to see how accurate that is.
In this exercise, we went through every NBA roster throughout history, calculating the average age of each team. We considered the players' ages as of February 1st (around the middle of the season) and included their playing time. (For example, a 22-year-old player who averages 35 minutes per game can have a greater impact on the final score than a player who only plays 10 minutes.)
The bottom line is that, yes, the youngest teams in NBA history have been very successful, and the Oklahoma City Thunder are the only exception. Of the 25 youngest teams in NBA history, only three have made the playoffs: the 2009-10 Thunder, the 2010-11 Thunder and the 2023-24 Thunder. That speaks to OKC's outstanding record of building through the draft and bodes well for the team's future.
Also worth noting: the 1956-57 Rochester Royals are the only team from the 20th century on the list. It's no surprise that the most imaginative players are entering the NBA at a young age these days.
Still, this ranks as the youngest team in league history.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 22.69 years
Regular season record: 22-60
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Jalen Green (20), Jabari Smith (19), KJ Martin (22), Alperen Sengun (20), Kevin Porter (22)
Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 22.97 years
Regular season record: 24-58
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23), Darius Bazley (21), Josh Giddey (19), Luguentz Dort (22), Tre Mann (21)
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Average age: 23.30 years
Regular season record: 26-56
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Joe Johnson (24), Al Harrington (25), Josh Smith (20), Zaza Pachulia (21), Josh Childress (22)
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.33 years
Regular season record: 40-42
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24), Josh Giddey (20), Jalen Williams (21), Luguentz Dort (23), Isaiah Joe (23)
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.42 years
Regular season record: 22-50
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Theo Maledon (19), Darius Bazley (20), Luguentz Dort (21), Kenrich Williams (26), Isaiah Roby (23)
Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.44 years
Regular season record: 22-60
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Devin Vassell (23), Jeremy Sochan (20), Tre Jones (24), Victor Wembanyama (20), Keldon Johnson (24)
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.61 years
Regular season record: 34-48
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Franz Wagner (21), Paolo Banchero (20), Markelle Fultz (24), Wendell Carter Jr (23), Cole Anthony (22)
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.63 years
Regular season record: 50-32
Playoffs: Lost in the first round to the Lakers
Most used players: Kevin Durant (21), Jeff Green (23), Russell Westbrook (21), Thabo Sefolosha (25), Nenad Krstic (26)
Nick Wosika of USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.65 years
Regular season record: 23-49
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Anthony Edwards (19), Ricky Rubio (30), Karl-Anthony Towns (25), Jaden McDaniels (20), Naz Reid (21)
Brian Bahr /Allsport
Average age: 23.76 years
Regular season record: 15-67
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Elton Brand (21), Ron Mercer (24), Metta World Peace (21), Fred Hoiberg (28), Marcus Fizer (22)
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Average age: 23.77 years
Regular season record: 24-58
Playoffs: No
Most used players: OJ Mayo (21), Rudy Gay (22), Marc Gasol (24), Mike Conley (21), Hakim Warrick (26)
Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty
Average age: 23.82 years
Regular season record: 18-64
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Nerlens Noel (20), Robert Covington (24), Luc Mbah a Moute (28), Hollis Thompson (23), Henry Sims (24)
Marty Lederhandler/Associated Press
Average age: 23.84 years
Regular season record: 31-41
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Maurice Stokes (23), Jack Twyman (22), Dick Ricketts (23), Richie Regan (26), Dave Piontek (22)
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Average age: 23.87 years
Regular season record: 38-44
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Gordon Hayward (24), Trey Burke (22), Derrick Favors (23), Rudy Gobert (22), Dante Exum (19)
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Average age: 23.94 years
Regular season record: 10-72
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Hollis Thompson (24), Jerami Grant (21), Isaiah Canaan (24), Nerlens Noel (21), Robert Covington (25)
Elsa/Getty Images
Average age: 23.94 years
Regular season record: 10-72
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Al Jefferson (22), Ryan Gomes (24), Delonte West (23), Rajon Rondo (20), Gerald Green (21)
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.96 years
Regular season record: 57-25
Playoffs: Lost in the second round to the Mavericks
Most used players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (25), Chet Holmgren (21), Luguentz Dort (24), Jalen Williams (22), Josh Giddey (21)
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.96 years
Regular season record: 17-65
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Kevin Knox (19), Damyean Dotson (24), Noah Vonleh (23), Emmanuel Mudiay (22), Tim Hardaway Jr (26)
Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.99 years
Regular season record: 22-60
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Franz Wagner (20), Cole Anthony (21), Wendell Carter Jr (22), Mo Bamba (23), Chuma Okeke (23)
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 23.99 years
Regular season record: 33-49
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Khris Middleton (24), Giannis Antetokounmpo (21), Jabari Parker (20), Greg Monroe (25), Michael Carter-Williams (24)
John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 24.06 years
Regular season record: 19-63
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Thaddeus Young (25), Michael Carter-Williams (22), James Anderson (24), Evan Turner (25), Tony Wroten (20)
DAVID MAXWELL/AFP via Getty Images
Average age: 24.11 years
Regular season record: 17-65
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Ricky Davis (23), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (27), Jumaine Jones (23), Carlos Boozer (21), Darius Miles (21)
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 24.14 years
Regular season record: 21-61
Playoffs: No
Most used players: TJ Warren (24), Dragan Bender (20), Josh Jackson (20), Devin Booker (21), Tyler Ulis (22)
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 24.16 years
Regular season record: 55-27
Playoffs: Lost in the Conference Finals to the Mavericks
Most used players: Kevin Durant (22), Russell Westbrook (22), Serge Ibaka (21), James Harden (21), Thabo Sefolosha (26)
Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Average age: 24.21 years
Regular season record: 23-59
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Saddiq Bey (22), Cade Cunningham (20), Isaiah Stewart (20), Killian Hayes (20), Cory Joseph (30)
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