The San Antonio Spurs top a new ranking of the NBA's best young duos, with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle forming the league's premier 1-2 punch among players 25 and under. Other standout pairings include the Thunder's Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, and the Rockets' Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. The list highlights emerging talent across the league, though some duos face questions about long-term fit.
A recent CBS Sports analysis ranks the top 10 NBA duos consisting of players aged 25 or younger, emphasizing teams with the strongest young talent combinations. Leading the list are the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, 22, and Stephon Castle, 21. Wembanyama dominates in his third season, averaging a 24-point double-double on 61.9% true shooting, drawing nearly seven free throws per game at 85% accuracy, and leading the league in defensive estimated plus-minus with almost three blocks per game. Castle, in his sophomore year, brings athleticism and size despite shooting and turnover issues; alternatives like Devin Vassell or Dylan Harper could pair similarly well with Wembanyama's elite presence, which deters opponents from driving to the basket. Notably, Wembanyama recently kicked a basketball out of the net in a highlight moment unrelated to stats but emblematic of his impact. The Oklahoma City Thunder rank second with Jalen Williams, 24, and Chet Holmgren, 23. Williams earned All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense honors last season and remains a two-way force despite a slow start after missing 19 games due to injury. Holmgren, the Defensive Player of the Year favorite, ranks in the 98th percentile for defensive estimated plus-minus and posts a career-high 66.1% true shooting. Both signed rookie max extensions, bolstering the Thunder's depth beyond stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Third are the Houston Rockets' Alperen Sengun, 23, and Amen Thompson, 22. Sengun nears a 22-point double-double with a career-high 6.6 assists, earning Nikola Jokić comparisons for his passing, while leading the league in offensive rebounds and second-chance points. Thompson, among the league's most athletic players, stepped up after Fred VanVleet's ACL injury, showing playmaking flashes despite limited outside shooting; he made All-Defense in his second year. The Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards, 24, and Jaden McDaniels, 25, follow. Edwards reached 10,000 career points before age 25—joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and others—and led the league in 3-pointers last season, guiding Minnesota to back-to-back Western Conference finals. McDaniels, an All-Defense selection two years ago, offers reliability, playing all 82 games last season. Fifth are the Detroit Pistons' Cade Cunningham, 24, and Jalen Duren, 22. Cunningham, third in MVP odds, propelled Detroit to the Eastern Conference lead after his first All-NBA team last year. Duren averages career highs of 17.9 points and 10.6 rebounds, improving defensively; extension talks stalled at his $30 million annual value request, but his play now justifies it. The Cleveland Cavaliers' Darius Garland, 25, and Evan Mobley, 24, rank sixth. Garland, recovering from offseason toe surgery, averages 20 points and over seven assists recently. Mobley, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, excels inside and out on both ends. Seventh: Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, 25, and VJ Edgecombe, 20. Maxey ranks third in scoring at 30.9 points with career highs across stats, lifting Philly to fifth in the East; Edgecombe shoots 38.2% from three as a rookie. Eighth: Atlanta Hawks' Jalen Johnson, 24, and Dyson Daniels, 22. Johnson averages 23.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists through 37 games, with the most triple-doubles after Jokić. Daniels shines defensively. Ninth: Orlando Magic's Franz Wagner, 24, and Paolo Banchero, 23, face fit concerns due to injuries and poor 3-point shooting (31.5% and 32.5% career), with a 100-95 record when both play. Rounding out at 10: Portland Trail Blazers' Deni Avdija, 25, and Shaedon Sharpe, 22. Avdija averages 26.1 points and eyes his first All-Star nod; Sharpe scores 21.5 points with athletic dunks. Honorable mentions include Pelicans rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, Hornets' Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, Bulls' Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis, and Heat's Tyler Herro with Kel'el Ware or Jaime Jaquez Jr.
