NBA Rookie Ladder: Has Ricky Rubio Surpassed Kyrie Irving as NBA's Best?

Rookies around the league didn't have the benefit of summer league or a full training camp in a lockout-shortened season, and the adjustment period to the style of play in the NBA makes it difficult for some to find success.

While certain players have impressed on the offensive end, others have looked just as good on the defensive side of the ball, where less attention is paid by the casual fan.

Not all of the guys here were billed as high draft picks or can't-miss prospects, but their respective teams have certainly been happy with the returns to date.

10. Markieff Morris, PF Phoenix Suns

Some were surprised that Markieff went before twin brother Marcus, but Phoenix clearly made the right call on which twin brother to take.

While Marcus has spent the majority of his season in the D-League for Houston, Marcus has found surprising success from beyond the three-point line, where he's shooting above 45 percent.

He's been in and out of the starting lineup for Alvin Gentry, but there are real concerns about his lapses at the defensive end of the floor right now.

9. Andrew Goudelock, G Los Angeles Lakers

Goudelock was buried in Los Angeles' rotation to begin the season, but an inability to get anything out of the second unit has given the sharpshooter a chance to contribute.

He isn't afraid to take shots, and his aggressiveness has been beneficial to a team that could sorely use it.

Goudelock's shooting prowess has translated well at the next level, as evidenced by his efficiency from the three-point line, and he's already earned some high praise from teammate Kobe Bryant.

His size is a concern at just 6'3" as he's not really a point guard, but Goudelock has a role in this league as a scorer in the backcourt.

8. Kemba Walker, G Charlotte Bobcats

Walker was the early favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award before the season began (including mine), but he really hasn't played all that well.

Granted, it's tough for him to develop on a Charlotte team that's void of talent and is asking him to play a major role from the onset, but Walker has had trouble dealing with guys bigger than he is on both sides of the ball.

It's not that his numbers are bad by any stretch of the imagination, but he takes a lot of shots to find his points.

He can't keep shooting under 40 percent from the floor and average almost as many shots as he does points and sustain success for the long haul.

7. Iman Shumpert, G/F New York Knicks

Before Linsanity was taking over New York, it was all about Iman Shumpert and what a find he was in the draft for the Knicks.

The initial lust over Shumpert's game has cooled considerably, but he's showing that he is ready to be a part of an NBA rotation immediately out of Georgia Tech.

He's capable of playing multiple positions given his legitimate size (6'5", 220 lbs) and has shown a proclivity to rack up the steals right out of the gate.

Shot selection will be an area he needs to improve upon, but Shumpert is learning his role for New York along the way.

6. MarShon Brooks, G/F New Jersey Nets

Brooks' Achilles injury, followed by a broken toe, has some slightly soured on the kid, but he looks to be the steal of the draft after being taken in the back end of the first round.

His scoring figures are slightly inflated because he's playing with a Nets team that needs his offensive production, but there is no questioning the fact that Brook is a capable scorer in the league.

He needs to attack the rim more often rather than settling for jumpers, but there is no taking away from the fact that he can find his baskets from a variety of locations on the court.

5. Enes Kanter, C Utah Jazz

Kanter doesn't get as much playing time as others on this list due to a crowded frontcourt rotation in Utah, but he's making impressive strides for a guy who came into this year without having had the benefit of college basketball.

His numbers per 36 minutes are really strong: 12.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.

An even stronger indicator of how good he's been pulling down rebounds is his offensive rebounding rate, and the Jazz have a special player in Kanter.

Standing 6'11, 262 lbs and just 19 years old, Kanter has a chance to really shine.

4. Kawhi Leonard, G/F San Antonio Spurs

There were a lot of skeptics questioning the decision to trade George Hill in order to acquire Leonard on draft day, but it's a move that has quickly paid dividends.

For someone who stands just 6'7", Leonard is an absolute menace rebounding the basketball, and his attention to detail on defense has earned him a nice role for Greg Poppovich right off the bat.

He's averaging nearly two steals per game despite logging just under 24 minutes per game, and Leonard's willingness to do whatever his team needs in order to win games is refreshing.

3. Brandon Knight, PG Detroit Pistons

Knight has been one of the only consistent contributors on the Detroit team this season, and it's really impressive to see what he's done considering he's garnered such a large role from the onset of the season.

The assist-to-turnover ratio is a major area of concern in his development, but Knight has shown improvement in that regard of late and should improve as time moves forward.

He's already shown that he can score on a team that doesn't have much offensive semblance at that end of the floor, and there is a ton to like about his future.

2. Ricky Rubio, PG Minnesota Timberwolves

Rubio is showing every single one of his doubters just how good he is, and it's scary to think about his future in the NBA, as he's just 21 years old.

The electric point guard leads the league in total steals and is inside the top three in assists, and the chemistry he's shown with Kevin Love has fans excited about the future of the franchise.

He hasn't illustrated an ability to put the concerns over his shooting behind him, but quite frankly, that is the least of his worries right now.

In 15 games as a starter, Rubio is averaging 11.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 3.0 steals per game.

Ball on.

1. Kyrie Irving, PG Cleveland Cavaliers

Irving has been beyond impressive. There is really no way to put it other than that.

A heavily debated first-overall selection and the least-hyped top pick in recent memory, Irving has put the Cavs on his shoulders as a 19-year-old who had played just 11 games at Duke before making the jump to the NBA.

He's got a real chance to be a part of the 50-40-80 club (field goal/three point/free throw percentages) in his inaugural season, and that would be some type of accomplishment given the uniqueness of this campaign.

Irving has no problem stepping up for his team when Cleveland needs it most, and he's quickly putting an extraordinarily ugly 2010-11 season in the rear-view mirror.

He's giving Cavs fans something to cheer about, and for very good reason. He's been that good.