Hoops Habit
Fansided

Ranking The Top NBA Players By Age: Age 24

By Gerald Bourguet

Jan 18, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket as Utah Jazz power forward Derrick Favors (15) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 89-69. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket as Utah Jazz power forward Derrick Favors (15) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 89-69. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 15, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Denver Nuggets center Joffrey Lauvergne (77) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic during the second quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

13. Joffrey Lauvergne

Rookie Nikola Jokic has come out of nowhere to claim the starting center job for the Denver Nuggets, which may eventually prompt a trade of either Joffrey Lauvergne or Jusuf Nurkic sometime in the near future. But for now, it appears as though Joff has secured the backup center spot, with the injury-prone Nurkic playing just 22 minutes over the team’s last five games.

In any case, Lauvergne is building on a strong finish to his rookie campaign, averaging 7.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game. Even better, he’s made himself slightly more valuable to the Nuggets because of his ability to spread the floor, with the second-year Frenchman converting 31 percent of his 0.9 three-point attempts per game.

Those aren’t eye-popping numbers from long range, but keep in mind he’s only 24 years old. Lauvergne is efficient from the floor overall (50.9 percent), and though he’s not even close to being a rim protector (0.2 blocks per game), he has a bright future within the context of Denver’s improving basketball culture.

Next: No. 12