8. Elfrid Payton (21 years, 11 months), Orlando Magic
2015-16 statistics: 11.2 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.7 RPG, 14.27 PER
Elfrid Payton just makes the cut for this list, but there is no doubt that he is one of the rising stars at the stacked point guard position.
After a great rookie season that included gathering Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors last January, being named a participant in the Rising Stars Challenge, and recording two-consective triple-doubles (something that hasn’t been done since 1997), Payton headed into the 2015-16 season with high expectations.
The Orlando Magic was another team that managed to get off to an impressive start, but has since regressed especially since the new year. A large part of their slump in 2016 was because Payton had to be sidelined with an ankle injury.
Since his return, the Magic have struggled to close games out and have fallen to 20-22 overall. Payton made his presence felt once he returned from injury, just missing out on a triple double with 11 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds in his third game back. The Magic have a roster filled with youth and talent has potential to be a strong team in the East for years to come.
Next: No. 7