Has a 17 year old ever been drafted to the NBA?

The Youngest NBA Draft Picks in History

It might sound hard to believe, but yes—17-year-olds have been drafted into the NBA. While today’s rules require players to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school, that wasn’t always the case. Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was possible for elite high school prospects to jump straight from prep school to the pros—a path that led to some remarkably young draft picks.

Among them, Andrew Bynum stands out as the most famous 17-year-old draftee. Selected 10th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005, Bynum hadn’t even blown out the candles on his 18th birthday cake yet. His selection made him the youngest player ever drafted in NBA history—just a few days shy of 18. His raw potential and towering 7-footer frame caught the Lakers’ attention, and despite a slow start, he later became a key piece of their championship runs.

Bynum wasn’t alone. Jermaine O'Neal was picked 17th overall in 1996 at just 17, and Kobe Bryant, though technically 18 on draft day, was selected straight out of high school in 1996 after turning 18 mere weeks before. These teenagers carried extraordinary pressure, stepping into a man’s game before many of their peers had even started college.

While the NBA’s one-and-done rule ended direct high school entries in 2006, the era of teen draftees remains a fascinating chapter in basketball history. Andrew Bynum’s record as the youngest draft pick still stands—a testament to a bolder, risk-taking time in the league, when talent sometimes outweighed age.