Emmanuel Mudiay (Guangdong | Point Guard)
HT: 6'5" | WT: 200 lbs. | Wingspan: 6'8.5" | 19 years old
2014-15 CBA Stats: 18.0 PPG | 6.3 RPG | 5.9 APG
Mudiay may be the mystery prospect to most fans, but arguably the top pure point guard in the Draft has been on the NBA radar for years.
A native of the Congo, Mudiay’s mother made the move to rescue Emmanuel and his two brothers from their war-torn homeland in 2001. They moved to Arlington, Texas, where the boys adjusted quickly to life in a new country and soon fell in love with basketball.
As a high school freshman, Emmanuel led Grace Prep to a state title over two-time champion Houston Westbury Christian. He would transfer to Dallas’ Prime Prep, and by the time he was a high school senior, some recruiting services had him ranked as the second-best player in his class.
He committed to play for Larry Brown at SMU, but changed his mind after considering his options with Brown and his family. “I was tired of seeing my mom struggle,” he said, so Mudiay signed a one-year contract to play for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Power guard
Listed at 6’5”, 200 lbs., Mudiay’s biggest strength is his strength. He uses his unique blend of power and quickness to create off the dribble, masterfully shielding defenders to get in the lane and finish in traffic. Not until he gets to the NBA will he begin to see opposing guards who can consistently match up with him physically.
He averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists per game as a high school senior, and dominated most of the All-American games last spring. He looked like the best player on the floor as he scored 19 points in 20 minutes in the Jordan Brand Classic, blowing by fellow five-star point guard Tyus Jones and finishing over Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns. At last week's NBA Combine, Kansas' Cliff Alexander spoke glowingly about Mudiay's talent and leadership from their days of playing AAU and All-Star games together.
Translated numbers
His decision to play in China complicates his evaluation for those who’d wish to see him go up against top NCAA competition, but statistical analysts have developed CBA-to-NBA projection models.
Mudiay played in just 12 games for Guangdong due to an ankle injury, averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists per contest in an uptempo league. ESPN’s Kevin Pelton projects those numbers to 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per 36 minutes in the NBA, which compare favorably to Celtics rookie Marcus Smart, who averaged 10.5 points, 4.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds per 36 minutes this season.
According to Pelton’s projections, Mudiay would be an average defensive rebounder for a shooting guard right out of the gates, and exceptional for a point guard. He’s also good at drawing contact and an efficient scorer inside the arc, which should help him as he works to develop NBA 3-point range.
But it’s his long-term potential that makes Mudiay such a special prospect – Pelton’s SCHOENE projection system has Derrick Rose as Mudiay’s closest statistical match at the same age, and John Wall, Jrue Holiday, Russell Westbrook and Tyreke Evans are also among his top 10 closest comps.
Knicks Fit
In his end-of-year press conference, Phil Jackson stated his desire to add players who can attack the basket. He added that they don’t necessarily need to be perimeter-oriented players, but in Mudiay he’d be getting just that.
There may not be a more gifted penetrator in this draft than Mudiay. He also has the size to play both backcourt spots in the Knicks’ system, giving Derek Fisher flexibility to use him in a variety of ways: He can initiate the offense, post up smaller guards, or allow Jose Calderon and Langston Galloway to spot up on the perimeter.
Mudiay's work ethic and preparation draw praise from players and coaches alike, and scouts were impressed with his readiness when Guangdong needed him to return in the middle of a playoff series after he'd missed most of the season.
Jackson and his staff will consider the type of player he'll be adding to the Knicks' locker room, and Mudiay will have the opportunity to convince them that he has the special blend of ability and maturity to shine in New York. He's excelled at every level and in the right situation, there's potential for much more.