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2016 NBA Rookie Ladder: Top 10 Risers And Fallers

By Nathan Grubel

Mar 17, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) drives on Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) in the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) drives on Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) in the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 17, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) drives on Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) in the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) drives on Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) in the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver Nuggets

For a player who rose as high as No. 2 on many 2015 draft boards, the expectations were rather high for Emmanuel Mudiay to come in and contribute right away.

That didn’t happen, though, as he struggled to stand out among many other top draft prospects and fell out of my rankings for a number of reasons.

His inefficiency, turnover prowess and lack of any sign of outside shooting pushed him out of the limelight and left him rather uncovered in Denver.

While he had some highlight plays that showcased his athleticism and point guard skills, Mudiay doesn’t have a game that’s anywhere near complete yet.

Which is fine because he’s a rookie and shouldn’t have it all figured it out. Even though he’s suffered from many negatives this season he’s still very young and has a lot of upside as a star guard in the NBA.

The Nuggets will have to have some patience with Mudiay but it could pay off in a big way down the road.

Next: Was He Truly Disappointing?