Nuggets training camp capsules: Emmanuel Mudiay

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In the buildup to training camp beginning Sept. 27, BSN Denver is profiling the Nuggets roster player by player, reflecting on their performance last year and what they have to prove in training camp, preseason, and throughout the regular season to have a productive 2016-17 campaign.

Player Profile

Emmanuel Mudiay, 6-foot-5, 200 pounds

2015/16 averages: 68 games (66 starts), 30.4 minutes, 12.8 points (36.4 FG%, 31.9 3pt%), 3.4 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 3.2 turnovers.

Projected role: Starting point guard

Training camp outlook

Emmanuel Mudiay is entering his second training camp with a better foundation than almost anyone at his young age of 20 years old and a chance to take a monumental leap forward. Being that Mudiay was named the starting point guard of the Denver Nuggets very shortly after being drafted it was known to Mudiay that he was going to have to learn on the fly.

While the first half of the season was absolutely a struggle it was the mistakes that he was able to make that has allowed him to grow and develop very quickly. Coming off an offseason consisting of Summer League and the chance to play with the Select team it seems that most of the signs are pointing towards Mudiay coming into his sophomore season ready to establish himself as an up-and-coming point guard in the Association.

Mudiay has the physical stature, mental toughness, vision, creativity and the drive to become an elite point guard in the NBA. The large issue holding him back is his offensive efficiency. Before the All-Star break, last season Mudiay was shooting historically low from everywhere on the court to the tune of a 40.7 TS% and was averaging an awful 3.5 turnovers a game. Most of these glaring weaknesses had calmed in the second half of the season but to firmly solidify himself as a potential star for the Nuggets he still has quite a long ways to go and that path starts with training camp.

Mudiay will have to show that he has taken steps to become more of an offensive threat and that he is prepared to be the leader that the Nuggets front office hope he can be. Adding something offensively, whether improvement on his shot, better finishing around the rim, or a post game, should be priority number one. He has shown the desire to take the last shot and to lead this team but that all begins with his play on the court. Hopefully, we will see a fiery and assertive Mudiay at training camp this year in the same way he was leading and taking charge at Summer League.

With the weight of the Denver Nuggets franchise weighing heavily on his shoulders, this may be the most important training camp of his career and the first glimpse into the future of the Denver Nuggets with Mudiay at the helm. Look for Mudiay to come out of the gate swinging this training camp.