Emmanuel Mudiay will replace Patrick Beverley in the Taco Bell Skills Challenge at All-Star weekend the NBA announced today. Beverely suffered an ankle injury in the Houston Rockets match up with the Portland Trail Blazers last night. Their loss is the Nuggets gain as their rookie point guard will now showcase his abilities on two days of All Star weekend as he was already slated to participate in Friday’s BBVA Rising Stars Challenge.

Mudiay certainly has an excellent combination of speed and passing ability which will bode well for the obstacle course that tests combatants in the Skills Challenge. However, the course also will test his three point shooting ability which has not been one of Mudiay’s strong points this season. The skills challenge is loaded with multi-faceted players of all positions with Isaiah Thomas and Draymond Green looking to be the early favorites to win the competition, but perhaps Denver’s rookie will surprise everyone with a victory. To do so he’ll have to beat out Thomas in the first round. Take a look at the bracket below to see the path Mudiay will have to take to victory.

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