LaMelo Ball, PG Charlotte Hornets

Early Awards: All-Star (1x), Rookie of the Year

Ball looked like one of the best young players in the NBA before ankle injuries plagued his past two seasons. Still, it's way too early to give up on a player who won't even turn 23 until August.

Perhaps the most talented passer in the NBA, the 6'7" Ball isn't afraid to toss up lobs from either end of the court and is averaging 7.4 assists over his first four seasons. A gifted scorer as well, Ball has been better than expected from three (37.4 percent for his career) and is averaging a career-high 23.9 points a game this season.

Health is the only thing holding Ball back, as he has the skill and swag to become the face of the league.

Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic

Early Awards: All-Star (1x), Rookie of the Year

It's rare to see someone of Banchero's size (6'10", 250 pounds) move so effortlessly on a basketball court. The No. 1 overall pick of the 2022 draft has used this unique ability to thrive as both a scorer, ball-handler and distributor, doing it all for a Magic team that's already reached 35 wins and could finish as a top-six seed in the East.

After winning Rookie of the Year, all Banchero has done is increase his three-point shooting (36.2 percent up from 29.8 percent) and improve his passing (5.2 assists per game up from 3.7) while making his first All-Star game.

We'd like to see more on the defensive end from Banchero, however, and the Magic are weirdly far better with their star player on the bench (minus-10.1 swing rating, 9th percentile via Cleaning the Glass). He's on the right path to becoming a superstar, but these numbers are a little concerning.

Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Indiana Pacers

Early Awards: All-Star (2x), 2020-21 All-Rookie 1st Team, Leading NBA in assists (11.4 per game)

It took a trade for Haliburton to land a bigger role, although the 6'5" point guard has thrived after joining the Indiana Pacers.

Haliburton is one of the best passers in the NBA today and is currently leading the league with 11.4 assists after finishing second to James Harden a year ago. He's a smart, efficient player who shoots the ball well from all three levels and loves to get teammates involved.

The knock on Haliburton becoming a bigger star may be his lack of scoring. The 24-year-old ranks just 36th overall this season with 21.0 points, with Pascal Siakam taking over as the go-to scorer in Indiana. While being a big-time scorer may not be what the Pacers need from Haliburton, it could hurt his star power case overall.