NBA execs poll: Where Rockets rank among top young players to build around

With the start of the 2023-24 season here, HoopsHype polled 20 NBA executives for their top five players under 25 years old.

After dominating this executives poll for the past three years, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic battled with San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama for the top spot in a tight race.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey were among the top risers in the poll, while LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson were among players whose stock slipped. In addition, 11 players earned votes for the first time.

Under this scoring system, the top player received 10 points, the second received seven points, the third received five points, the fourth received three points, and the fifth player received one point for each ballot. The results of the poll, which featured four young prospects on the 2023-24 Houston Rockets roster, are listed below.

Further analysis is available from Michael Scotto at HoopsHype.

Story: Which players under 25 would you build around? I asked 20 NBA executives. Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama battled for the top spot. Anthony Edwards, Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey rose. LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson fell. More on @hoopshype. https://t.co/pX8A61bCqv

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 27, 2023

1. Luka Doncic (Dallas)

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 76% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: No. 1

(HoopsHype analysis)

2. Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio)

Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

Share of the vote: 62.5% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: N/R

(HoopsHype analysis)

3. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 49% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: No. 5

(HoopsHype analysis)

4. Ja Morant (Memphis)

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 22% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: No. 3

(HoopsHype analysis)

5. Evan Mobley (Cleveland)

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Share of the vote: 8.5% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: No. 4

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 6: Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana)

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 7% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: No. 13

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 7: Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia)

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 4% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: N/R

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 8: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis) and Amen Thompson (Houston)

Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

Share of the vote: 3.5% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: N/R

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 10: LaMelo Ball (Charlotte) and Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston)

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 3% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: Ball (8), Smith Jr. (N/R)

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 12: Zion Williamson (New Orleans) and Paolo Banchero (Orlando)

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 2.5% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: Williamson (6), Banchero (N/R)

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 14: Cade Cunningham (Detroit), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City), Franz Wagner (Orlando)

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Share of the vote: 2% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: Cunningham (11), Holmgren (N/R), Wagner (N/R)

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 17: Darius Garland (Cleveland), Scoot Henderson (Portland), Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City), Alperen Sengun (Houston)

Ronald Cortes/Getty Images

Share of the vote: 1.5% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: Garland (9), Henderson (N/R), Giddey (N/R), Sengun (N/R)

(HoopsHype analysis)

No. 21: Jalen Green (Houston) and Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City)

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Share of the vote: 0.5% of maximum amount possible

Previous ranking: Green (11), Williams (N/R)

(HoopsHype analysis)