Golden State Warriors’ youth is cream of the NBA crop

The Golden State Warriors do not just have a championship-worthy core of proven, hall-of-fame players.

They also have arguably the most promising bunch of young players in the NBA.

Sure, the Warriors’ youth do not have the sample size or resume of some other rising stars in the league. This is in part due to their status as reserves on their own team.

The potential this group has shown, however, is right up there with any young core in basketball.

The Golden State Warriors can rest assured they have pushed all the right buttons in the NBA Draft to position themselves for longevity.

We’ll start with the best player of the bunch, at the moment.

Jordan Poole has ascended well past his pre-draft expectations. A late first round pick, it would be a disservice to dismiss the incredible developments Poole has made to his game over the last two seasons.

Even the most optimistic fans questioned if Poole would ever become this good. But, his dazzling dribble moves and prolific scoring led him to 17.0 points per game in the playoffs as Golden State added another banner to their collection.

Brewing under the surface is a future All-Star caliber player in Jonathan Kuminga. The 19-year-old is roughly one month younger than the NBA’s most recent No. 1 overall pick, Paolo Banchero, and has already notched two years of experience against the professional competition in the G-League and at the highest level as an NBA champion.

Kuminga is a raw prospect but has shown the makings of a versatile forward that can make winning plays on both ends of the floor.

Similarly, Moses Moody has shown the same. If Kuminga is a two-way slasher, Moody is the 3-and-D perimeter player the Dubs will use for years to come.

James Wiseman’s future is a bit more uncertain. He can thrive as a rim-runner for Golden State but injury concerns and an overall lack of experience have limited him thus far. In due time, Wiseman can be the anchor of Golden State’s defense.

And now, Patrick Baldwin Jr. joins the mix.

The 6’9″ forward has the tools to fit right in with the rest of the highly-capable young core. He was once the best high school player in the country and if he can put it all together, you are looking at a lengthy, elite wing defender who can shoot the lights out from deep.

With this many promising young players, the Warriors are in a position to compete for another decade.