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NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Rookie Of The Year In 2015-16

By Gerald Bourguet

Jul 14, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (46) wins the opening tip off of an NBA Summer League game over Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 14, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (46) wins the opening tip off of an NBA Summer League game over Philadelphia 76ers center Jahlil Okafor (8) at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 28, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks rookie guard Justin Anderson (1) poses for a photo during Media Day at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sportsg /

10. Justin Anderson

To be perfectly frank, Justin Anderson really has to prove that he can efficiently spread the floor as a 3-and-D player. Though he shot an incredibly impressive 45.2 percent from downtown on 4.0 attempts per game in his last collegiate season, Anderson only shot about 30 percent from long range in the two years before that.

If Anderson’s hot shooting junior year was no fluke, he’ll have a chance to make an immediate impact for a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks team whose starting wings — Wesley Matthews and Chandler Parsons — may not be ready for the start of the season.

At 6’6″, Anderson has the size, length and defensive footwork to be one of the Mavs’ best wing defenders right from the start. Though head coach Rick Carlisle is — for some reason — tinkering around with the idea of starting John Jenkins at the 2, Anderson’s three-point shooting should eventually win the day.

Anderson certainly doesn’t have the upside of many of the rookies in this year’s draft class. He probably won’t be a pure shooter like Devin Booker, he’s not as NBA-ready as Frank Kaminsky and a player like Mario Hezonja has much more upside. But since these are ROY rankings, and not rankings projecting overall careers, Anderson’s heightened role with the Mavs could place him in this conversation.

Next: No. 9