In a league where experience often makes the difference between a finalist and a champion, few have managed to win a title as teenagers. Still, NBA history remembers a few exceptions — young talents who showed early in their careers that they belong among the elite. Below, we present the 10 youngest players to ever win a championship ring.
10. ANDREW BYNUM – 21 YEARS AND 230 DAYS
The 10th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft won a championship with the Lakers in 2009. During the 2008–09 season, he averaged 14.3 points per game, while in the playoffs he posted 6 points per game. Bynum is also the youngest player ever to appear in an NBA game.
👦🏀 Andrew Bynum. The youngest player ever drafted in the #NBA at 17 years and 249 days. Selected by the Los Angeles @Lakers as the 10th overall pick in the 2005 #NBADraft.#AndrewBynum #WWR pic.twitter.com/BROgbySRwI
— WorldWide Records (@WWR_en) June 23, 2023
9. JOHNNY DAVIS – 21 YEARS AND 277 DAYS
In his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers, Johnny Davis averaged 8 points per game, raising that number to 10.5 in the playoffs. Thanks in part to his contribution, the Blazers captured the NBA championship in the 1976–77 season.
8. VERN MIKKELSEN – 21 YEARS AND 184 DAYS
Back when the Lakers were based in Minneapolis, they were a dominant force in the NBA. During Vern Mikkelsen’s tenure, they won four titles, the first coming in the 1949–50 season. As a rookie, Mikkelsen averaged 11.6 points during the regular season and 13 points per game in the playoffs.
💜💛 2 JOURS 1 JOUEUR 💛💜
Les Lakers des 50’s c’est 3 noms. On a déjà fais George Mikan et Jim Pollard, il en manque donc un.
Et c’est Vern Mikkelsen est notre 3e nom ! Avec Mikan, il forme le duo d’intérieur de la décennie, mais pas que… Petite rétrospective 👀 pic.twitter.com/PKxisDLET2
— The Lakers Tribune (@LAL_Tribune) August 10, 2024
7. JAMES WISEMAN – 21 YEARS AND 77 DAYS
The Golden State Warriors selected Wiseman with the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Although he missed the entire 2021–22 season due to injury, he was still credited with an NBA title after making his debut the previous year.
🚨🚨🚨
Com a 2ª escolha do Draft de 2020, o Golden State Warriors seleciona James Wiseman.
TEMOS UM PIVÔ pic.twitter.com/F7g7Qai6hn
— Kuminga Depre (@kumingadepre) August 6, 2025
6. TONY PARKER – 21 YEARS AND 29 DAYS
The legendary French guard won the first of his four NBA titles in the 2002–03 season. San Antonio Spurs had drafted him the previous summer as the 28th overall pick. In his second season, Parker averaged 15.5 points per game, with 14.7 in the playoffs.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO 4X CHAMPION TONY PARKER! pic.twitter.com/ufTPRdLzPx
— SpursNation (@SpursNationYo) May 17, 2025
5. MAGIC JOHNSON – 20 YEARS AND 276 DAYS
The legendary Magic Johnson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He showcased his talent right away, averaging 18 points per game as a rookie and quickly becoming one of the team’s leaders. In the playoffs, his average rose to 18.3 points per game, and the Lakers were crowned champions of the 1979–80 season.
🥳🎈Happy Birthday Magic Johnson🎈🥳 #NBA #Champion #Advocate #TVHistory #OTD pic.twitter.com/r8yBlANYlA
— x.GIGGLE.x (@Ladyred23__) August 14, 2025
4. MOSES MOODY – 20 YEARS AND 16 DAYS
Selected 14th overall by Golden State in the 2021 Draft, Moody was fortunate to win an NBA title in his rookie season with the Warriors. He averaged 4.4 points during the regular season and 3.2 in the playoffs.
Warriors are 10-0 when Moses Moody starts. pic.twitter.com/2QnFZ9uBNC
— Polymarket Hoops (@PolymarketHoops) February 26, 2025
3. TALEN HORTON-TUCKER – 19 YEARS AND 321 DAYS
In the pandemic-shortened season that featured the “bubble” restart, the Lakers captured the title — with Talen Horton-Tucker as part of the roster. He averaged 5.7 points per game during the regular season and 7 points per game in two playoff appearances.
Talen Horton-Tucker looks like he’s aged 15 years since he left the Lakers.
Chasing that NBA dream must be stressful asf pic.twitter.com/OENipS3YkE
— MegaTronics (@Tronicssystem) November 8, 2024
2. JONATHAN KUMINGA – 19 YEARS AND 253 DAYS
Drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2021, Jonathan Kuminga averaged a solid 9.3 points per game during the 2021–22 season. His playoff average dropped to 5.2 points, but what mattered more was that the Warriors went on to win the championship.
Drafted 7th overall from the NBA G-League Ignite in 2021 and now NBA CHAMPION during his rookie season… Jonathan Kuminga! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/dYVNmIJE4n
— NBA (@NBA) June 17, 2022
1. DARKO MILICIC – 18 YEARS AND 361 DAYS
And finally, we arrive at the youngest NBA champion in history — Darko Miličić. The former Serbian national team player was selected second overall in the star-studded 2003 NBA Draft. Although his time with the Detroit Pistons didn’t bring him much success individually, the championship title remains one of his fondest memories. Darko was only 18 years and 361 days old when the Pistons won the NBA trophy in the 2003–04 season. He averaged 1.4 points that year and appeared in one game of the Finals against the Lakers. Miličić remains the only player in NBA history to win a championship ring before turning 19.
