Karl-Anthony Towns has been the clear-cut leader of the rookie class from the start, and it hasn't even been close. When it comes to Rookie of the Year voting, he makes as much of a case for a unanimous decision as Stephen Curry does for the MVP award. As for the rest of the rookie class, it's been a different story.
Check out our top 10 NBA newcomers from the 2015-16 season below.
1. Karl-Anthony Towns
Season statistics - Points: 18.3, rebounds: 10.5, assists: 2.0, blocks: 1.7, field goal percentage: 54.2%, player efficiency rating: 22.59
Consensus - The Timberwolves have a lot of potential on their young roster, and it's highlighted by their 20-year-old seven-footer. Towns wasn't only the best rookie in the NBA this season from start to finish, but he was one of the top centers in the entire league as well. Minnesota struck the gold mine.
2. Kristaps Porzingis
Season statistics - Points: 14.3, rebounds: 7.3, assists: 1.3, blocks: 1.9, field goal percentage: 42.1%, player efficiency rating: 17.80
Consensus - Just like his rookie big man counterpart, Porzingis is also a franchise player with loads of potential and a bright future on the horizon. He far exceeded his preseason expectations, and will only continue to get better as he gains strength and experience.
3. Nikola Jokic
Season statistics - Points: 10.0, rebounds: 7.0, assists: 2.4, blocks: 0.6, field goal percentage: 51.2%, player efficiency rating: 21.58
Consensus - Coming into the season, all eyes were on Jusuf Nurkic to be the foreign big man who made an impact in the Mile High city. But he was plagued by injures for the majority of the year, and Jokic stepped up in his absence, proving to be a highly-skilled, versatile youngster that NBA teams dream of.
4. Jahlil Okafor
Season statistics - Points: 17.5, rebounds: 7.0, assists: 1.2, blocks: 1.2, field goal percentage: 50.8%, player efficiency rating: 17.14
Consensus - Setting his off-the-court speed bumps that he encountered this season aside, Okafor was the most productive player in Philadelphia. That's not saying much, but the talent — particularly on the offensive side — is definitely there. Next step: defense.
5. Devin Booker
Season statistics - Points: 13.8, rebounds: 2.5, assists: 2.6, steals: 0.6, field goal percentage: 42.3%, player efficiency rating: 12.00
Consensus - Booker really heated when he was thrown into the starting lineup at the turn of the New Year, and he didn't disappoint. While he proved to be trigger-happy and a streaky shooter at times, who can really blame him? He became the No. 1 offensive option in the blink of an eye, and turned out to be one of the few bright spots on this dull Suns' roster.
6. Myles Turner
Season statistics - Points: 10.3, rebounds: 5.5, assists: 0.7, blocks: 1.4, field goal percentage: 49.8%, player efficiency rating: 15.51
Consensus - After playing eight games in the first two months of the season, Turner showcased his true potential around the same time as Booker. He has evolved to be a valuable asset in the Pacers lineup, and has a chance to continue to shine this postseason.
7. Justise Winslow
Season statistics - Points: 6.4, rebounds: 5.2, assists: 1.5, steals: 0.9, field goal percentage: 42.2%, player efficiency rating: 8.42
Consensus - From a statistical standpoint, Winslow is far from a head-turner. From a maturity standpoint, on the other hand, he's in the upper echelon. The Heat are the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, and although the numbers may not show it at first glance, Winslow has played an important role in their success (28.6 minutes per game).
8. Emmanuel Mudiay
Season statistics - Points: 12.8, assists: 5.5, rebounds: 3.4, steals: 1.0, field goal percentage: 36.4%, player efficiency rating: 9.96
Consensus - Mudiay's field goal percentage (36.4%) and turnovers (3.2 per game) were certainly some cause for concern, but he was placed in a less than favorable situation in Denver, and flashed plenty of potential as the Nuggets' signal-caller.
9. D'Angelo Russell
Season statistics - Points: 13.2, assists: 3.3, rebounds: 3.4, steals: 1.2, field goal percentage: 41.0%, player efficiency rating: 13.22
Consensus - Unfortunately for Russell, his entire rookie season is overshadowed by his questionable off-the-court decisions, and when he was on the court, he was as inconsistent as they come. But it was a lost season Los Angeles in which just about everybody and everything played second fiddle to Kobe Bryant's retirement tour. Now that his rookie year is in the books and Bryant has hung it up, this summer is crucial for Russell.
10. Josh Richardson
Season statistics - Points: 6.6, rebounds: 2.1, assists: 1.4, steals: 0.7, field goal percentage: 45.2%, player efficiency rating: 11.48
Consensus - Richardson unexpectedly caught fire in the final month of the season, jumping from 6.6 points in 21.7 minutes in February to 12.0 points in 29.1 minutes in March, numbers good enough for Rookie of the Month honors. He was given an opportunity to impress in Miami, and he took it. Now, as the third seed in the East, the Heat have a two-headed rookie monster of Richardson and Winslow to help complement their seasoned veterans.
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