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Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives to the basket against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Assessing Young NBA Stars With Clear Hall of Fame Trajectory

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 10:46 PM ET

On Saturday, a new batch of inductees hit the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Among the NBA players entering were the former big man Dwight Howard and the former forward Carmelo Anthony.

In the days leading up to the big event, ESPN put together a list of players who could be next. The list started off with the locks, which included all of the players who are still active, but were considered a Top 75 player for the last anniversary team.

The second list included players who didn’t make the Top 15 team, but seem to be locks at this point in time. The third list included four players, who were described as “well on their way.” The resume doesn’t put them in the lock category yet, but they seem be on the right path.

Who’s on the Way?

1. Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers

The former third-overall pick has a decorated resume at age 26. Since 2020, he’s been an All-Star every year, totaling five nods. In that same span, Doncic has been an All-NBA First Teamer. Although he doesn’t have an MVP trophy in his case, he’s always in the conversation down to the wire.

The Dallas Mavericks stint was a huge success for Doncic, and it ended in a shocking heartbreak. With the dust settled, the spotlight is brighter than ever for Doncic, who is expected to be the face of the Lakers for years to come.

2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Since 2017, Tatum has been one of the most polarizing players in the Eastern Conference. As a rookie, he stood out right away during the regular season and the playoffs. From that point on, he just kept getting better to the point where he averaged 30 points in 2022-2023.

Heading into a year of recovery, Tatum has six All-Star appearances. He has averaged 23.6 points, 3.8 assists, and 7.4 rebounds in nearly 600 games. Many might deny it, but Tatum is well on his way to the Hoops Hall.

3. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

This is where it starts to get shaky. There’s no doubt that Edwards is an NBA superstar early on. Since becoming the first-overall pick in 2020, Edwards has lived up to the hype. He might be right on the edge of becoming an MVP, but he hasn’t made the SGA breakthrough just yet.

Edwards has three All-Star appearances and two All-NBA Second Team honors. In five seasons, he’s averaging 23.9 points per game, making 45 percent of his shots from the field. With his improving three-point shot, another consistent element to Edwards’ game will only help him build on his Hall of Fame campaign.

4. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Speaking of hype, Wembanyama might’ve been the most-hyped prospect in a long time just a couple of years ago. It appears that the hype train hasn’t stopped rolling for the 2023 first-overall pick.

In just his second season, Wembanyama earned his status as an All-Star. Before that, he was named the Rookie of the Year, First Team All-Defensive, and nearly took home the Defensive Player of the Year award. He’s off to a remarkable start, but brakes will need to be pumped here.

Wembanyama still has a lot to prove. The good news for the Spurs is that the big man has certainly lived up to all of his pre-draft expectations so far.

Fastbreak’s Honorable Mentions

Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers

Very similar to Jayson Tatum. Outside of Indiana, Haliburton struggles to find support from NBA fans. ESPN labeled Haliburton as “circle back in a few years,” but Haliburton’s steady regular-season play, mixed with some fantastic postseason moments, makes it hard to believe he doesn’t have great potential right now.

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Since 2018, Young has been a four-time All-Star, one-time All-NBA, and recently earned the assists leader crown in the league. He averaged a double-double for the third season in a row. For seven seasons, Young has averaged over 20 points in all but one of those years (he averaged 19.1 PPG as a rookie). Throughout his career, he has averaged 25.3 points, 9.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds.